Reykjavik: Icelandic Food Tour

Fermented shark is the headline act, but the real pleasure of this tour is the full meal around it. In three hours, you sample lamb soup, fish, cod, a famous Icelandic hot dog, sweets, and other local bites while walking through central Reykjavik. Guides such as Stefan, Einar, Paul, and Magnus add family stories, folklore, and plenty of humor.

I like the small-group limit of 12, which gives you room to ask questions and makes the restaurant stops feel relaxed. I also like that the tour helps you get your bearings early in your stay, with food stops mixed with short walks through the old center. The main drawback is the price, $148 per person, and some of the dishes may be familiar if you have already explored Reykjavik on your own.

Key points at a glance

• Fermented shark with local Brennivin: You get a tiny piece of Iceland’s most famous food challenge, with advice on how to taste it.
• Five food stops in central Reykjavik: The route combines soups, seafood, lamb, hot dogs, sweets, and a final drink.
• Guides who bring the food to life: Stefan, Einar, Paul, Magnus, and others are known for stories about Icelandic culture, family life, folklore, and the city.
• Enough food to replace a meal: Several tastings are generous, and many people finish the three hours feeling full.
• Useful first-day orientation: The walking route introduces you to the old city center while pointing you toward restaurants and drinks for later.
• Dietary needs can be discussed: Vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free, and other restrictions can be accommodated, but Icelandic traditional food relies heavily on meat, fish, and dairy.

What this Reykjavik food tour is really about

This is not just a sequence of restaurant visits. It is a guided introduction to how Icelanders eat, what they ate in harder times, and how old food customs fit into modern Reykjavik.

You begin outside Hlöllabátar, the sandwich shop facing Ingólfstorg Square. Look for the guide in a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik. From there, the route moves on foot through central Reykjavik, with food stops broken up by short sightseeing walks.

The company limits the group to 12 people, though a private group is also available. That size matters. You can hear the guide without straining, and you have a better chance to ask about anything from Icelandic naming customs to the best place for coffee.

The tour is offered in English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian. The guides are trained at the Tour Guide School of Iceland, but the strongest part of the experience is their personal style. Stefan is described as theatrical and funny. Einar mixes food knowledge with family stories, singing, and folklore. Paul has been praised for his humor and detailed knowledge of Reykjavik. Magnus brings a lively explanation of Icelandic culture and current life.

Your guide may be someone else, but the pattern is clear: this tour depends as much on storytelling as on eating.

The first tasting: a gentle start with Icelandic comfort food

The first restaurant stop lasts about an hour, giving you time to settle into the group and start tasting. This is where the tour moves beyond the familiar idea that Icelandic food is only about unusual seafood.

Lamb soup is one of the key tastes to expect. Warm, filling, and easy to like, it gives you a softer entry into traditional Icelandic cooking than fermented shark does. In cold weather, a bowl of soup also makes practical sense. It warms you up before the walking continues.

Fish soup may also appear among the opening tastings. Iceland has long depended on the sea, and fish remains central to the country’s food culture. The point is not simply to identify each ingredient. Your guide explains why these dishes matter and how Iceland’s climate and isolation shaped local cooking.

The generous portions are worth noting. This is not a tour where every stop gives you a single decorative bite. The combination of soup, seafood, meat, and later snacks can add up to a full meal. If you are planning dinner afterward, wait until the tour ends before choosing a large table reservation.

The famous Icelandic hot dog stop

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

You may already know that hot dogs are a local favorite, but eating one as part of a food walk gives you useful context. It shows how Icelandic food is not frozen in the past. Traditional lamb and fish sit alongside an inexpensive street food that has become part of the city’s identity.

This stop also breaks up the heavier dishes. After soup and seafood, a hot dog gives the group something familiar, though the Icelandic version has its own character. The tour description calls it delicious and unique, while the wider menu includes local toppings and preparation that your guide can explain on the spot.

For families and cautious eaters, this is likely one of the easiest tastings. For adventurous eaters, it is a reminder that the best food tour should show everyday food as well as heritage dishes.

A short walking tour through old Reykjavik

Between restaurants, you spend about 20 minutes on one guided walk and another 15 minutes on a second sightseeing section. These are not long museum-style tours. They are short breaks that connect the food to the city around you.

That makes the route especially useful during your first or second day in Reykjavik. You see parts of the old center while learning where restaurants, cafés, and drinking spots are located. Guides also offer suggestions for the rest of your stay, so keep a note on your phone for places that sound appealing.

The route is entirely city based, but you still need weather-ready clothing. Reykjavik’s conditions can change quickly, and the tour continues outdoors between stops. Bring a waterproof layer and comfortable shoes rather than treating this as an indoor tasting session.

The walking is part of the value, but it is also a limitation. This is not suitable for wheelchair users, and anyone who finds standing or walking difficult should ask the operator for current details before booking.

The adventurous tasting: fermented shark

Then comes the dish most people will talk about afterward: fermented shark.

You receive a small piece, not a full serving. The taste can be sharp, salty, and strongly fishy. The guide helps you approach it in the traditional way, and several guides pair it with Brennivin, the local spirit often linked with this food.

Einar’s method, as described by participants, involves explaining how to eat both the shark and the salty Icelandic licorice. The shark finishes with a cleaner fish taste for some people, while others will simply be glad they tried it. Either reaction is fair. You do not need to love it for the tasting to be worthwhile.

This is where the guide’s personality matters most. A calm explanation turns the dish from a dare into a small lesson about preservation, necessity, and Icelandic food customs. You are not expected to finish a large portion or pretend it is your favorite meal.

If you are at least 20, you may receive a shot of Brennivin as the final drink or as a pairing at the last stop, depending on the tour’s serving plan. Alcohol is not required. The included drink may instead be beer, soda, coffee, or tea.

Seafood, cod, sweets, and the final restaurant

The later food stops fill out the picture with more fish, cod, a traditional sweet, and other local samples. One route described by participants included fish soup, lamb soup, cod, hot dogs, fermented shark, and an Icelandic sweet. A candy-shop stop may include salty licorice, a flavor that can surprise anyone used to ordinary candy.

The cod tasting is a useful contrast to the shark. Cod is mild and familiar, yet it represents the everyday importance of Iceland’s fishing industry. The tour does not make every dish a challenge. You get a mix of foods that are easy to enjoy and foods that push you a little.

Dessert is the one part that may feel modest. One person specifically wished for a larger dessert portion. That is worth keeping in mind if you are expecting a full pastry course. The sweet tasting is more about trying a local flavor than ending with a large dessert plate.

The final restaurant stop lasts about an hour and includes food plus one drink. Water is included at all stops. This gives the group time to slow down, compare favorite dishes, and ask the guide for recommendations. By the end, the meal is usually substantial enough that you should not book this as a light snack before dinner.

Why the guides make such a difference

The food is important, but the guide determines how much you take away.

Stefan has been praised for turning food and history into a lively performance. Einar combines storytelling with personal family history, folklore, and even singing. Paul is known for humor and city advice, while Magnus explains Iceland’s past and present in an engaging way. Other guides, including Anna, Bo, Helge, Palli, Ester, Bjarni, and August, have also led highly personal tours.

You should not book expecting one guaranteed guide, but you can expect a local host rather than a script read from a card. The best moments come when the guide connects a dish to an Icelandic custom, an old story, or a detail from daily life.

That human side also helps with dietary restrictions. Tell the operator about allergies or food choices in advance. Vegetarian guests have been accommodated at every stop, though you should remember that the traditional menu is built around meat, fish, and dairy. Gluten and lactose intolerance can also be addressed, but exact substitutes may vary by restaurant.

Is $148 a fair price?

At $148 per person, this is an expensive meal by normal Reykjavik standards. Iceland is costly, and the fee covers food at several restaurants, a guide for three hours, water, and a final drink. You are also paying for the walking tour and the time spent explaining the culture behind each dish.

The value is strongest if you want a broad first taste of Iceland without researching five restaurants yourself. You get a hot dog, soups, seafood, lamb, sweets, fermented shark, and a drink in one outing. You also receive restaurant advice for later, which can help you avoid spending blindly during the rest of your stay.

The value is weaker if you already know Reykjavik’s food scene or have eaten at several of the stops. One person noted that some restaurants had already been visited before taking the tour. Check the expected food route when booking if you want every tasting to be new.

Portions are generally more than symbolic, but the dessert may be small and the shark is intentionally tiny. Think of the price as a guided tasting meal with a city walk, not an unlimited buffet.

Who should book this food walk?

I would choose this tour for a first visit to Reykjavik, especially if you want local food explained without making every meal an experiment.

It suits curious eaters who are willing to try fermented shark, salty licorice, and other unfamiliar flavors. It also works well for people who prefer a balanced menu, since you get familiar food such as soup, cod, and hot dogs alongside the more unusual samples.

It is a good fit for couples, solo visitors, and small groups who enjoy conversation. The guide-led format makes it easier to meet people, while the private option gives your own party more control over the mood and pace.

Vegetarians can join if arrangements are made, but strict traditional-food purists should ask what substitutions are available. The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users, and poor weather can make the walking portions less comfortable.

Practical details before you go

Meet outside Hlöllabátar, facing Ingólfstorg Square and the two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to your right, and benches, tables, and a covered ceiling make the meeting area easy to find and reasonably comfortable while you wait.

Look for the guide’s light blue jacket with Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back. Bring weather-appropriate clothing and shoes suitable for city walking.

The tour lasts three hours and does not include hotel pickup or drop-off. Water is included at all food stops, along with one drink at the final stop. The alcohol age in Iceland is 20, and nonalcoholic choices are available.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and you can reserve now while paying later. Those terms are useful if your Iceland plans depend on weather or changing arrival times.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a well-rounded first look at Icelandic food, plus a friendly orientation to central Reykjavik. The strongest reasons are the range of dishes, the generous portions, and the guides who turn an unusual menu into a story about Icelandic life.

Skip it if $148 feels too high for a guided meal, if you dislike group dining, or if you have already visited several of the restaurants. For most first-time visitors who want to taste beyond ordinary tourist fare, I think the tour earns its place near the start of your Iceland trip. Come hungry, dress for the weather, and treat the fermented shark as an adventure rather than a test of courage.

FAQ

How long does the Reykjavik food tour last?

The tour lasts three hours, including food tastings, short guided walks, and sightseeing in central Reykjavik.

Where does the tour meet?

The meeting point is outside Hlöllabátar, the sandwich shop facing Ingólfstorg Square and the two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to the right.

What foods are included?

The tastings include at least ten traditional Icelandic food items across several stops. Examples include lamb soup, fish soup, cod, an Icelandic hot dog, fermented shark, sweets, and other local dishes.

Is a drink included?

Yes. Water is included at every stop, and one drink is included at the final stop. The choice may be beer, soda, coffee, tea, or a shot of Brennivin. The minimum age for alcohol in Iceland is 20.

Can dietary restrictions be accommodated?

The operator accommodates dietary restrictions and allergies such as gluten intolerance and lactose intolerance, as well as vegetarian diets. Traditional Icelandic food commonly includes meat, fish, and dairy, so tell the operator about your needs in advance.

Is the tour available in languages other than English?

Yes. Live guiding is available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.

Is the tour suitable for wheelchair users?

No. The tour is listed as unsuitable for wheelchair users. It also includes walking outdoors between food stops, so weather-appropriate clothing is important.