The Best Food Tours in Reykjavik (2026)

Here is a question worth asking before you start planning meals in Reykjavik: should you book a food tour? The honest answer is yes -- particularly if you are visiting Iceland for the first time. A good food tour in Reykjavik will introduce you to ingredients, restaurants, and culinary traditions you would not discover on your own. It replaces a meal, covers significant ground, and gives you a local's perspective on the food scene. At ISK 12,000-25,000 (EUR 78-162), it is also, paradoxically, one of the better-value food experiences in a city where a single restaurant dinner can cost more.

Why a Food Tour Makes Sense in Iceland

Iceland's food culture is unlike anywhere else in Europe. The ingredients -- langoustine, Arctic char, fermented shark, smoked lamb, skyr, rye bread baked underground with geothermal heat -- are specific to this place. Without context, you might walk past some of the best things to eat in the city. A food tour gives you that context.

Most walking food tours in Reykjavik cover 5-8 tasting stops over 2.5-3.5 hours. By the end, you will have tasted enough to skip dinner entirely. You will also know which restaurants you want to return to on your own, which is arguably the most valuable part.

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Types of Food Tours

Classic Walking Food Tour

The standard offering and the one most first-time visitors should book. A guide walks you through central Reykjavik -- typically covering Laugavegur, the Old Harbour, and side streets in between -- stopping at 5-7 venues for tastings. Expect to try the famous hot dog at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur, freshly baked goods at Sandholt or a local bakery, lobster soup at the harbour (often at Saegreifinn), dried fish, skyr, and typically a sample of fermented shark for the brave. Some tours include a craft beer pairing.

Duration: 2.5-3.5 hours Price: ISK 12,000-16,000 (EUR 78-104) per person Best for: First-time visitors who want a broad introduction

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Evening Food & Drink Tour

These tours shift the focus toward the social side of Reykjavik's food scene. Tastings tend to be more substantial -- think restaurant-quality small plates rather than quick samples -- and often include wine, cocktails, or Icelandic craft beer pairings. The pace is more relaxed, the atmosphere more convivial, and the venues lean toward bistros and wine bars rather than street food stalls. A good option if you have already done the daytime highlights and want to explore the city after dark.

Duration: 3-4 hours Price: ISK 18,000-25,000 (EUR 117-162) per person Best for: Couples and food enthusiasts who want a deeper experience

Beer & Food Tour

Iceland's craft beer scene has exploded in recent years -- remarkable for a country that only legalised beer in 1989. Beer-focused food tours pair local brews with Icelandic food across several stops. You will learn about the country's peculiar brewing history (prohibition lasted until 1989, and full-strength beer was illegal for 74 years) while tasting IPAs, stouts, and ales from Reykjavik's growing roster of independent breweries, matched with dishes that complement them.

Duration: 2.5-3 hours Price: ISK 15,000-20,000 (EUR 97-130) per person Best for: Beer lovers and those who want something different

What You Will Typically Taste

Across most Reykjavik food tours, certain stops and tastings recur because they represent the essential building blocks of Icelandic food culture:

The pylsa: Iceland's iconic hot dog from Baejarins Beztu, loaded with sweet mustard, remoulade, and crispy onion. Every tour includes this.
Lobster soup: Creamy, rich, and made with Icelandic langoustine. Saegreifinn at the Old Harbour is the classic stop.
Freshly baked bread: Often at Sandholt or a similar bakery. The cinnamon rolls and sourdough are highlights.
Dried fish (hardfiskur): Essentially Icelandic beef jerky, but made from fish. Served with butter. Better than it sounds.
Skyr: Iceland's famous thick, creamy dairy product -- similar to yoghurt but technically a fresh cheese. You will taste it prepared in ways you have not tried before.
Fermented shark (hakarl): The dare. Most tours offer it as an optional taste. The ammonia smell is intense. The flavour is... an experience.
Craft beer or brennivín: Depending on the tour, you may get a taste of Iceland's signature spirit, a caraway-flavoured schnapps sometimes called "Black Death." It pairs surprisingly well with the shark.

What Makes a Good Food Tour

Not all food tours are equal. The difference between a good one and a mediocre one comes down almost entirely to the guide. The best guides are locals with genuine passion for Icelandic food -- they will tell you stories about the fishing industry, explain why Icelanders ferment shark (spoiler: survival), and point out their own favourite spots that are not on the tour route. They adapt to dietary requirements without making it awkward.

Look for tours with small group sizes (under 12 people), at least 5 tasting stops, and guides who live in Reykjavik rather than seasonal workers reading from a script.

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Practical Tips

When to book: Food tours in Reykjavik sell out during peak season (June-August). Book at least a week in advance during summer, a few days ahead in shoulder season.

Dietary requirements: Most tours can accommodate vegetarian and gluten-free diets with advance notice. Vegan options are more limited given the heavy focus on fish and dairy, but some operators have adapted.

What to wear: You will be walking outdoors for 2-3 hours. Dress for the weather -- layers, a wind-proof jacket, and comfortable shoes. Reykjavik weather does not care about your outfit plans.

Timing: Do not eat a big meal beforehand. The cumulative amount of food across 5-7 stops is substantial. Most people skip dinner afterward.

Specialty coffee: Several tours include a stop at Reykjavik Roasters or a similar specialty coffee shop. If yours does not, walk there afterward -- it is the best coffee in the city and a fitting end to a food tour.

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Final Tips

A food tour is one of the smartest things you can book in Reykjavik. It orients you to the food scene, replaces a meal, and gives you a framework for the rest of your trip's dining decisions. The classic walking food tour is the right choice for most visitors. If you have more time and budget, add an evening food-and-drink tour on a different night for a fuller picture.

The restaurants you discover on a food tour -- the harbour-side soup kitchen, the century-old bakery, the hot dog stand with the permanent queue -- tend to become the meals you remember longest from Iceland. That is not an accident. These are the places that tell the story of this country through food, and a good guide makes that story come alive.

Last updated: February 2026.