Aurora Restaurant

North Iceland's dining scene is smaller than Reykjavik's but contains genuine quality, and Aurora Restaurant at the Icelandair Hotel in Akureyri is one of its most polished offerings. The restaurant combines the warmth of a well-run hotel dining room with ingredients sourced from the immediate surroundings -- fish from Eyjafjordur, lamb from the highlands, and vegetables from the surprisingly productive farms of the north.

The Food

The menu at Aurora is built on a simple principle: excellent local ingredients, prepared with skill and presented without unnecessary complexity. Seafood dominates, as it should in a town that sits on one of Iceland's most productive fishing fjords. The salmon is outstanding, the lamb is cooked with the care it deserves, and seasonal specials reflect what is available from local producers.

The bar bites menu provides a lighter alternative for those who want something less formal, with dishes that work equally well as pre-dinner snacks or a casual evening meal. The kitchen manages both scales well, which is not always the case with hotel restaurants.

The Setting

A large photograph of the northern lights dancing over Mount Sulur dominates the dining room and sets the tone. The fireplace adds warmth on winter evenings, and the overall atmosphere is comfortable and unhurried. This is not a place that rushes you through courses -- the pace is set for relaxation, which suits the Akureyri mentality perfectly.

Weekend Offerings

The Saturday and Sunday sparkling brunch is worth seeking out, offering a luxurious spread that goes well beyond standard hotel breakfast fare. The high tea service, available Thursday to Saturday afternoons, provides an elegant interlude for those who want something between lunch and dinner.

Akureyri Context

Akureyri has several good restaurants, and Aurora holds its own among them. Its advantage is consistency -- as a hotel restaurant, it maintains standards regardless of season, which is not always the case with smaller independent restaurants in the north. For visitors staying at the hotel, it is the obvious choice. For those staying elsewhere, it is worth the walk to Thingvallastraeti.

Practical Information

Dinner is served daily from six to nine, making it essential to arrive at a reasonable hour rather than hoping for late-evening service. Weekend brunch runs from noon to two. Reservations are recommended for dinner, particularly in summer when Akureyri fills with tourists. The hotel is centrally located, within easy walking distance of everything in Akureyri.

For a reliable, well-crafted dinner in North Iceland's capital, Aurora delivers what you would hope a hotel restaurant of this calibre would provide -- and occasionally exceeds it.