Are you looking for a unique and extraordinary culinary experience on your next Iceland vacation? Look no further than Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city to taste it all! From classic Icelandic dishes to modern interpretations of Nordic cuisine, Reykjavik food tours offer an unforgettable journey of flavors and exploration.
Reykjavik is home to some of the most incredible cuisines in Europe and offers a wide variety of food tours that are sure to tantalize your taste buds. Every food tour in Reykjavik will take you on a culinary adventure through the city’s best restaurants, markets, and eateries.
From traditional Icelandic delicacies such as smoked lamb and skyr yogurt to modern fusion dishes, Reykjavik’s food scene is AMAZING!
6 Absolute Best Reykjavik Food Tours to Take This Year
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BEST REYKJAVIK FOOD TOUR
Our pick is the 3-Hour Foodie Adventure Walking Tour in Reykjavik because it’s a fun walking tour taking you through popular restaurants and cafes allowing you to taste local cuisine (including fermented shark), drinks, and more.
Plus you will learn about Iceland’s culture along the way – in a small group tour!
1. 3-Hour Foodie Adventure Walking Tour (3 hours)
➤ BOOK this 3-Hour Foodie Adventure Walking Tour in Reykjavik
♡ RATING: 4.9 Out of 5 stars – with more than 370 positive reviews
Tour Highlights
- ☑ 3 hour walking food tour
- ☑ Small group tour, perfect for people of all ages
- ☑ Sample 8 different dishes and six unique venues
- ☑ Visit family-run businesses
- ☑ Learn about Reykjavik’s history and nuances
Why choose this tour?
Reykjavik Foodie Adventure Walking Tour is one of the original food tours in the country. It is a small group tour that takes off from the capital city’s centre – at the entrance of Harpa Concert Hall.
You will get to try local cuisine, including street food, fermented shark, beer, coffee, and sweet treats.
Arctic char, Plokkfiskur (boiled code mashed with potatoes, onion, garlic, celery, lime, white wine, cream, and butter), Icelandic rye bread, and the ever-popular Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur (Icelandic hot dog) are all included!
Trust me! You will LOVE this food tour and the awesome guide (who will answer all your queries and share stories!)
Guest Review: “Absolutely amazing tour 🙂 guides were super nice, funny, and informative. It was amazing to get recommendations and stories from a local. The restaurants/bar we went to were fantastic with great quality food and ambiance. Highly recommend this tour for foodies and for all those going to Iceland to get to taste the flavours of Iceland!” – GetYourGuide Traveler
2. Evening Icelandic Food and Drink Tour (3.50 hours)
➤ BOOK this Evening Icelandic Food and Drink Tour in Reykjavik
Tour Highlights
- ☑ 3.50 hour evening food tour
- ☑ Sample cuisine in 5 different places
- ☑ Stop by trendy cafes, pubs, to small bars with local brews
- ☑ Learn about Reykjavik’s history and nuances
Why choose this tour?
Discover the best of Reykjavik nightlife and taste amazing food and drinks in the evening! You will get to try out the food in 5 different places – a mix of cafes, bars, and family-run restaurants to sample it all!
When you book this tour, you don’t have to find dinner – you will be all set for the night!
The 3.50-hour tour kicks off near the Yellow Circle art in front of the Exeter Hotel. Note that the tour is not suitable for travelers under 18 years and pregnant women.
3. Reykjavik Food Lovers Tour – Icelandic Traditional Food (2.50 to 3 hours)
➤ BOOK this Reykjavik Food Lovers Tour
♡ RATING: 5 Out of 5 stars – with more than 470 positive reviews
Tour Highlights
- ☑ 2.50 to 3-hour walking food tour
- ☑ Small group tour (up to 12 participants)
- ☑ Sample 10 different dishes
- ☑ Visit family run businesses, offbeat and unique places
Why choose this tour?
Book this cool traditional Reykjavik food walk tour that also includes a stop at a local flea market.
This 3-hour walking tour is open for travelers of all ages. You will get to try 10 different delicious Icelandic cuisines in a small group format.
The walk takes you to try out Icelandic shellfish soup, Icelandic lamb soup, and the unique Rye Bread Ice Cream at Café Loki by Hallgrimskirkja church.
You will also get to relish much LOVED Icelandic hot dogs!
The meeting place of the walking tour is at Ingolfur Square, and from there it takes you to various places including the Kolaportið – flea market, where you will get to learn about traditional Icelandic foods together.
Keep in mind the Reykjavik Flea Market is only open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 5 pm.
Guest Review: “The Food Lover tour was fantastic! Our guide Bardi was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and informative and humorous. The food was excellent and it was great to learn about the history and culture of Iceland. I would definitely recommend this tour to everyone.” – Viator Traveler
4. Private Reykjavik Food Tour (3 hours)
➤ BOOK this Private Reykjavik Food Tour
♡ RATING: 5 Out of 5 stars – with more than 70 positive reviews
Tour Highlights
- ☑ 3 hour private walking food tour
- ☑ Private tour
- ☑ Stop at 4-5 different places
- ☑ Multiple tour timings to suit your Iceland itinerary
Why choose this tour?
On a tight schedule? Then consider booking this 3-hour private walking tour in Reykjavik. This excursion takes you along the cute lanes of old Reykjavik city center as you hop on from one restaurant to another.
This private food tour loosely follows the stops as listed in the other small group tours – so you know that you won’t be missing all the action. Infact, you have the option to choose from multiple timings to suit your schedule.
Cool Icelandic delicacies include fermented shark, smoked puffin, hot dog, soups, and drinks!
You will also get to learn about the history of the country and get recommendations for the rest of your stay in Reykjavik. Special beer or Black Death, the one and only Icelandic snaps is also offered!
The tour takes off at Ingólfur Square. A stop at the Flea Market is also included!
Guest Review: “My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Our guide Stefan was super friendly, sharing his knowledge as a local to Iceland and answering all of our questions. The tour incorporated a wide variety of foods that we simply would not have known how to find on our own, as well as a nice history of the country and the city of Reykjavik. Would definitely recommend it if you want to experience the authentic culinary diversity of Iceland :)” – Viator Traveler
5. Reykjavik Beer & Booze Tour (2 to 2.50 hours)
➤ BOOK this Reykjavik Beer and Booze Tour
♡ RATING: 5 Out of 5 stars – with more than 80 positive reviews
Tour Highlights
- ☑ 2 to 2.50 hour private walking food tour
- ☑ Eevning walking tour
- ☑ Try 10 different beers
- ☑ Learn about beer culture and history in Iceland
- ☑ Minimum drinking age in Iceland is 20 years
Why choose this tour?
Prefer a beer/drinks tour instead? This 2+ hour bar hopping experience is perfect for that.
On this small group tour, you will get to hang out with like-minded people and sample the best of Iceland’s craft beers. You will get to try 10 different beers, most of which can only be found in Iceland, and learn about the history of Icelandic beer from the Vikings to the present day.
Stops and sips include the Skuli Craft Bar, Icelandic craft beers (or snaps), Olstofa Kormaks og Skjaldar, and more.
You will surely get to sample a unique award-winning Icelandic beer and learn about its history (including all the factors about the beer ban in Iceland for 74 years)!
Keep in mind this is an evening tour, and the minimum drinking age is 20 years of year.
Guest Review: “Astor was our guide. Very knowledgeable about Iceland’s booze, beer, and brewery history. The way he tells his stories and experiences is so much fun you can see it on his facial expressions and the way he acts. Tour feels like you are bar hopping with friends in Iceland. Very fun and highly recommended.” – Viator Traveler
6. Meadery 1-Hour Tasting in Reykjavík (1 hour)
➤ BOOK this 1 hour Meadery tour in Reykjavik
♡ RATING: 5 Out of 5 stars – with more than 10+ positive reviews
Tour Highlights
- ☑ 1 hour tour
- ☑ 3:00 pm start time
- ☑ Try 3 different types of meads – spiced, fruity, and classic meads
Why choose this tour?
Short and sweet, this one-hour tour takes you to the only Meadery in Iceland – Öldur. The session includes 3 tastings of spiced, classic, and fruity meads.
The session focuses on quality and uses Icelandic ingredients as often as possible. The tour kicks off from Fiskislóð 24 and includes a guided tour to Öldur’s mead maker and they share the mead making happens.
The tour also takes you on an informative journey of the history of Öldur. At the end of the tour, you will be able to sit down with a view of the meadery where you can finish your mead tasting at your pace.
Guest Review: “My husband and I enjoyed our meadery tour at Oldur. Though the meadery is small, we felt our time was well spent. The owner spent well over the allotted time with us and provided some excellent mead to try. I’m looking forward to coming back or when I can purchase the mead in the States.” – Viator Traveler
What to expect on a Reykjavik Food Tour?
Now that we have got you all excited about food tours in Reykjavik, here is what you can expect.
We have taken different types of walking food tours in Iceland, and in almost all excursions you will be – walking, so wear comfortable walking shoes!
The tours also take off in the late afternoon or evening hours – and they work perfectly as you can sightsee during the day, and then join the food tour for dinner (and save money as well)!
A typical Reykjavik food walk will take you to 4 to 6 different restaurants, where you will get to try samplings, and also interact and engage with the guide and other participants.
I have joined some of the Iceland food tours solo, and it can get a little awkward, but once you get to a restaurant and sit down, I am sure you will be fine (like I was 🙂
You will have enough time to eat, use the bathroom and settle in – before moving on to the next stop. We have only included small group tours in this guide so that you can maximize your time and enjoy!
A word about traditional Icelandic cuisine and local food is that it is very hard to find vegan and vegetarian dishes on a food tour. However, Reykjavik does have cool vegan restaurants – but just on a guided tour, you won’t find a lot of options.
If you have any dietary restrictions, feel free to contact the tour operator and/or inform the guide when you arrive.
Some of the coolest things you will get to try on an Icelandic food tour in Reykjavik are fresh fish, free roaming Icelandic Lamb, traditional soups, homemade ice cream, and drinks (beer, coffee, etc).
Other items include
- Icelandic flatbread with slow-cooked lamb, carrot pure, pickled red onions, and pepper cream sauce
- Arctic char baked in honey, butter, and lemon with cherry tomatoes and almonds (my favorite)
- Plokkfiskur (which is a boiled code mashed with potatoes, onion, garlic, celery, lime, white wine, cream, and butter)
- Icelandic hot dog with Icelandic ketchup, Icelandic mustard, remoulade sauce, deep-fried onion, and raw onion (the ever-popular – Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur)
- Rye bread ice cream with whipped cream and caramelized rhubarb syrup
- An icelandic “Kleina”
- Icelandic rye bread with butter
- Traditional Icelandic meat soup
- Fermented shark (it tastes weird, but worth trying)
- Einstök White Ale
- Coffee
- Skyr
Why book an Iceland Food Tour?
Reykjavík food tours offer a unique chance to learn about Iceland’s culinary heritage while also experiencing its modern cuisine.
From the traditional Icelandic dishes served in local restaurants to the exciting fusion dishes available from innovative chefs, Reykjavík has something to tantalize every taste bud.
One of the reasons to take a food tour is to enjoy different dishes in Iceland at an affordable price!
We know how expensive food can be in Iceland, and if you are planning to just get groceries and eat cheap – but want to still experience the cuisines then a food tour is the way to go!
All you need is 4 hours to savor the food, and also get to walk and explore the compact capital city of Reykjavik! The local guide will answer your questions and provide tips and recommendations!
Whether you’re looking for a full-course meal or just want to sample some of the city’s highlights, a guided food tour will provide you with the perfect gastronomic experience.
Read: One day in Reykjavik Itinerary
Beyond Iceland Food Tours
Beyond the Iceland food tours that are lots of cool excursions to take from Reykjavik. You can always keep the capital city as a base to more of this Nordic country!
Popular day tours include,
Golden Circle tour
The Golden Circle tour is a popular day trip from Reykjavik, Iceland. This tour takes visitors on a journey through the country’s most iconic sites, including Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall, and the Geysir Geothermal Area.
The Thingvellir National Park has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its unique geological and historical significance.
You can explore the rift valley where two tectonic plates meet, take a dip in Silfra Fissure’s crystal clear water, or visit ancient Viking sites.
Gullfoss Waterfall is one of Iceland’s most impressive natural wonders with its double cascading falls plummeting into a 32-meter deep canyon.
After visiting Gullfoss, the drive tour continues to the Geysir area where visitors can witness the active hot springs that Iceland is famous for. Click to book a Golden Circle and Kerid Crater tour
South Coast Day Tour
Another popular day trip from Reykjavik is the South Coast Tour. This tour takes you on a scenic drive along Iceland’s south coast, with stops at many of the country’s most magnificent sites.
Along the way, you will experience breathtaking views of glaciers, black sand beaches, and basalt rock formations.
Some highlights include a visit to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, and all tours will include a stop at the Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls. Click to book a south coast tour!
Whale Watching Tour
If you are looking for a unique experience, consider taking a whale-watching tour from Reykjavik. Whale watching season in Iceland typically runs from April to October and offers visitors the opportunity to spot minke whales, humpback whales, fin whales, and more.
Most tours depart from Reykjavik harbor and take visitors out to sea in a modern whale-watching boat.
During the tour, experienced guides share their knowledge of these magnificent creatures as well as any other wildlife that may be encountered on the journey. Click to book this whale-watching tour!
Vik
Iceland is also home to many cultural attractions, which can also be explored during day trips from Reykjavik. One of the most popular is an excursion to Vik, a small fishing village on Iceland’s south coast.
You can explore the village’s black sand beaches and see puffins perched on its basalt rock cliffs. On this tour, you may also have the chance to sample traditional Icelandic delicacies such as dried fish or fermented shark.
Super Jeep Tour
Finally, those looking for an adrenaline-filled adventure can take a super jeep tour from Reykjavik.
On this excursion, you will drive off road in powerful Icelandic trucks to explore natural wonders that can’t be reached by car. These tours often include visits to highland lakes, hot springs, and volcanic vistas that offer magnificent views of the Icelandic countryside.
It is a great way to experience Iceland’s midnight sun in summertime, as many super jeep tours operate during the nighttime hours.
Overall, Reykjavik offers a variety of day trips for travelers looking to explore Iceland’s spectacular natural beauty and unique culture. Whether you’re looking for an adventure, culinary, or cultural experience, there is something to suit everyone’s tastes!
Read more of our Iceland travel guides:
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