Reykjavik’s food scene punches well above its weight for a city of 130,000 people. On a food tour you move through the city with a local guide, tasting your way from traditional preserved fish and smoked lamb to skyr soft-serve and the New Nordic tasting plates that have put Iceland on the international culinary map. If you want to understand what Icelanders actually eat - not just what restaurants put in front of tourists - a guided food tour is the most efficient two to three hours you can spend in the city.
What You’ll Eat on a Reykjavik Food Tour
Most Reykjavik food tours are structured around tasting stops at a mix of market stalls, specialist producers, restaurants, and bakeries. The foods that appear most consistently across operators:
Harðfiskur (dried fish) - Wind-dried cod or haddock, pulled apart and eaten with butter. This is Iceland’s original protein snack; fishermen survived on it for centuries. The texture is somewhere between jerky and parchment. Most guides will have you taste it plain first, then with the salted butter that softens the intensity.
Skyr - Technically a fresh cheese though Icelanders call it yogurt. It has the acidity of Greek yogurt but roughly double the protein and half the fat. On tours you’ll often get it in its simplest form - in a small pot with a drizzle of local blueberry jam - rather than the commercial Siggi’s version that’s travelled internationally.
Hangikjöt (smoked lamb) - Lamb hung and smoked over birchwood and dried sheep dung, a method that sounds unpleasant and produces something deeply savory. Served thinly sliced, either cold as a cured meat or warm in a sandwich with Icelandic flatbread (laufabrauð). This is the centrepiece of most Icelandic Christmas tables; on a food tour you get it year-round.
Icelandic lamb - Some tours include a hot dish of slow-cooked lamb, either as a kjötsúpa (lamb soup with root vegetables) or as part of a restaurant tasting stop. The lamb is genuinely exceptional - Iceland’s sheep roam free across highland pastures all summer, eating wild herbs and grasses, and the meat reflects that.
New Nordic restaurant stops - Higher-end food tours include a tasting course at one of Reykjavik’s New Nordic restaurants, where chefs work with Icelandic ingredients (Arctic char, seaweed, crowberry, angelica) and Nordic technique. These courses are typically two to four small dishes and offer a counterpoint to the traditional tastings earlier in the tour.
Kleinur and skúffukaka - Twisted doughnuts and sheet cake, usually encountered at a bakery stop. These are everyday Icelandic baking, not tourist confections, and give you a sense of what people eat with their afternoon coffee.
Hlemmur Mathöll Market
Most food tours include a stop at Hlemmur Mathöll, the food hall that opened in 2017 inside a converted bus station near the eastern end of Laugavegur. It houses around a dozen vendors, ranging from a ramen counter and a craft beer bar to a New Nordic smørrebrød stand and a juice bar using Icelandic produce. Hlemmur has become a legitimate gathering place for Reykjavik residents rather than just a tourist attraction, which makes it a good stop on a food tour - you’re seeing how the city actually eats, not a curated performance of it.
The market is also navigable independently after your tour, so it works as both a guided stop and somewhere to return in the evening.
What a Reykjavik Food Tour Covers (Typical Structure)
Tours vary by operator, but most follow a similar structure over two to three hours:
- Meeting point: Usually somewhere central on Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main commercial street, or at Hallgrímskirkja church
- Number of stops: Five to eight tasting stops across different vendors, producers, and restaurants
- Walking distance: Most tours cover one to two kilometres through the city centre - very walkable
- Group size: Typically six to twelve people; private tours can be booked for two or more
- What’s included: All tastings are included in the price. Most tours provide water; some include a small glass of Icelandic craft beer or schnapps
Prices and Duration
Reykjavik food tours generally run from approximately ISK 12,000 to ISK 19,000 per person (roughly €80–130 as of 2026), depending on whether the tour includes a restaurant tasting course. Private tours cost more but give you flexibility on timing and pace.
Three-hour tours that include a New Nordic restaurant stop sit toward the upper end. Two-hour walking tours focused on traditional tastings and market stops are typically more affordable. Most operators offer morning and afternoon departure times; morning slots are usually quieter and sometimes include a visit to a bakery before the bread sells out.
Best Season and Booking Advice
Food tours run year-round in Reykjavik. The city doesn’t have an off-season in the same way that highland hiking trails do - restaurants and food halls stay open regardless of whether there’s midnight sun or December darkness outside. That said, summer (June–August) sees the highest demand and the most tour operators active; book at least a few days ahead in July and August when group slots fill quickly. In winter, group sizes are smaller and guides often have more time for questions.
Most tours offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before, which is useful given Iceland’s weather variability - even though a food tour is almost entirely indoors, you’ll appreciate not having to rush through rain between stops.
What to Expect from Your Guide
Good Reykjavik food guides do more than hand you things to eat. They explain the preservation traditions that shaped Icelandic food - the reason harðfiskur and hangikjöt exist is that Iceland had no refrigeration and very few trees for fuel, so the entire food culture was built around drying, smoking, fermenting, and salting. A guide who can connect what you’re tasting to that history turns a series of snacks into something you’ll actually remember.
Questions worth asking your guide: which local producers they trust for skyr, where to find the best lamb soup outside the tour, and whether there are any Hlemmur vendors they’d recommend for dinner later.
Top Reykjavik Food Tours to Book
Browse all Reykjavik food tours on GetYourGuide to compare departure times, group sizes, and cancellation policies. The following tours consistently rank among the highest-rated options in the city.
Reykjavik: Icelandic Food Tour (from approximately $144 per person as of 2026) — A 3-hour small-group walk capped at 12 participants. You’ll taste at least ten traditional foods including harðfiskur, skyr, hangikjöt, and Icelandic lamb soup, with water included at every stop and a drink at the final tasting. One of the longest-running and most consistently reviewed food tours in the city.
Reykjavik: Guided Foodie Walking Tour with 6 Tastings (from approximately $125 per person as of 2026) — A 3-hour walk through Reykjavik’s downtown with stops at five different eateries, sampling 6–8 dishes chosen specifically to go beyond standard tourist menus. Meeting point is at the main entrance of Harpa Concert Hall. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Reykjavik: Evening Icelandic Food and Drink Tour (from approximately $130 per person as of 2026) — An evening version that combines traditional food stops with Icelandic craft beer. Five stops covering authentic restaurants, street food, and craft beer bars. Good option if your days are committed to Golden Circle or South Coast trips.
Reykjavik: Food and Beer Walking Tour (from approximately $130 per person as of 2026) — A 3-hour tour that pairs nine traditional Icelandic dishes with at least five locally-brewed craft beers. Designed for travellers who want to understand Iceland’s emerging craft beer scene alongside the food culture. Small groups only.
Prices are subject to seasonal variation and change without notice. All tours listed above offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to eat before a Reykjavik food tour? Arrive hungry but not starving. Most tours include enough food to count as a light meal, but they’re not structured as a full dinner replacement. If you have a large group or are taking an extended tour with a restaurant stop, you may leave quite full.
Are Reykjavik food tours suitable for vegetarians? Many traditional Icelandic foods are fish- or lamb-based, but most operators can accommodate vegetarians with advance notice. Skyr, kleinur, bread, dairy, and several of the market-hall vendor options are vegetarian. Vegan diners should confirm with the specific operator before booking.
How far in advance should I book? In summer, book three to five days ahead for popular group tours. In winter, one to two days is usually sufficient. Private tours sometimes have more same-day availability.
Can children join food tours? Most operators welcome children, and the tasting format works well for younger travellers. Check the operator’s age policy before booking - some have a minimum age of six or eight.
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