The Best Seafood in Iceland (2026)

Iceland sits in the middle of some of the richest fishing grounds in the North Atlantic. The cold, clean waters around the island produce seafood of extraordinary quality -- cod, haddock, Arctic char, langoustine, blue mussels, sea trout, and more. Fish built this country. It remains the backbone of the economy, the foundation of the cuisine, and the single best thing you can eat here.

This guide covers the seafood you should try, where to eat it, and what to expect.

What to Eat

Langoustine (humar): Iceland's langoustine -- technically a Norway lobster -- is the crown jewel. Sweet, delicate, and nothing like the rubbery prawns you might be used to. Langoustine tails, grilled with butter and garlic, are served at virtually every serious restaurant in the country. If you eat one thing in Iceland, make it this.

Arctic Char (bleikja): A freshwater fish related to salmon and trout, with a clean, mild flavour and pink flesh. It is farm-raised in Iceland's geothermal waters, and the quality is consistently excellent. You will find it pan-fried, smoked, or cured on menus everywhere.

Atlantic Cod (thorskur): The fish that fuelled the Icelandic economy for centuries. Fresh Icelandic cod is dense, flaky, and far superior to the frozen fillets most people know. Order it pan-fried with brown butter -- simple preparation lets the quality speak for itself.

Haddock (ysa): Similar to cod but slightly sweeter and softer. Often served battered and fried (Iceland does excellent fish and chips) or baked with a herb crust.

Fermented Shark (hakarl): We will be honest: this is an acquired taste that most visitors do not acquire. Greenland shark, fermented for several months, with an intensely pungent ammonia smell. It is a cultural experience more than a culinary one. Try a small cube at Saegreifinn for the story, then move on to something more enjoyable.

Blue Mussels: Farmed in the Westfjords, Icelandic blue mussels are plump and briny. Served steamed in white wine and garlic at several of the restaurants below.

The Best Seafood Restaurants

For the Full Experience: Fiskfelagid

The Fish Company occupies a beautiful cellar space in central Reykjavik and serves some of the most creative seafood cooking in the country. The menu draws on Icelandic, Asian, and European influences -- think soy-glazed Arctic char, langoustine tempura, and cod with truffle -- and it works because the underlying ingredients are so good. Not cheap, but worth it for a special seafood dinner.

Price range: ISK 6,000-12,000 (EUR 39-78) per main

For Honest Simplicity: Messinn

Messinn strips away the fine dining pretence and lets the fish do the talking. Fresh catch of the day, pan-fried or grilled, served in a sizzling cast-iron skillet with potatoes and salad. The quality is excellent, the portions are generous, and the prices are fair by Reykjavik standards. This is how Icelanders actually eat fish at home -- just done a bit better. The lunch special is outstanding value.

Price range: ISK 3,200-5,500 (EUR 21-36) per main

For Harbour Atmosphere: Saegreifinn

The Sea Baron is a tiny, no-frills shack on the Old Harbour that has been serving grilled fish skewers and lobster soup since 2003. The lobster soup -- creamy, rich, and deeply flavoured -- is legendary. You eat on benches at communal tables surrounded by fishing memorabilia. It is not fine dining. It is better than fine dining in its own way. This is also where to try your obligatory cube of fermented shark.

Price range: ISK 2,500-4,500 (EUR 16-29) per dish

For Langoustine: Grillmarkadurinn

The Grill Market is primarily known for its steaks, but the langoustine here is among the best in Reykjavik. Whole tails, simply grilled, with a quality of ingredient that needs no embellishment. The dining room -- exposed stone, warm lighting -- adds to the occasion.

Price range: ISK 5,500-10,000 (EUR 36-65) per main

For Views and Occasion: Grillid

On the eighth floor of the Saga Hotel, Grillid pairs panoramic views over Faxafloi bay with a seafood-heavy menu that has been a Reykjavik institution for decades. The langoustine bisque is a classic, and the fish courses on the tasting menu showcase what skilled technique can do with pristine ingredients.

Price range: ISK 8,000-15,000 (EUR 52-97) per main / tasting menu from ISK 18,000

For Fine Dining: Dill

Iceland's only Michelin-starred restaurant builds its tasting menu around whatever the sea and land provide that week. Langoustine, cod, char, seaweed, and foraged herbs appear in preparations that are technically brilliant and deeply connected to place. This is seafood elevated to art. Book well in advance.

Price range: Tasting menu from ISK 26,000 (EUR 169) per person

For a Quick Bite: Lobster Hut

A small, casual spot near the harbour serving langoustine rolls and lobster soup at prices that are reasonable for what you get. Not a destination restaurant, but an excellent option when you want good langoustine without the sit-down commitment.

Price range: ISK 2,800-4,500 (EUR 18-29) per dish

A Seafood Tour

If you want to taste your way through Reykjavik's seafood scene with a knowledgeable guide, harbour food tours starting from ISK 12,000 typically include stops at several of the spots above -- the Sea Baron, harbour-side vendors, and a selection of the city's best fish restaurants. It is an efficient way to try multiple things in a single afternoon.

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How We Chose

This guide focuses on restaurants where seafood is genuinely the strength, not just another section of the menu. We prioritised places that source directly from Icelandic waters and where the kitchen treats the ingredient with the respect it deserves. Iceland's seafood does not need much -- what it needs is freshness, proper technique, and restraint. The restaurants above deliver that consistently.

Last updated: February 2026.