The Best Restaurants in Akureyri (2026)

Akureyri is not a big city. With roughly 19,000 residents, Iceland's "Capital of the North" could comfortably fit inside a single Reykjavik neighbourhood. But it punches hard when it comes to food. The town sits at the head of Eyjafjordur, one of Iceland's longest fjords, and the fishing boats that motor in and out of its small harbour supply a restaurant scene that is far more interesting than any town this size has a right to claim.

The dining options here are different from Reykjavik's. There is no Michelin star, no tasting menu that requires booking six weeks ahead. What you get instead is honest, well-executed cooking that draws heavily on the sea and the surrounding countryside -- fresh cod and haddock, Arctic char from nearby rivers, lamb from farms you can see from the town, and dairy from cows that graze on grass so rich the butter tastes different. You also get something Reykjavik increasingly struggles with: reasonable prices.

If you are driving the Ring Road, Akureyri is the obvious place to stop and eat properly. If you are spending time in North Iceland, it is worth planning at least two meals here. These are the restaurants that deserve your attention.

Brynja

There is no way to talk about eating in Akureyri without starting here. Brynja is not a restaurant in the conventional sense -- it is an ice cream shop, and it has been the most famous one in Iceland since 1939. The soft serve is made on-site from a closely guarded recipe, and the texture is unlike anything you have had before: dense, impossibly creamy, and served from a window on Adalstraeti that has had a queue outside it for the better part of a century. Locals will tell you, with complete seriousness, that it is worth driving from Reykjavik for a cone. They are not wrong.

The dipped options -- chocolate-coated, caramel-swirled -- are popular, but the plain soft serve is the thing. Order it in a cup if you want to experience the texture without the distraction of a waffle cone. Expect to pay around ISK 700 (EUR 4.50) for a large.

Best for: The single most iconic food experience in North Iceland Try: Plain soft serve in a cup -- nothing else needed

Baccala Bar Ektafiskur

Baccala Bar Ektafiskur is the best seafood restaurant in Akureyri and, arguably, one of the most interesting fish restaurants in the country outside Reykjavik. The focus is on salt cod (baccala) and traditional Icelandic fish preparations, but executed with a level of care and creativity that elevates them well beyond what you might expect. The salt cod croquettes are superb. The pan-fried haddock with brown butter and capers is a masterclass in simplicity. The wine list is short but well-chosen.

The space is small and fills quickly in summer. Book ahead if you are visiting between June and August.

Best for: Serious seafood in a refined setting Location: Adalstraeti, Akureyri

1862 Nordic Bistro

Set in a beautifully restored historic building on Adalstraeti, 1862 Nordic Bistro is Akureyri's most polished dining experience. The menu draws from New Nordic traditions -- expect seasonal tasting menus and a la carte dishes that lean heavily on local ingredients: langoustine from Hofn, lamb from nearby farms, foraged herbs from the highlands. The presentation is elegant without being fussy, and the dining room manages to feel both special-occasion and welcoming.

If you are looking for one proper dinner in Akureyri, this is the place. Main courses run ISK 4,500-7,500 (EUR 30-50), which is notably less than you would pay for equivalent quality in Reykjavik.

Best for: The finest dinner in town Try: The seasonal tasting menu if available

Eyri Restaurant & Veitingahus

Eyri Restaurant is Akureyri's harbour-front restaurant, and it makes excellent use of its position. The fish comes off the boats just metres away, and the kitchen treats it with the respect it deserves. The fish and chips here are a cut above -- beer-battered cod with hand-cut chips and a sharp remoulade. The lobster soup is rich and satisfying. It is a straightforward, well-run fish restaurant without pretension, and sometimes that is exactly what you want after a day of driving.

Best for: Harbour-front seafood, unpretentious and fresh Try: The fish and chips or the lobster soup

Taste Akureyri

When you have had your fill of fish and lamb, Taste Akureyri provides an excellent alternative: gourmet burgers made with Icelandic beef. The patties are thick, well-seasoned, and cooked to order. The menu is not large, but everything on it is done well. The hand-cut chips are properly crisp, the sauces are house-made, and the atmosphere is casual and lively. It is the kind of place that would be unremarkable in a bigger city but feels like a genuine find in Akureyri.

Expect to pay ISK 2,800-3,800 (EUR 18-25) for a burger with sides.

Best for: The best burgers in North Iceland Location: Strandgata, Akureyri

Lemon Akureyri

Lemon Akureyri is the town's best bakery-cafe, and it earns that title every morning. The pastries are excellent -- croissants that would not embarrass a Parisian boulangerie, cinnamon rolls with a properly caramelised top, and a sourdough loaf that locals queue for before work. The coffee is solid, the atmosphere is bright and unhurried, and the lunch menu (soups, sandwiches, quiches) is genuinely good rather than an afterthought.

If you are staying overnight in Akureyri, start your day here. The breakfast pastry selection alone justifies the visit.

Best for: Pastries, coffee, and a light lunch Try: Whatever is fresh out of the oven when you arrive

Berlin Akureyri

Berlin Akureyri occupies a curious niche -- part cafe, part bar, part cultural space. During the day it serves decent coffee, cakes, and light meals. In the evening it transforms into something closer to a bar, occasionally hosting live music or events. The interior has the kind of shabby-chic aesthetic that feels genuine rather than curated, and it draws a younger, artsier crowd than most Akureyri establishments. It is the closest thing the town has to a hip neighbourhood hangout.

Best for: Coffee by day, drinks and atmosphere by night Location: Skipagata, Akureyri

Blaa Kannan Cafe

Housed in a striking blue building that is one of the most photographed facades in Akureyri, Blaa Kannan is a cosy, old-fashioned cafe that serves reliable coffee, homemade cakes, and light meals. It has been a meeting point for locals for decades, and there is something comforting about its refusal to modernise. The waffles with cream and jam are a local favourite. The soup of the day is always worth asking about.

Best for: Traditional Icelandic cafe atmosphere Try: Waffles with cream and jam

Sjavarbarinn

If you want a warm, filling lunch without spending much, Sjavarbarinn is the answer. The restaurant is best known for its seafood soup -- a thick, creamy bowl loaded with fish, shellfish, and vegetables that comes with unlimited bread refills. It is the kind of meal that restores you after a cold morning at Godafoss or a long drive from Husavik. The menu is limited, but what they do, they do well and at a fair price. Expect ISK 2,500-3,200 (EUR 16-21) for soup with bread.

Best for: Warming seafood soup on a cold day Try: The signature seafood soup with bread

Frida

A sweet finish to any Akureyri visit, Frida is a small chocolate shop and cafe that makes its own truffles, pralines, and drinking chocolate from quality cocoa. The hot chocolate is rich and intense -- a far cry from the powdered variety. The handmade chocolates make excellent gifts to bring home. It is a small operation with limited seating, but well worth a stop if you have a sweet tooth.

Best for: Handmade chocolate and hot chocolate Try: A box of assorted truffles for the road

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Exploring Akureyri's Food Scene

If you are spending a day or two in Akureyri and want to make the most of the town's culinary offerings, a guided tour of Akureyri is a worthwhile way to orient yourself and discover places you might otherwise walk past. Several tour operators combine food stops with the town's cultural highlights, which is a smart use of limited time in a small but rewarding place.

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How We Chose

Akureyri is a small town, and the restaurant scene is manageable enough to cover comprehensively. We visited every restaurant on this list during our most recent trip to North Iceland, and we have tracked many of them across multiple years and seasons. Consistency matters to us: a restaurant that is wonderful in July but mediocre in January does not make the cut. We looked for places that serve food they are genuinely proud of, treat their ingredients with respect, and charge fairly -- bearing in mind that "fairly" in Iceland is still eye-wateringly expensive by most European standards. We receive no payment or complimentary meals from any restaurant listed here.

Last updated: February 2026.