Writer: Helena Bergström
What do you eat in Iceland? We list 17 Icelandic specialities and share our experiences of Icelandic food. In Iceland, you can find everything from sheep's testicles to fresh seafood. Come and taste Iceland!
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What to eat in Iceland? - a quick overview
After telling us about Swedish food and Polish food we now focus on Icelandic cuisine! In Iceland, the focus is on local produce. Here are some typical examples of what to eat in Iceland:
- Fish: Cod, salmon and char
- Meat: Lamb in various forms
- Traditional dishes: Hákarl and hángikjöt
- Dairy products: Clear
- Sweet: Kleinur and liquorice with chocolate
I myself have lived in Iceland for a year, and then we travelled back many times. Here we tell you a bit about the food!
Typical Icelandic food - 17 classic dishes
Here we list Icelandic dishes, sweets and drinks that are interesting to try.
1. Fish and seafood
With all the sea surrounding Iceland, it's no wonder that people eat a lot of seafood. Here are some examples of fish you can try:
- Kolya
- Cod
- char
- Salmon
- Halibut
- Shrimps
- Mussels
2. lamb meat
Lamb meat is an important part of Icelandic food culture, found in both traditional and more modern dishes.
In the past, you might have eaten hángikjöt (smoked mutton) or svið (sheep's head), but today you're more likely to get lamb fillet or saddle of lamb. By the way, did you know that sheep's head used to be a classic picnic item...?
3. Chicken meat
Smoked lamb meat, which can be eaten hot or cold. Sometimes the meat is served in thin slices on rye bread or ”flat cake” (a kind of flatbread), as we last had it on canapés in the Residence of the President of Iceland. Hángikjöt is a traditional festive dish and can be served at various festivals, such as Þorrablót.
4. Whale meat
While whale meat is not commonly served on Icelanders' plates, several restaurants have whale meat on their menus. The whale served is the minke whale, which is not red-listed. We tried the restaurant Fish Market, not bad at all!
5. Þorramatur
Þorrablót is originally a pagan sacrificial festival held in the Norse month of Þorra, around February. Today's young Icelanders may not love the ”delicacies” of this festival, but at least I can boast of having tasted the main dishes:
- Hákarl (sour shark/fermented shark)
- Svið (boiled sheep head)
- Hangi meat (smoked mutton)
- Blood butter (a kind of black pudding)
- Lifrapylsa (liver sausage)
- Hrútspungar (sheep testicles)
- Rúgbrauð (rye bread)
- Flatbrauð (a kind of flatbread)
6. Hákarl
We have already mentioned the fermented sour shark, but it deserves to be mentioned again. People who have tasted both sour herring and hákarl tend to say that sour herring is like baby food, and I'm inclined to agree.
The shark contains a toxin when it is caught, but by allowing it to ferment and dry, the toxin disappears. The flavour (and smell) is ammonia. Only for the very toughest!
7. Hard fish
Dried fish, which has been popular as a ”snack” for centuries. The photo is from Saltrömmen in Norway, where we were served a similar snack last year. The flavour is okay, but you have to bite hard to get through the woody and hard meat ...
8. puffin
Puffins are not only cute, but also edible. Puffin is not a common everyday dish, but we have had it on a buffet and tasting menu. The flavour is a bit special, but good. It is also common for the meat to be served smoked.
9. bird's eggs
In Iceland, people eat not only eggs from hens, but also various seabird eggs. We have not tried this, but it is considered a delicacy and the season is of course in spring. In restaurants, however, we have tried small eggs from mini-chickens.
10. salmon - fish liver oil
Icelanders love their lýsi, that is, their fish liver oil. What real Icelander wouldn't want to start their morning with a shot of this revitalising drink?
If you want to try it, just check into any hotel in the country. Lýsi is a staple on the breakfast table. What does it taste like? Well, there are some things that taste better...
11. clear
Skýr is a traditional Icelandic dairy product that can be eaten as a breakfast or snack. Skýr is a high-protein, low-fat food similar to quark, sometimes sold in different fruit flavours. Traditional skýr has a slightly dry texture and is often eaten with milk and perhaps sugar. Tastes great!
12. Bollur
Soft, round wheat buns often filled with custard or jam and topped with icing sugar or chocolate. Popular especially on Bolludagur (bun day) in February before Lent.
13. small clock
Deep-fried twisted pastries that are a bit reminiscent of small doughnuts - slightly chewy and lightly sweet with a mild spicing of cardamom. Traditionally, these are eaten during Lent and on special feasts.
14. Opal - throat lozenges
Opal Icelandic throat lozenges are pronounced with the ”o” and not the 'a' (i.e. emphasising the first syllable as in all Icelandic words). The flavour is salty and intense - not for those who want a 'kinder' taste.
15. liquorice with chocolate
Icelanders have a strong fondness for liquorice and for chocolate - at the same time. Today, this combination can be found in more places around the world, but I wouldn't be surprised if Icelanders were first.
16. The ”Black Death” brandy”
To swallow the rotten shark and some of the other Þorra food, you need brandy - believe me! The classic Icelandic version is called Brennivín.
When it was first produced in 1935, after the end of the Icelandic alcohol ban, a warning symbol in the shape of a skull appeared on the label. Today, the skull has been replaced by a map of Iceland, but the spirit is still nicknamed ”Svarti dauðinn” (Black Death).
17. Icelandic beer
Beer is an interesting chapter in Iceland as this drink was banned on the island between 1915 and 1989. Maybe that's why beer is so popular in Iceland. What could be tastier than the forbidden?
1 March is the date when beer was set free and is now celebrated as ”Beer Day”. Today there are many good beers in Iceland. We've tried Einstök and Úlfur, among others, which we liked.
Icelandic food in a restaurant
So, what do you eat in Iceland's restaurants? Traditional hard-boiled food aside, Icelandic cuisine today has evolved to become both modern and exciting.
Many of Reykjavik's restaurants use local ingredients, while drawing influences from many parts of the world. Here are some tips for dining experiences:
More about food in other countries
Here you can find more stories about food in different countries:
- Danish food – 22 Danish dishes
- Polish food - 25 Polish dishes
- Norwegian food – 25 dishes to try
- Swedish food - 25 classic dishes
- Finnish food - 20 dishes to try
frequently asked questions about Icelandic food
What is typical of Icelandic food?
Icelandic food is often simple, clean and based on local ingredients such as fish, lamb, dairy products and root vegetables. Traditional dishes have often been preserved from older times, while modern restaurants also mix international influences.
Is Icelandic food expensive?
Yes, Iceland is generally expensive due to import costs and remoteness. Local produce such as fish and lamb is often fresh and of high quality, but restaurant visits can be costly.
Are there vegetarian options in Iceland?
Traditionally, there is a lot of meat and fish, but modern restaurants offer vegetarian dishes such as soups, salads and vegetarian versions of traditional dishes.
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English (UK) 
Svenska
Madeleine Krans says:
Wow, they eat puffins! The ones that are so cute. ?? And that beer was banned until the 80s. But good taste when it comes to chocolate anyway. My favourite combo is chocolate and liquorice. Thanks for an informative and interesting post.
16 March 2019 - 8:45
Helena says:
Yes, the beer ban is a bit odd to say the least! Initially it was a ban on alcohol, but after a while all alcohol was allowed, except for beer! Glad you liked the post!
16 March 2019 - 16:10
Ama de casa says:
Hmm... I think I might prefer fresh seafood to rotten shark... I do. A biased opinion since I haven't tried rotten shark. Even though I like surströmming, I will probably refrain from that shark in the future as well 😉.
We were in Iceland for the first time in 1986 and then strong beer was banned. You were allowed to buy alcoholic beverages tax-free upon entry (which I think you should be allowed to do everywhere, why drag a lot of weight all over the world? Not so climate smart if you ask me). There were large "warning signs" at the store that it was the last chance to get strong beer. Haha!
Light beer, on the other hand, was allowed, and in the bars they sold light beer with a small glass hanging on top with vodka (or whatever liquor). If you turned the glass, the liquor fell into the beer and - voila! - you had strong beer 😀.
16 March 2019 - 8:59
Helena says:
But how interesting! Yes, I just read somewhere that this was how to "get around" the beer ban. And now I got it confirmed! When I was there the first time, beer was allowed, but I experienced it more as a "liquor culture". Maybe it became that way after a long beer ban ...
16 March 2019 - 16:11
Lena Åstrand says:
Smart
20 September 2021 - 0:50
Johnny Friskilä says:
Very nice text! But rotten shark? It is not rotten, but rather fermented? Or am I wrong? However, I do agree that surströmming (and Norwegian rakfisk) is child's play compared to the Icelandic version, which is really like chewing ammonia. Unfortunately, I have never tried puffin. However, I once bought large seabird eggs at a supermarket in Iceland. Absolutely wonderful eggs!
16 March 2019 - 13:37
Helena says:
Glad you tried the seabird eggs! 🙂 The shark is always referred to as a "rotten shark" and that is how it is referred to in most articles. But it is possible that you are right, that the method should more correctly be described as fermented!?
16 March 2019 - 16:13
Daniela / Discovering The Planet says:
Food is so interesting and a big part of travelling. I'm willing to try most things... well... but a little unsure if I can get past the smell of ammonia :))))
16 March 2019 - 17:48
Helena says:
That "scent" is a bit tricky actually 😉.
17 March 2019 - 6:42
BP says:
As I am very adventurous when it comes to food (I have eaten lung and sheep testicles, among other things), I had just tried everything but
Skýr (hate quark), liquorice with chocolate (yuck for liquorice) and "Black Death", as I don't drink alcohol and Lýsi, as my mum fed it to me every day when I was little. Just the thought of Lýsi makes me gag;-)
The rest of the dishes are, as I said, completely to my taste. Would definitely try it. Then I do not know if I want the sheep to look at me directly, but I have eaten calf's head in France, and the calf's eyes also stared at me;-)
16 March 2019 - 18:22
Helena says:
When I lived in Iceland there were some of the older men who liked to suck on and eat the eyes of the sheep heads... Nothing for me I can say, but the meat was quite ok 😉 .
17 March 2019 - 6:43
Anna says:
Hángikjöt is not dried lamb meat, it is cold smoked lamb. You cook it and eat it with potatoes, sweet béchamel sauce and green peas.
It's not rotten shark, it's sour shark. Kv Anna who has lived in Iceland for more than 20 years.
16 March 2019 - 23:23
Helena says:
Hi Anna! Of course it's dried lamb meat! It was correct everywhere in the text, but funnily enough the headline was wrong without me realising it... Thanks for noticing and letting me know! I have also made a correction about the shark. It is often described as rotten and you see that in many texts, but you are absolutely right that it is sour shark, and fermented is a more accurate description of the process. I have changed it. Thanks again, of course we want to get it right!
17 March 2019 - 6:45
Ruth i Virginia says:
Was in Rejkjavik in 1978. The only thing we ate was boiled fish and boiled potatoes.
Lived in a school, which during the summer was used as a hostel.
Approximately 20 to 30 metal beds, which the US military had left behind, had be
set up in every classroom. The only hotel was an SAS-owned one, and in fact
was that we could not afford to live there (we were 4 people). Everything was
incredibly expensive. Have not been back except for stopovers.
17 March 2019 - 5:22
Helena says:
Wow, it sounds like Iceland has come a long way since then! 😉
17 March 2019 - 6:46
Lena - gott för själen says:
Well, I'm usually curious to try most things, but there were some things that I would shy away from. 🙂
Hug Lena
17 March 2019 - 9:23
Helena says:
Some of the specialities are for the daring haha 🙂 🙂 .
18 March 2019 - 7:07
Marie says:
Have eaten mashed potatoes with granulated sugar on them which was not very good. On the other hand, lamb cooked in a cooking pit in the ground was fantastic.
Homemade fish balls with brown sauce were also much tastier than it sounds.
This was around 1990.
18 March 2019 - 2:36
Helena says:
Mashed potatoes with granulated sugar sounded a bit odd? Nice that you also got some positive food experiences 🙂 And cooking has of course developed a lot lately.
18 March 2019 - 7:09
Saevar Sveinn Gudmundsson says:
Good article about the cuisine in Iceland it can also be said that the sweet and savoury rye bread is baked/cooked in hot springs.
All countries have pancakes, but in Iceland they are flavoured with different flavours and filled with blueberries or other good things. As a child I remember crowberry juice and dried fish being eaten with Icelandic butter!
18 March 2019 - 5:49
Helena says:
Thank you, glad you like the article! And thanks for the additional information about the Icelandic food! Perfect to use the hot springs indeed 🙂 The pancakes sound good and the crowberry juice sounds interesting! 🙂
18 March 2019 - 7:11
Anonymous says:
What not to eat
25 November 2021 - 9:26