Healthy and Delicious Food Options in Iceland: Gluten Free Foods, Coffee, and Fine Dining
Haust Restaurant
We visited Haust for their traditional winter dinner and we were not disappointed. Although much of Iceland doesn’t celebrate winter festivals like other countries in Europe, the food was fantastic. We indulged in delicious rye bread, smoked salmon, pumpkin soup, and a host of deserts like pie, truffles, and fresh donuts. The food was an incredible start to our Iceland adventure.
Reykjavik Kitchen
Reykjavik Kitchen was one of our indulgences on this trip and it was a perfect choice. The restaurant is small and intimate, right in the center of downtown. The food is expertly crafted, beautifully presented, and has options for safe gluten-free preparation. Our table consumed a variety of plates including a pan-fried cod, beef tenderloin, and lamb ribeye. All consumed a gluten-free dark chocolate lava cake in our party and there was not a soul in the dining room that would have known that the food was gluten-free. The service was very good and the environment was a touch magical as six inches of snow fell outside on the streets.
Reykjavik Chips
Have you ever spent a very long day traveling and you simply want something familiar and comforting to eat? Our order of Fish and Chips and chocolate shakes hit the spot after a long day of traveling. Reykjavik Chips is in the middle of the city and was one of the most pleasant surprises of our trip. We ended up renting an emergency Airbnb next door when the snowstorm closed the country.
Samúelsson Matbar
If surprises are your thing, then you must visit Samuelsson Matbar in Selfoss. This gem is nestled in a food court near the center of town and is completely hidden from view unless you know what you are looking for. Had we not been snowed in fifteen miles up the road, we likely would have never found this delicious restaurant.
Our group ordered a variety of items including lamb skewers, glazed cod, and of course, fish and chips. The food was as delicious as the presentation looked and the truffle fries were a fantastic side. We might have also consumed a few adult hot chocolates as we discussed the blizzard with the bartender. Samuelsson Matbar was a truly unforgettable dining experience.
Ísbúð Huppu (Ice Cream)
Getting ice cream while in Iceland is certainly an odd thing to do, but Rachael is an aficionado of all things Ice Cream, so we must stop when it is available. Isbud was an adorable chain of ice cream stores and we all indulged in some wild flavors that we ate on the drive back across the tundra to our rental.
Pylsuvagninn
We have saved the oddest for last as Pylsuvargninn is a local drive-through hot dog joint that specializes in deep-fried hot dogs. If the deep-fried dog wasn’t wild enough, you can always add crushed Doritos to the top of the deep-fried hot dog to slow down your circulation. The food was very good and we loaded up for dinner and enjoyed them with a view of the snowstorm from the kitchen of the Airbnb.
Don’t Forget the Coffee
Stapinn Arnarstapa
While it was relatively expensive, the Stapinn coffee house was a delicious treat as we explored the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Much of the peninsula consists of stop and go sites along the coast and rewarding views of the nearby Snæfellsjökull Volcano made famous in the novel Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. The staff was kind and welcoming and the heat was a delight after braving the wind all morning.
