Centuries of isolation and a rugged local weather have formed extra than simply Iceland’s panorama: The small Nordic nation’s id can also be mirrored in its delicacies. Formed by generations of resourcefulness, Icelanders have lengthy relied on the bounty of land and sea to create easy but deeply nourishing meals.
Seafood—together with Atlantic cod, langoustine, salmon, and Arctic char—performs a starring position in properties and eating places, and it’s usually grilled, smoked, or fermented (in a nod to outdated preservation strategies). Lamb, too, is plentiful, with greater than two sheep to each Icelander. The meat is revered for its pure grass-fed tenderness and is a staple, served roasted or stewed in hearty, warming dishes. My amma (grandmother) loves serving roast lamb smothered in gravy, with sides of caramelized child potatoes and pink sauerkraut.
Attributable to its harsh geography and Arctic Circle-adjacent location, Iceland doesn’t precisely take pleasure in a bounty of native fruits or greens, save for some wild berries, however the delicacies has persevered, because of inventive cooking strategies that take advantage of what’s accessible, with methods equivalent to fermentation, pickling, and smoking.
Iceland is now not remoted, although. Globalization and a wholesome tourism business have led to a culinary growth that appears outward for inspiration. At the moment, menus in Reykjavík and past draw from worldwide influences but stay distinctly Icelandic at coronary heart, with homegrown (and infrequently hydroponic greenhouse-grown) elements together with angelica, chervil, beets, rhubarb, mushrooms, and Nordic wasabi.
In the meantime, eating places like Brút have been broadening the island’s seafood choices with dishes created from obscure species equivalent to lumpfish and Icelandic sea snails. The one draw back to all the thrill? Town’s high eating places will set you again a reasonably penny. However don’t fret—there’s all the time the famed Icelandic scorching canine to fall again on in a pinch.
What this tiny restaurant lacks in house (it hosts solely 17 diners per evening), it makes up for in expertise. Friends begin by ringing the bell at a speakeasy-style door earlier than being led to a ’70s-inspired lounge for champagne and amuse-bouches. One standout chunk incorporates a crackly choux full of duck egg cream and topped with Rossini Caviar. Afterward, diners stroll by way of a hidden bookcase door to a eating room resembling chef Thrainn Freyr Vigfusson’s grandmother’s kitchen, the place everybody gathers round a single curved desk. The practically four-hour, 18-course meal celebrates Iceland’s flavors, showcasing native elements equivalent to Icelandic shrimp and recent wasabi. The magic lies not solely within the dishes and watching the cooks at work, but additionally within the communal expertise—sharing ideas with fellow diners about every beautiful course, together with melt-in-your-mouth salmon revealed from a smoking glass cloche.
This well-liked spot for birthdays and particular events is understood for its welcoming ambiance; mild, crunchy poppadoms; and fan-favorite Icelandic salmon marinated in ginger, mint, and cilantro. Positioned on Hverfisgata, a once-gritty road in central Reykjavík, it’s owned by Chandrika and Gunnar Gunnarson, who combine Icelandic elements in dishes such because the lamb shank biryani with fall-off-the-bone Icelandic lamb redolent of cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. The ambiance additionally bridges Indian and Nordic cultures with its brass lanterns, vibrant textiles, and industrial cement partitions.
OTO is one other instance of a Reykjavík restaurant melding worldwide cuisines with Icelandic elements. The vibe inside is brilliant and trendy, with a pink neon loop snaking its approach throughout the ceiling. Mixing Japanese and Italian influences, it has turn into one of the crucial bustling spots on the town, because of dishes equivalent to hand-dived scallops served of their shells with spinach, citrus, and togarashi, and matcha tiramisu with native rhubarb compote.
Nordic baked items are top-notch, and the place to pattern a few of the greatest in Iceland is Brauð & Co. The colourful, graffitied store is known for its sourdough breads, croissants, rúgbrauð (Icelandic rye), and cinnamon buns, all made with natural Icelandic flour, native dairy, and butter. The bakers comply with conventional methods equivalent to hand-kneading and gradual fermentation, and lean closely on Icelandic elements together with rhbuarb, skyr (Icelandic yogurt), and wild herbs. I’m undecided if it’s the Icelandic butter and sea salt they use, or the small batches by which they’re baked, however their monumental cinnamon rolls—fluffy, oozing, and melt-in-your-mouth—are the sort of deal with you’ll end up swooning over lengthy after your journey. There are a number of areas throughout the town, however this one—the unique—by no means disappoints.
This quaint pizzeria in Seltjarnarnes, a township quarter-hour from the town middle, is housed in an early Twentieth-century abode with a wood façade and conventional pitched roof. On the menu are Neapolitan-style pizzas each basic and newfangled, together with one with smoked lamb and native mushrooms. After consuming your fill of arancini, birch-smoked salmon carpaccio, and people delectable pies, meander over to Grótta Island Lighthouse, one in every of Reykjavík’s most scenic landmarks. From the highest, see in case you can spot Mount Esja and, on clear days, the Snæfellsjökull glacier. Within the lifeless of winter, it is a prime spot to observe the northern lights, too.
Some name Dill the “Noma of Iceland” for its dedication to native elements and eclectic flavors and textures, however the restaurant, which opened in 2009, has charted a path all its personal with a multi-course tasting menu centered on produce. At a current dinner, whelks had been introduced of their shells swimming in salty turnip cream, a blue potato cake got here topped with punchy bitter cream and dill sorbet, and a tiny onion cake arrived artfully lined in thinly sliced carrot rounds.
Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík’s famed Brutalist church, is usually hailed as the town’s high vacationer attraction, however I’d throw my hat within the ring and say it’s truly Baejarins Beztu: a small walk-up scorching canine stand that has given the standard dish cult standing amongst locals and guests alike. The stand instructions a protracted line in any respect hours and has been slinging Icelandic scorching canine, known as pylsa, since 1937. In contrast to their American counterparts, Icelandic scorching canine mix lamb, pork, and beef, giving them a definite, pleasantly gamey taste. They’re braised in water and malt beer, which provides a layer of richness—and that’s earlier than you take into account the drool-worthy toppings: crispy fried onions, apple ketchup, and remolaði—a creamy candy relish mayo—to call a couple of.
The 2021 opening of Reykjavík’s first five-star resort, the Version, introduced with it this phenomenal produce-focused restaurant appointed with heat wood accents and sheepskin blankets cushioning your seat again. It’s all a satisfying backdrop to intriguing trendy dishes equivalent to Icelandic steak tartare, Nordic seed salmon tataki, and pillowy gnocchi with Icelandic lamb ragù. Anticipate flavor-packed thrives that embrace native wasabi oil, pink currant jus, and creamy sheep’s milk feykir cheese.
Housed in one in every of Reykjavík’s oldest city-center buildings, this seafood-focused wine bar and bistro highlights lesser-known native sea dwellers, equivalent to Icelandic sea snails in garlic butter, and rock crab with cucumber and wasabi. I really like the decadence of the lumpfish caviar, pale pink and briny, which comes with potatoes and crème fraîche. Cod tongue—a Nordic delicacy that’s truly a gelatinous muscle reduce from the decrease jaw—is served right here in bordelaise sauce with smoked pork stomach for a very memorable principal.
That is the place I am going for breakfast on chilly winter mornings with my amma. One in every of Reykjavík’s oldest and most beloved cafés, Mokka Kaffi has been a espresso tradition cornerstone since 1958, famously the primary place to serve espresso in Iceland. Step inside, and also you’re greeted by heat, wood-paneled partitions and the mushy hum of dialog—a comfy, intimate house with classic allure and unique artwork on the partitions. The menu is straightforward however satisfying, and the must-order merchandise is the waffles, golden brown and served scorching with a beneficiant dollop of whipped cream and tart, candy strawberry jam.