Eating And Drinking In Reykjavik

For a small city, there are tons of eating options in Reykjavik. Even the “budget” meals are not cheap, though, so it’s worth it to choose wisely or stop worrying about costs. Here are my tips on eating and drinking in Reykjavik.

Like to try the food when you travel? Check out my food guides for Bonaire and Puerto Rico!

Fish & Chips

Seafood is big in Iceland – you can get fish stew in many places, and fish and chips is a hot item. Near the harbour in Reykjavik, there are 2 top options right across the street from one another. We headed that way on Saturday because our guide book recommended one which looked too stuffy and was empty, so we went into the hipper looking Reykjavik Fish. Not cheap, but delicious.

Reykjavik Fish
Outside Reykjavik Fish

We both went for the combo #1 – Fish and Chips with one sauce and a draft beer for $32 KR. You can also order a la carte but we went for the shebang. The fish was really lightly battered and delicate, and delicious. Viking beer is the basic Icelandic lager which tastes perfectly fine. Fries were OK.

Fish and Chips Reykjavik Fish
Fish and Chips and a Viking Beer at Reykjavik Fish

Reykjavik Fish is big, clean and Nordic looking on the inside. You order at the front and they bring it to your table when it’s ready. It’s a much nicer looking place than your typical casual dining spot back home, but you’re also paying way more! But when in Iceland… I imagine the prices were similar across the street.

Reykjavik Fish
Inside Reykjavik Fish
Hot Dogs

Another ubiquitous Icelandic dish, the hot dog is much sweeter here than back home. I am having a hard time with this one; Brian likes it more than I do. These are available at N1 gas stations around the country, and are a relatively cheap meal option (still about $6 Canadian!).

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First Day in Reykjavik Free Walking Tour

About the Free walking tour

Early yesterday morning we dropped off our campervan at CampEasy and our bags at our Reykjavik hotel. What to do to get a first taste of a new city? We like to go on walking tours! The good news is City Walks Iceland puts on free walking tours of the city centre every day so we booked the free Reykjavik walking tour for 1:30PM.

The tour was great! Sara, our guide, is a local and a historian – she studied with Iceland’s president, so pretty good credentials. She was entertaining and told some really fun and interesting stories about the city and country.

about Reykjavik

It’s a very charming little city, and reminds me of a smaller Halifax. The buildings are low and colorful, and there are cool sculptures and street art all over the place. There’s also a lot of construction, as the city grows.

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Day 7: Iceland Geo Thermal Activity Gets the Thumbs Up from Us

This morning was amazing! We woke up at the Kerlingarfjöll campsite to find that we were not alone. Brian got to talking to a man who we think was the owner of the place. Very Northern, and very understated, he suggested we drive up the hill and see the geothermals. Wow! Are we glad we did. Iceland geo thermal activity at Hveradalir was impressive, surprising, amazing, and many other adjectives. Brian said it was in his Top 5s of Iceland (not sure what the other 4 are: probably 4 hot pots) and it definitely made my day. After that, it is going to be hard to top.

about the iceland Geo thermal activity

So what about the geo thermals was amazing? Well, once we drove to the top of the hill, it was time to hike. Kerlingarfjöll is part of a volcanic mountain range, so we hiked through landscapes unlike anything we’d seen before. We could see glaciers in the distance, but we were among hills and flowing water, flowing HOT water which was bubbling and steaming and smelled sulfuric. It was really otherworldly, and we were the only ones there. We just kept stopping for photos and saying “wow.”

There was also what in better weather must be a hot pot but wasn’t too hot or full of water at the moment. If you go to Iceland and have 4WD this is a must stop! Even with rain and wind, this hike was one of the favorite things we did all week. WOW to geothermals!

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