Where to Eat on the Ring Road (2026)

The Ring Road is 1,322 kilometres of dramatic scenery and surprisingly limited dining options. Outside Reykjavik and Akureyri, the nearest restaurant may be an hour away, and it might close at 17:00. Planning your meals on this trip is not a luxury -- it is a necessity.

The good news: the restaurants that do exist include genuine gems. A tomato greenhouse where you eat surrounded by the plants that produced your soup. A fish and chip shop in Hofn that rivals anything in Britain. This guide covers the best stops along Route 1, organised clockwise from Reykjavik, plus a few worthy detours.

Reykjavik: Your Starting Point

See our full Reykjavik restaurant guide for the complete picture. For a quick meal before heading out, Icelandic Street Food is ideal -- lamb soup with unlimited bread refills for ISK 2,200 (EUR 14). They open early and serve fast.

The Golden Circle Detour

Most Ring Road itineraries begin with the Golden Circle, which is technically a detour from Route 1 but so universally included that it belongs in this guide.

Fridheimar

Fridheimar is a working tomato greenhouse heated by geothermal energy. You eat lunch surrounded by the plants: tomato soup (rich, sweet, endlessly refillable), fresh bread, and a tomato dessert. The food is genuinely excellent. Reservations are essential -- this is one of the most popular stops in Iceland. Expect ISK 3,200 (EUR 21) for the soup buffet.

Best for: A unique greenhouse dining experience Book: Well in advance at fridheimar.is -- they fill up daily

Efstidalur

Efstidalur is a dairy farm with a restaurant overlooking the cowshed. Watch the cows being milked while eating pizza made with their cheese. The ice cream is outstanding. Located between Thingvellir and Geysir, making it an easy Golden Circle stop.

Best for: Farm-to-table dining with a view of the source Try: The homemade ice cream and the wood-fired pizza

South Coast

The South Coast stretch from Selfoss to Vik is one of the most popular sections of the Ring Road, but dining options are sparse. Plan ahead.

Matarbarinn

Matarbarinn serves solid meals -- fish, lamb, burgers -- to road-weary travellers. Not life-changing, but well-run and open when alternatives are not. The fish of the day is the best choice.

Fellsfjara (Near Vik)

Fellsfjara sits near Reynisfjara's black sand beach, serving warming soups and coffee to visitors just buffeted by Atlantic winds. Decent quality, perfect location.

Bergid (Vik)

Bergid is the best restaurant in Vik. Pizza, burgers, fish, and lamb, all a step above what you would expect from a village of 300 people. Essential if overnighting here -- between Vik and Hofn, proper restaurants are scarce. Main courses ISK 2,800-5,500 (EUR 18-36).

Hofn and the Southeast

Hofn is the langoustine capital of Iceland, and it is the culinary highlight of the Ring Road outside the two main cities. The drive from Vik to Hofn (roughly 4 hours) is spectacular but restaurant-free, so arrive hungry.

Nailed It Fish & Chips (Hofn)

Nailed It is the surprise highlight of the Ring Road. A small, casual fish and chip shop that serves battered haddock and cod good enough to shame most chippies in Britain. The fish is fresh from the harbour, the batter is light and crisp, and the langoustine bites are exceptional. At ISK 2,500-3,500 (EUR 16-23), it is one of the best-value meals on the entire route.

Geitafell Restaurant (Near Hofn)

Geitafell is a farm restaurant on the approach to Hofn where the lamb comes from the farm's own flock, prepared simply and well. A genuine farm kitchen serving genuine farm food in a warm, rustic setting.

Hornid (Hofn)

Hornid is Hofn's most established restaurant and where most visitors end up for a proper langoustine dinner. The tails -- grilled, pan-fried, or in a rich bisque -- are confidently cooked. The restaurant has been doing this for years and it shows. Main courses ISK 4,500-8,000 (EUR 30-53), expensive but justifiable for the quality.

Jon Riki (Hofn)

Jon Riki offers a more casual alternative to Hornid, with excellent seafood at slightly gentler prices in a relaxed setting. A good choice if you want langoustine without the full restaurant experience.

East Iceland

The eastern stretch of the Ring Road is the quietest and least touristy section. Restaurants are few, but the ones that exist are worth seeking out.

Beljandi (Egilsstadir)

Beljandi is a brewery and restaurant in Egilsstadir. Beers brewed on-site (the pale ale and porter are both strong), plus burgers, fish, and pub fare executed with more care than the setting suggests.

How's It Going Phone Booth (Egilsstadir)

How's It Going Phone Booth has one of the best names of any restaurant in Iceland, and the food lives up to it. Creative dishes, local ingredients, vintage charm. Personal, eccentric, and memorable.

Akureyri

Akureyri is the culinary capital of North Iceland, and we cover it in detail in our Akureyri restaurant guide. Three highlights for Ring Road travellers:

Brynja for ice cream -- it is the best in Iceland, full stop. 1862 Nordic Bistro for the finest dinner in town. Baccala Bar Ektafiskur for exceptional seafood. If you have time for only one proper meal in Akureyri, make it 1862 or Baccala Bar. If you have time for ice cream -- and you always have time for ice cream -- make it Brynja.

Off the Ring Road: Snaefellsnes and the Westfjords

Two popular detours from the Ring Road deserve mention for their dining options.

Norska Husio (Snaefellsnes)

Norska Husio on the Snaefellsnes peninsula serves honest, hearty meals in a charming setting. The fish soup is reliable, the lamb stew is warming, and the location is convenient if you are exploring the peninsula. Snaefellsnes has limited dining options, so knowing where to eat matters here.

Best for: A solid meal on the Snaefellsnes peninsula

Dokkan Brugghus and Flak (Westfjords)

The Westfjords are remote, but Dokkan Brugghus in Isafjordur is genuinely excellent: good beer, good food, warm atmosphere. Nearby, Flak serves creative, locally sourced food that would hold up in Reykjavik. Together they make the Westfjords detour worthwhile from a culinary perspective too.

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Packing Tips: What to Bring

Between Vik and Hofn you can drive four hours without passing a restaurant. Bring supplies.

Road snacks: Stock up at a Bonus or Kronan supermarket in Reykjavik -- bread, cheese, cured meats, fruit, and chocolate. Budget ISK 5,000-8,000 (EUR 33-53).

Gas stations: N1, Olis, and Orkan serve decent hot dogs (ISK 500 / EUR 3.30), sandwiches, and coffee. Not restaurant meals, but reliable and cheap.

Thermos culture: Fill a thermos each morning. Icelanders do, and on the empty eastern stretches you will be glad you followed their lead. For those who prefer someone else handle the logistics, a multi-day Ring Road tour includes meals at many of these stops.

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How We Chose

We drove the Ring Road most recently in summer 2025, evaluating every restaurant on food quality, value, and -- critically -- reliability. A restaurant that is closed on a random Tuesday is no use to a Ring Road traveller. We also weighted location: a good restaurant in a stretch with no alternatives is more valuable than one in a town with ten options. We paid for all meals ourselves.

Last updated: February 2026.