Reykjavik: Icelandic Food Tour

Come hungry, leave better oriented. This three-hour walking tour pairs traditional Icelandic dishes with stories about Reykjavik, local customs, and the country’s past. I like the generous range of tastings, from lamb soup and cod to fermented shark and a hot dog, and I like that the walk helps you get your bearings in the old city center.

The guides are the real strength. Names such as Stefan, Einar, Paul, Magnus, Anna, and Ester E. appear again and again in the feedback, with praise for their humor, storytelling, and personal take on Icelandic culture. My main caution is simple: traditional Icelandic food leans heavily on meat, fish, and dairy, so anyone with strict dietary needs should tell the company in advance and keep expectations realistic.

Five things to know before you book

• You taste at least 10 Icelandic foods: Expect a broad sampler rather than one large meal, including soups, seafood, sweets, a hot dog, and fermented shark.
• The tour visits about five food stops: Tastings take place at local restaurants and shops, with short walks between them through central Reykjavik.
• Fermented shark is part of the challenge: You receive a small piece, and the guide explains how to eat it with the traditional local spirit Brennivin.
• Groups are limited to 12 people: This keeps the walking tour fairly personal, and private groups are also available.
• It works well early in your stay: The route gives you restaurant tips, food advice, and a useful introduction to downtown Reykjavik.
• The price is $148 per person: That is high for a walking tour, but the cost includes a substantial number of tastings, a guide, water, and a final drink.

Starting at Hlöllabátar in central Reykjavik

The meeting point is outside Hlöllabátar sandwich shop, facing Ingólfstorg Square and its two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is on your right, and the benches, tables, and covered area make it an easy place to wait in Icelandic weather.

Look for a guide wearing a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik. That detail matters in a busy square, especially if you arrive during a cold or wet spell and do not want to stand around searching.

You do not need hotel pickup. The tour begins and ends at the same central point, so plan to walk there from your accommodation. Wear weather-appropriate clothing, since this is a walking experience with several outdoor sections between food stops.

The group limit is 12 people. That is small enough for questions and conversation, but it is not the same as a private tasting with a guide devoted only to your party. Private groups can be arranged if you prefer a more tailored outing.

The first tastings: a quick introduction to Icelandic comfort food

The first restaurant stop lasts about an hour, making it the longest food section of the tour. This gives the guide time to introduce several dishes and explain how food connects to Iceland’s geography, climate, and older ways of life.

The advertised highlights include warm Icelandic lamb soup. This is the kind of dish that makes sense in a cool northern country: filling, familiar, and easy to appreciate even if you are cautious about unusual foods. You may also encounter fish soup or other traditional seafood dishes, as several guests specifically enjoyed tasting both fish soup and lamb soup.

The food comes in tasting portions, but do not assume that means tiny samples. Multiple people finished the tour feeling very full, and one person wished only that the dessert portion had been larger. You are sampling rather than ordering a three-course meal, yet the combined amount can add up quickly.

This opening stop is also where the guide begins to do more than name dishes. Guides such as Magnus, Paul, and Stefan were praised for tying food to Icelandic culture and national life. A good guide helps you understand why a dish matters, not just whether you personally like it.

A short walk through old Reykjavik

After the first meal, you spend roughly 20 minutes walking and sightseeing in Reykjavik. This section breaks up the eating and gives the tour a useful city orientation.

The route is centered on the old city center, so you are not being driven from restaurant to restaurant. You see parts of downtown on foot while the guide explains local places, history, and everyday life. Several guides have also offered restaurant recommendations beyond the stops on the tour, which makes this early in your visit a smart time to go.

I would not book this as a full historical walking tour. Food remains the main subject, and the sightseeing sections are short, about 35 minutes in total across the itinerary. Still, it is a useful bonus. You get a sense of where you are, learn what to order later, and can ask questions about Reykjavik as you walk.

The pace should suit most people who are comfortable walking between central restaurants. The experience is not suitable for wheelchair users, and no hotel transportation is included.

The second restaurant stop and Iceland’s unusual side

The next local restaurant stop lasts about 45 minutes. This is where the tour moves further from familiar comfort food and into the dishes that make Icelandic cuisine memorable.

The star challenge is fermented shark. You receive a small piece, not a large serving, so even cautious eaters can usually treat it as a brief culinary dare. The taste is famously strong, but the guide gives you a suggested way to eat it, often pairing it with a sip of Brennivin afterward.

The tour includes a drink at the final stop, not necessarily at this point, and alcohol is limited to people aged 20 and older in Iceland. The last stop may offer beer, soda, coffee, tea, or a shot of Brennivin.

A guide can make a large difference here. Einar was praised for explaining how to handle the salty licorice and fermented shark, while Stefan’s storytelling and humor helped make the tasting less intimidating. The point is not to pretend every bite will be delicious. It is to understand why these foods exist and to try them in a setting where the guide can give context.

The tour may also include Icelandic sweets, including salty licorice. That is another small but telling introduction to local tastes. If you normally avoid strong flavors, take the smallest bite first. If you enjoy trying foods that challenge your expectations, this section is likely to be one of the highlights.

The final hour: hot dogs, seafood, and a drink

The final restaurant stop lasts about an hour and includes beer plus another round of food tastings. One advertised highlight is an Icelandic hot dog, a simple street-food item that gives the tour a lighter, more familiar finish after the shark and other traditional foods.

The hot dog is described as unique and delicious, and it offers a good reminder that Icelandic food is not only preserved fish and old country recipes. Modern Reykjavik also has casual food with a strong local identity. You may also sample cod or other seafood, depending on the selected stops and current arrangements.

The last drink is included, with a choice that can range from beer or soda to coffee, tea, or Brennivin. Water is included at all stops. That is practical, since several tastings can be salty, rich, or strongly flavored.

At this point, you will likely have eaten enough for dinner. The exact balance depends on the group, the day, and your dietary requirements, but the food is not merely decorative sample-size fare. Several people described the portions as generous, and one person said the group was more than full by the end.

What the guides add to the food

The guides are trained through the Tour Guide School of Iceland, but the strongest feedback focuses less on formal qualifications and more on personality. That is important on a food tour. You are spending three hours eating and walking with one person, so a dry lecture would wear thin.

Stefan is repeatedly praised for theatrical storytelling, humor, and his ability to wrap food in legends and historical facts. Einar brings personal stories, family history, singing, and folklore into the experience. Paul has been described as funny and especially good at explaining Reykjavik, while Magnus combines food knowledge with current events and Icelandic culture.

Other guides, including Anna, Ester E., Bo, Bjarni, August, Helge, and Palli, also received warm praise for making the tour feel relaxed and conversational. That range suggests the company has a strong guide team, though your own experience will naturally depend on who leads your departure.

The personal element is valuable. You can ask about restaurants, local customs, food restrictions, and what to do for the rest of your stay. One guide even included a story about the Christmas Cat, while another sang a folkloric song about trolls. Those touches turn a sequence of tastings into a fuller introduction to Icelandic culture.

Dietary needs and the limits of traditional food

The company says it can accommodate gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, vegetarian diets, allergies, and other restrictions. You should give clear information when booking and remind the guide at the start.

The food tradition here is built around meat, fish, and dairy, so vegetarians and people with several allergies may not receive the same range as everyone else. Still, one vegetarian visitor had something to eat at every location, and another person with a strict no-list said the guide worked to provide suitable alternatives.

Do not wait until the plate arrives to explain an allergy. The guide needs to know early so the restaurants can prepare the right items. Also remember that food substitutions may be less traditional than the standard menu. If trying a wide selection of classic Icelandic dishes is your main reason for booking, dietary restrictions may narrow the experience.

Is $148 a fair price?

At $148 per person, this is not a budget lunch. Iceland is expensive, and food costs in Reykjavik add up quickly, but price alone does not make the tour good value.

The fee covers at least 10 tastings, water at all stops, a drink at the last stop, a three-hour guide-led walk, and advice about other places to eat. You are also paying for access to several local restaurants without having to research, order, and pay separately at each one.

I see the value most clearly if you are visiting Reykjavik for a short stay, want a proper introduction to Icelandic food, or would otherwise order several meals while experimenting on your own. The tour can also replace one substantial dinner, since the portions are often generous.

It is less attractive if you only want a quick taste of fermented shark and a hot dog. You could spend less by visiting individual places yourself, but you would lose the explanations, coordinated tastings, and city orientation. The published rating of 4.7 from 407 reviews supports the idea that the experience delivers well for many people, especially because guide quality is praised so often.

Who should book this food walk?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors, curious eaters, couples, small groups, and anyone who likes learning while eating. It is especially useful on your first or second night, when you can use the restaurant suggestions and downtown orientation for the rest of your stay.

Families with older children may enjoy the playful challenge of fermented shark and salty licorice, though parents should decide how suitable those flavors are. People who dislike seafood, lamb, dairy, or strong preserved foods may find the menu demanding.

You should also book with the right expectations. This is not a polished fine-dining meal, and it is not a full sightseeing tour. It is a social walking route built around traditional tastes, local stories, and a few dishes designed to make you smile, wince, or both.

Cancellations are free up to 24 hours before the tour, and you can reserve without paying immediately. Live guiding is available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.

Should you book the Reykjavik Icelandic Food Tour?

Book it if you want more than a list of Icelandic dishes. The best part is the combination of food, local storytelling, and practical advice about Reykjavik. Guides such as Stefan, Einar, Paul, Magnus, and Ester E. have shown how much personality can shape the experience.

I would choose this tour early in a Reykjavik visit, arrive hungry, dress for the weather, and tell the company about dietary restrictions in advance. If you are willing to try fermented shark, salty licorice, lamb soup, seafood, sweets, and an Icelandic hot dog, the $148 price buys a useful and entertaining start to your time in Iceland.

FAQ

How long is the Reykjavik Icelandic Food Tour?

The tour lasts three hours, including food tastings, guided walking, sightseeing, and time at local restaurants.

Where does the tour begin and end?

It begins and ends outside Hlöllabátar sandwich shop, facing Ingólfstorg Square and the two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is nearby.

How many foods do you taste?

The tour includes at least 10 traditional Icelandic food items, though the exact selection can vary.

Is fermented shark included?

Yes. A small piece of fermented shark is included, and the guide explains how to try it. The tour also highlights Icelandic lamb soup and an Icelandic hot dog.

Is a drink included?

Water is included at every stop. A drink is included at the final stop, with options such as beer, soda, coffee, tea, or Brennivin. The minimum age for alcohol in Iceland is 20.

Can vegetarians join the tour?

Yes. Vegetarian options and accommodations for dietary restrictions are available, but you should provide details in advance. Traditional Icelandic food often includes meat, fish, and dairy.

Is hotel pickup provided?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You should make your own way to the central meeting point.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users.

What languages are available?

Live guides are available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.