Reykjavik: Icelandic Food Tour

Fermented shark gets the headline, but this three-hour Reykjavik food tour is really about seeing how Iceland eats. You’ll sample lamb soup, fish, cod, an Icelandic hot dog, sweets, salty licorice, and a small piece of shark, with a local drink at the end. The food is a history lesson you can taste.

I like the way the tour mixes five food stops with short walks through central Reykjavik. I also like the guides’ personal touch. Stefan, Einar, Paul, Anna, Magnus, and others are praised for lively storytelling, local family tales, humor, and useful restaurant advice. The main consideration is the price, $148 per person, which is fair if you want a full meal and orientation, but high if you only want a few samples.

• At least ten Icelandic tastes: Expect a broad sampler, including soup, fish, lamb, hot dogs, sweets, and fermented shark.
• A walking introduction to Reykjavik: The food stops are linked by short guided walks through the old center.
• A small group of up to 12: This gives you more room to ask questions and talk with the guide.
• A real Icelandic challenge: The fermented shark is only a small bite, but it is the taste you will remember.
• A drink at the final stop: Choose from beer, soda, coffee, tea, or a shot of Brennivin if you are at least 20.
• Dietary requests are accepted: Vegetarians and people with gluten or lactose intolerance can be accommodated, with advance notice.

Why This Tour Is More Than a Meal

I like food tours that help you understand a place instead of simply feeding you from one restaurant to the next. This one uses Icelandic food as a doorway into local life, geography, history, and tradition.

Your guide is trained at the Tour Guide School of Iceland, but the strongest part of the experience is the human element. Guides such as Stefan are known for animated stories and theatrical delivery. Einar has shared family history, sung Icelandic songs, and explained local customs. Paul, a genuine Icelandic fisherman, brings a direct connection to the sea and the country’s fishing culture.

That variety matters. The food itself can be simple: soup, fish, bread, a hot dog, or candy. The guide explains why those foods matter, how Icelanders eat them, and how older traditions fit beside modern Reykjavik restaurants.

You also get a useful first look at the city center. The walking sections are not a full sightseeing tour, but they help you understand where the main streets, squares, restaurants, and meeting points are. I would book this early in your stay if you want ideas for later meals.

Meeting at Hlöllabátar in the Old Center

The tour begins outside Hlöllabátar, a sandwich shop facing Ingólfstorg Square and its two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to your right, and benches, tables, and a covered ceiling give you a practical place to wait.

Look for a guide wearing a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back. The starting point is central, so you do not need hotel pickup. Plan to arrive ready for an outdoor walk, since Icelandic weather can change quickly.

The opening stop helps set the tone. You are not being taken far across the city by bus. Instead, the tour stays in central Reykjavik and connects several nearby food places by foot. That keeps the pace social and lets you notice the streets between meals.

The walk is manageable for most people who are comfortable on foot, but the activity is not suitable for wheelchair users. Good shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are important, especially if rain or wind moves in.

The First Food Stop: Soup and a Gentle Start

The first substantial restaurant visit lasts about an hour. This is where the tour settles into its rhythm: sit down, taste several items, listen to the guide, and ask questions.

Icelandic lamb soup is one of the highlights. It is warm, filling, and familiar enough to make a good opening dish, even if you are cautious about new foods. The soup also shows how practical Icelandic cooking can be. Lamb, vegetables, and a hot broth make sense in a cool country where hearty food has long been useful.

Fish soup is another item that may appear among the early tastings. The exact selection can vary, but you should expect traditional foods rather than a modern tasting menu built around tiny decorative bites. Several people found the portions generous, and some finished the tour more full than expected.

That is worth noting. The tour is not just a snack crawl. You should eat lightly beforehand, but do not assume you will need a full dinner immediately afterward.

Short Walks Through Central Reykjavik

After the first food stop, you spend about 20 minutes walking and sightseeing in Reykjavik. A second walking section lasts around 15 minutes later in the tour.

These walks give the guide time to explain the city and connect food with Icelandic life. You may hear about fishing, family traditions, folklore, local customs, and the way Iceland has changed. The guide can also point out places to eat and drink after the tour.

The walking portions help prevent the food stops from feeling like a chain of unrelated restaurants. They also give you a chance to let the previous course settle before the next round.

Do not book this expecting a major architectural or museum tour. The sightseeing is a useful bonus and a good way to get oriented, not the main event. The food and conversation remain the focus.

Cod, Fish, and the Taste of the Sea

The next local restaurant stop lasts about 45 minutes. Fish is central to Icelandic cooking, and this portion gives you a better feel for the country’s relationship with the sea.

Cod is one of the likely highlights, along with other fish-based tastings. The selections are designed to show traditional Icelandic fare, not simply dishes chosen because they are easy for international visitors. That makes the meal more interesting, but it also means you should arrive willing to try unfamiliar flavors.

Your guide can make a big difference here. A guide with family ties to fishing or strong knowledge of Icelandic food can explain the difference between everyday food and dishes that are now more associated with tradition, tourism, or special occasions.

If you dislike fish, this may not be your ideal food tour. Meat, fish, and dairy form much of traditional Icelandic cooking. Vegetarians can receive alternatives, but anyone seeking a tour built mostly around plant-based Icelandic dishes should set expectations carefully.

The Hot Dog Stop Is Not a Gimmick

The Icelandic hot dog is one of the tour’s most approachable tastes. It is casual, quick, and distinctly tied to Reykjavik’s food culture.

This is a useful contrast with lamb soup, cod, or fermented shark. You get something familiar, but in a local style, and you see how an everyday street food can become part of a city’s identity. The hot dog also keeps the experience from becoming too formal.

The stop is especially helpful for picky eaters or children in the group, since not every taste requires courage. Even if you are mainly here for the traditional dishes, the hot dog gives you a satisfying break from more challenging flavors.

Because the tour includes several substantial portions, do not mistake the hot dog for the only filling item. By the end, you may have eaten much more than the phrase food tasting suggests.

Fermented Shark: A Small Bite With a Big Reputation

The fermented shark is the tour’s test of nerve. You receive a small piece, not a large serving, and the guide explains how to approach it.

The taste is strong and unusual. One useful tip from the tour is to follow the guide’s instructions rather than treating it like an ordinary piece of fish. Einar, for example, has explained how to eat the shark and how the traditional liquor can follow it.

Brennivin, sometimes called Iceland’s local spirit, may be offered as the final drink. It has a strong character of its own, so you do not need to choose it if you would rather have beer, soda, coffee, or tea. Alcohol is only available to people age 20 and older in Iceland.

I would not book this tour solely to eat fermented shark. The portion is small, and the point is partly cultural. It is an old preservation method and a food tied to Iceland’s past, but it is not meant to be an easy crowd-pleaser.

Still, I like the way the tour treats it. You are invited to try, not forced to pretend you enjoy it. Some people find the flavor cleaner and more fish-like than expected after the initial shock. Others simply enjoy the story and move on.

Sweets, Salty Licorice, and the Final Drink

Icelandic sweets add another useful contrast. Salty licorice is a particularly memorable taste, and your guide may explain the best way to try it rather than asking you to chew through a large piece at once.

The candy stop is a good reminder that Icelandic food is not only soup, lamb, and fish. The local palate includes strong sweet and salty flavors that may be new to you. A small dessert or sweet tasting is included, though the dessert portion may feel modest compared with the savory servings.

The final restaurant stop takes about an hour and includes food plus a drink. You can choose beer, soda, coffee, tea, or Brennivin, subject to the age rule for alcohol.

This ending works well because it gives the group time to talk. By then, you have shared a few strange flavors, learned names and stories, and usually have plenty of questions about where to eat next.

Group Size and Guide Style Matter

The standard group is limited to 12 people. That is small enough for a personal feel without requiring the cost of a fully private tour.

A good guide is central to this experience. The food is important, but the stories turn separate tastings into one connected evening. Stefan is known for humor and theatrical storytelling. Einar adds music and family stories. Paul brings energy, city knowledge, and, in one case, experience as an Icelandic fisherman. Anna and Magnus have also been praised for making the tour feel friendly and easy to join.

You can ask about food, history, current events, restaurants, and practical plans for the rest of your visit. That is where the tour earns more than a restaurant bill. You are paying for access to a local interpreter, not just a series of dishes.

A private group is available if you want more control over the pace or prefer to keep the experience among your own party. The standard small group is likely enough for most people and keeps the price lower than a private booking.

Dietary Needs and Food Expectations

Tell the operator about allergies and dietary restrictions before the tour. Vegetarian options are available, and the tour can accommodate needs such as gluten and lactose intolerance.

You should still remember that traditional Icelandic cuisine relies heavily on meat, fish, and dairy. The experience is designed around local food, so substitutions may not match the original tasting exactly.

For vegetarians, the tour can still work well, since one vegetarian participant had something to eat at every stop. But if you want a fully vegetarian menu with no fish, meat, or dairy contact, ask for details before booking rather than assuming every dish can be replaced.

The same advice applies to severe allergies. The tour can make accommodations, but a shared restaurant setting may not provide the same control as a dedicated allergy-focused meal.

Is $148 a Fair Price?

At $148 per person, this is not a cheap lunch. The value depends on how you use it.

You receive at least ten traditional food items, several restaurant visits, water at all stops, one drink at the final stop, a three-hour guided walk, and an introduction to Reykjavik. Portions are often generous enough to function as a full meal, so compare the price with the cost of dining at several central restaurants, not just with the price of a single hot dog.

The tour is a better deal for someone who wants context, variety, and help choosing later meals. It is less appealing if you already know Icelandic food, plan to eat only one or two dishes, or prefer to explore restaurants independently.

I think the price makes the most sense at the beginning of a Reykjavik stay. You get fed, oriented, and given restaurant suggestions in one outing. The tour can also save you from spending several meals guessing what to order.

Who Should Book This Food Tour?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want an easy introduction to Icelandic cuisine and central Reykjavik. It suits curious eaters, couples, families with adventurous older children, and anyone who likes history with a meal.

It is also a good choice for people who feel unsure about fermented shark or salty licorice. You get a tiny serving, a guide to explain it, and the chance to decide for yourself.

You may want another option if you need a wheelchair-accessible route, dislike walking in uncertain weather, avoid meat and fish entirely, or want a quiet formal dinner. The guide-led format is social and conversational, with several stops rather than one long seated meal.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the tour, and you can reserve now and pay later. Live guiding is offered in English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian, depending on availability.

Should You Book It?

Book this tour if you want more than a list of Icelandic dishes. You will taste familiar foods, face a few challenges, hear stories about Icelandic culture, and get your bearings in the old center.

I especially like it as a first or second activity in Reykjavik. The food is varied, the group stays small, and guides such as Stefan, Einar, Paul, Anna, and Magnus bring enough personality to keep three hours moving.

Skip it if $148 feels too steep for a meal or if you want to choose every dish yourself. For most curious first-time visitors, though, the combination of food, city orientation, and local storytelling makes the cost easier to justify.

FAQ

How long does the Reykjavik food tour last?

The tour lasts three hours, including food tastings, short walks, guided sightseeing, and the final restaurant stop.

Where does the tour meet?

It meets outside Hlöllabátar sandwich shop, facing Ingólfstorg Square and the two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to the right, and the meeting area has benches, tables, and a covered ceiling.

What foods will I taste?

The tour includes at least ten traditional Icelandic food items. Tastings can include lamb soup, fish soup, cod, an Icelandic hot dog, fermented shark, sweets, salty licorice, and other local dishes.

Is a drink included?

Yes. Water is included at all stops, and a drink is included at the final stop. Options include beer, soda, coffee, tea, or Brennivin. Alcohol is available only to people age 20 and older in Iceland.

Can dietary restrictions be accommodated?

The tour accommodates dietary needs such as gluten and lactose intolerance, vegetarian diets, and allergies. Traditional Icelandic food often includes meat, fish, and dairy, so provide your restrictions in advance.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

No. The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users.