Best Restaurants in Ísafjörður: Where to Eat in the Westfjords

Ísafjörður has roughly a dozen places to eat, which is a respectable count for a remote Westfjords town of 2,600 people. The dining scene here centres firmly on local fish — catfish, Arctic char, cod, haddock — caught in the surrounding fjords. There’s also a small café culture built around the town’s surprising number of creative locals. One restaurant in particular, Tjöruhúsið, has earned a reputation beyond Iceland’s borders.

Tjöruhúsið (The Tar House)

Tjöruhúsið is the reason food-focused travellers detour to Ísafjörður. The restaurant occupies one of the oldest buildings in Iceland — a 17th-century tar warehouse on the town’s original harbour — and serves a daily-changing set menu of local fish cooked on a wood-burning stove at the centre of the room. There’s no printed menu. Each day a different variety or combination of local fish is prepared: pan-fried catfish, Arctic char with butter and herbs, cod with root vegetables. Guests help themselves from the stove and eat at communal long tables.

The experience is genuinely unusual — part theatre, part communal feast — and the food is consistently excellent. The set menu costs approximately ISK 8,000–11,000 per person as of 2026 and includes bread and salads. It’s served at specific sitting times rather than on a rolling basis, so check in advance and book well ahead. Walk-in availability is limited.

Húsið Restaurant and Bar

Húsið is Ísafjörður’s most reliable general-purpose restaurant and bar. It serves a broader menu than Tjöruhúsið — fish mains, lamb dishes, pasta, burgers — and is open for lunch as well as dinner on most days. Mains cost approximately ISK 3,500–7,500 as of 2026. The fish and chips and the fish soup are reliable orders. The bar attached to the restaurant is effectively the closest thing to a nightlife venue in Ísafjörður — it gets lively on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Kaffi Edinborg

A small café in a historic building in the town centre, Kaffi Edinborg is the place for coffee, cake, soup, and light lunches. It opens earlier than the restaurants (approximately 09:00–10:00) and is the most useful option for breakfast if your guesthouse doesn’t provide one. Light meals run approximately ISK 1,200–2,500. The waffles with jam and cream are a reliable comfort option.

Pizza 67

A casual pizza restaurant that offers a break from fish and lamb if you’re spending multiple days in the Westfjords. Pizzas run approximately ISK 2,800–4,500 as of 2026. Basic Italian-American style — nothing remarkable, but filling and consistent. There are limited vegetarian pizza options, making this one of the more accessible spots for non-meat-eaters in town.

Gamla Bakaríið (The Old Bakery)

A small bakery and light-food counter that operates on the edge of the town centre. Opens early (from approximately 07:30) and closes by 15:00–16:00. The Icelandic cinnamon rolls (snúðar) are worth stopping for, and the coffee is decent. It’s primarily a bakery rather than a restaurant, but for breakfast it’s the best standalone option in town.

What to Eat in the Westfjords

Arctic char (bleikja): A cold-water char species found in the fjords and rivers around Ísafjörður. The flesh is pink and mild — somewhere between salmon and trout. Often served simply: pan-fried with butter and lemon. Try it at Tjöruhúsið when it’s on.

Catfish (steinbítur): Despite the name, this is a local North Atlantic species with firm, white flesh and a mild flavour. It stands up well to strong seasoning and is commonly served in fish stew or pan-fried. It’s a Westfjords staple.

Hákarl (fermented shark): The Westfjords is one of the traditional centres for hákarl production — the Greenlandic shark is cured underground for months to neutralise its natural toxins. The result is pungent and ammoniac in a way that’s difficult to describe in advance. Tjöruhúsið and some shops in town stock it. Try it once; you’ll have the story.

Skyr: Iceland’s strained dairy product appears as a topping, a dessert, a drink, and a condiment. Order it with blueberry or crowberry (krækiber) compote if you can find it.

Self-Catering Notes

If you’re in Ísafjörður for multiple days or eating on a tight budget, the Krónan supermarket on the main street is your best resource. It’s reasonably well-stocked with fish, dairy, bread, and basics, and the prices are significantly lower than restaurant eating. A self-catered dinner for two assembled from Krónan typically costs ISK 2,500–4,500.

For where to stay in town, see our Ísafjörður accommodation guide. For what’s worth doing in the region, see day trips from Ísafjörður.

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See Also

• Ísafjörður city guide — Full overview: transport, accommodation, and what to do in the Westfjords
• Icelandic seafood guide — Iceland’s seafood traditions including Tjöruhúsið-style catch-to-table dining
• Westfjords guide — The broader Westfjords region, from Dynjandi to Látrabjarg