Icelandic Seafood Guide: Fish and Seafood in Iceland

Iceland’s fishing grounds in the North Atlantic and Arctic seas are among the richest and best-managed in the world. The cold, nutrient-dense water produces fish with excellent flavour, and Iceland’s quota system has maintained stock health better than most European fisheries. For food travellers, Iceland’s seafood is the most distinctive and high-quality part of the cuisine.

Key Species

Arctic Char (Bleikja)

A freshwater species from Icelandic lakes and rivers. Milder than salmon, with a delicate flavour and pink flesh. Often served with brown butter, capers, and root vegetables. Found on menus across Iceland. One of the most sustainable fish choices available.

Where to eat it: Rub23 in Akureyri does it particularly well. Matur og Drykkur in Reykjavík serves it in traditional preparations.

Cod (Þorskur)

The fish that built Iceland’s economy. Dried cod (harðfiskur) is an ancient preserved form still sold as a snack — dried flat fillets eaten with butter. Fresh cod in plokkfiskur (fish stew with potato and cream sauce) is the most traditional preparation.

Langoustine (Humar)

Iceland’s luxury ingredient. Technically a Norway lobster — a small crustacean with sweet, dense meat in the tail. Caught in abundance in Icelandic waters but largely exported. In Höfn they’re grilled whole with garlic butter and served with bread for dipping in the cooking juices.

Annual festival: The Humarhátíð (Langoustine Festival) in Höfn each June. The town’s main event — langoustine is served every way imaginable.

Haddock (Ýsa)

More common than cod in some preparations. A leaner, slightly sweeter fish. Often in fish and chips at Reykjavík casual restaurants.

Monkfish (Skötuselur)

Premium white fish, increasingly common on Reykjavík menus as chefs find uses for less familiar species.

Herring (Síld)

Historically Iceland’s most valuable fish — the Siglufjörður herring industry was the biggest in the North Atlantic in the early 20th century. Herring is still eaten pickled (marinated in vinegar and spices) as a starter or on open sandwiches.

Where to Eat Icelandic Seafood

Höfn — The unquestioned langoustine capital. Humarhöfnin (mains ISK 5,900–8,000) and the surrounding harbour restaurants serve freshly caught langoustine.

Ísafjörður (Westfjords) — Tjöruhúsið restaurant: an all-you-can-eat fish buffet serving whatever was landed that morning. Approximately ISK 6,500 adult. Summer only.

Húsavík — Gamli Baukur harbour restaurant. Fresh fish landed in Skjálfandi bay. Mains approximately ISK 3,500–5,800.

Reykjavík — Sægreifinn (lobster soup, ISK 1,600–2,000), Fiskfélagið (modern fish dishes, ISK 4,000–7,000), Grillmarkaðurinn (langoustine and char, ISK 4,500–8,000).

Harðfiskur (Dried Fish Snack)

Dried cod or haddock, sold in bags at every Icelandic supermarket. Eaten like a snack with butter — the butter softens the intense saltiness and the texture is chewy. A genuinely Icelandic experience and one of Iceland’s more accessible traditional foods. Approximately ISK 800–1,500 per bag.