Skjaldarvik Restaurant

There are restaurants you visit for the food, restaurants you visit for the view, and then there is Skjaldarvik, where both combine to create something that feels less like dining out and more like being invited to the best dinner party in northern Iceland.

What to Expect

Skjaldarvik Guesthouse sits on a peaceful stretch of coastline about 5 km north of Akureyri, overlooking the broad waters of Eyjafjordur. The restaurant occupies a bright, simply furnished room within the guesthouse, with windows that frame a view you would happily stare at for hours: the fjord stretching north towards the Arctic, flanked by mountains that change colour with the light.

The atmosphere is intimate by necessity. This is a small operation -- a handful of tables, a compact kitchen, and a style of hospitality that feels personal rather than professional in the corporate sense. You are eating at someone's home, or near enough, and the warmth of the welcome reflects that.

The Menu

There is no fixed menu at Skjaldarvik. Instead, the kitchen prepares a daily offering based on what is available locally and in season. During the summer months, that typically means fresh fish from Eyjafjordur, Icelandic lamb from nearby farms, seasonal vegetables, and homemade bread that arrives warm from the oven.

The cooking is honest and unfussy. Dishes are built to showcase ingredients rather than technique, and the result is food that tastes of the place: clean, direct, and deeply satisfying. A fillet of Arctic char, simply cooked and served with new potatoes and herbs from the garden, can be more memorable than the most elaborate dish in Reykjavik when the fish was swimming in the fjord that morning.

The Setting

It is impossible to overstate how much the setting adds to the experience. On a calm summer evening, with the midnight sun painting the fjord in shades of gold and pink, Skjaldarvik feels like one of the most beautiful places in Iceland to eat a meal. And that is a country with no shortage of beautiful places.

The guesthouse itself is charming -- a well-maintained property with comfortable rooms, ideal for an overnight stay if you want to linger. But even if you are based in Akureyri, the short drive north for dinner is emphatically worthwhile.

Practical Tips

Reservations are essential. The restaurant prepares a limited number of meals each evening, and turning up without a booking will almost certainly result in disappointment. Call ahead on +354 552 5200 or book through the guesthouse website.

The restaurant operates seasonally, typically May through September, with dinner service in the evening only. If you are visiting Akureyri during the summer, build an evening at Skjaldarvik into your plans. If you are visiting outside the summer window, contact the guesthouse directly to ask about availability.

From Akureyri, follow the road north along the western shore of Eyjafjordur. Skjaldarvik is well signposted. The drive takes about ten minutes and is scenic in its own right.