One time in Prague, I overheard a Michelin star chef tell a customer that when he travels, he always stays in the cheapest hotels but eats at the finest restaurants. I realized that I like doing exactly the same thing… just substitute hotel for the best rated, cheap, and centrally located hostel in that city. Food can make or break a trip.

Thanks to some great airplane wifi on Iceland Air, I scoped out the best restaurants and cafes in the city and compared results against multiple lists. Reykjavik has a super chic food scene, complete with chefs trained at other Michelin star restaurants. It makes sense that the seafood and nordic fusion would be insane!

My restaurant choosing system is pretty fool proof. I compare what I find from various blogs to Trip Advisor’s top restaurant list… knowing that the top 20 are usually reserved for middle-aged westerner favorites with great service and decor. Fun fact… the best FOOD in many foreign countries speaks for itself and doesn’t need good service. ~5 of the top 20 are true gems amongst the overrated tourist traps.

Tip: look for reviews that talk about amazing food and lackluster service. I look at a lot of restaurants ranked 20-75. My most memorable meals come from restaurants in that range! Iceland was no exception.

Tip 2: Food is expensive AF! Save up, accept it, try not to cringe.

Tip 3: It’s also worth mentioning… get anything Skyr that you see. Yummy yogurt alternative and jacked full of protein. I had a smoothie mixed with blueberries at the Blue Lagoon and it was heaven.

 

Restaurants

1. Fiskmarkadurinn (#8 on TA): 3.5/5

Alright so I broke my own rule, but enough blogs mentioned this that I had to try it. They had me at sushi/Japanese fusion! I wasn’t able to get the tasting menu since I was alone… a lot of the top restaurants require a minimum of two people. This place said I could still get it if I ate and paid for 2. Uh nope! So I had them try to recreate a few favorites.

Cocktail was good but felt too tropical for Iceland in December! First little appetizer was some kind of tartine thing with a little scallop and cucumber mix. I had a bowl of lobster soup made from coconut milk.

I also tried the minke whale at the suggestion of my waitress. What did it taste like? Delicious guilt. And yes, I did a quick search on my phone to see if minke whales are endangered or not (they aren’t) to soothe my morality. Worth trying if you are willing to contribute to the pretty messed up whaling industry.

Main course? Some of the most beautiful sushi I’ve ever seen with taste to match. Nom.

Price: More expensive than the tasting menu. I did myself a favor and didn’t check the exchange rate until I got home.

Atmo: Quiet and Michelin star-ish. Very few (if any) locals.

 

2. Grillmarkadurinn (#12 on TA): 2/5

I have to say, they held my table for over an hour when bad weather went down. Beyond that, O-V-E-R-R-A-T-E-D. Food was eh. Once again, I couldn’t get the tasting menu alone and what I did order was less quantity and more expensive. I also had food poisoning all night. Ugh. I’ll include photos of the fish stuff and fried calamari and whatnot, but that’s about it.

Atmo: Louder than the fish market, tons of tourists. Tricky, hidden location off a main street.

 

3. Kol (#21 on TA): 4.5/5

One of my favorite meals EVER. A beautiful walk near the iconic city church under Christmas lights. A place full of Icelandic speaking locals and no tourists! A tasting menu I could order while dining alone! Decent price! A nice mix of surf and turf. I want everyone to go here if they visit. I hope the tasting menu is just as incredible.

 

Cafes

Coffee drinks cost like $10. It is crazy. Once again, prepare yourself.

Reykjavik Roasters: Great for a quirky hipster experience, vintage music, and expensive lattes in strange glasses. I loved sitting next to the window and watching the world go by.

Kaffitar: A local chain. The cappuccino was yummy without being overly artsy. Decent prices.

Prikid: Apparently the oldest cafe in the city, also small and full of character. Enjoyed my mocha and breakfast at the bar, and price wasn’t so terrible.