Reykjavik Food Lovers Tour – Icelandic Traditional Food

Icelandic food makes more sense once you know the stories behind it. This walking tour moves from the old harbor to downtown eateries, with stops for shellfish soup, lamb soup, the original Reykjavik hot dog, local candy, and the famous fermented shark. I especially like the small group of 12 and the way guides such as Paul, Bo, Stefan, and Robyn add stories about Icelandic life, folklore, and food traditions.

I also like that the tastings give you a useful first look at Reykjavik before you spend money on full meals. The main drawback is value: at $152.37 per person, you need to enjoy several tastings and the cultural background to make the price feel right. Some stops are popular central eateries rather than secret neighborhood restaurants.

Key points to know before you book

• Fermented shark is part of the finale: You can try hakarl at Dass Reykjavik, along with an Icelandic drink.
• The tour is a walking meal: Expect 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours, with food at several stops rather than one sit-down dinner.
• The group stays small: A maximum of 12 people makes it easier to hear the guide and ask questions.
• Weekend timing changes one stop: Kolaportid Market is included only on Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Come hungry, but not starved: Portions can be generous, and the stops include soup, hot dogs, snacks, and several traditional dishes.
• Tell the operator about dietary needs: The company tries to accommodate allergies and dietary restrictions, but you should raise them before the tour.

What this Reykjavik food walk is really like

The tour begins at Ingolfur Square, beside Hlöllabátar, in central Reykjavik. You are asked to arrive five minutes early. From there, your guide leads you on foot between food stops, sharing food customs and local stories as you go.

This is not mainly a city sightseeing tour. You will pick up facts about Reykjavik, Icelandic history, sagas, runes, and everyday life, but the food remains the main event. If you want a formal tour of churches, museums, and major landmarks, choose something else. If you want an edible introduction to Iceland, this format works well.

The group limit matters. With no more than 12 people, the guide can explain unfamiliar dishes without shouting across a large crowd. Several guides have been praised for their humor and warmth, including Paul, Bo, Stefan, Robyn, Palli, Magnus, and Oli. The exact guide depends on your departure, but the experience clearly relies on the person leading it.

Ingolfur Square: a simple start in central Reykjavik

The meeting point is easy to place in the center of town, but one person had trouble finding it, so allow a few extra minutes. You will not need a hotel transfer. The tour ends back at the meeting point, and the area is near public transportation.

Arriving early helps the group leave on time and gives you a moment to meet the guide. Since this is an eating tour, wear comfortable shoes and dress for changing weather. The activity operates in all weather, and Reykjavik can shift from calm to wet and windy without much warning.

Seabaron and the first taste of Icelandic seafood

The opening food stop is Seabaron, down by Reykjavik’s old harbor. Here you get Icelandic shellfish soup, sometimes described in the tour material as lobster soup or langoustine soup.

This is a smart first course. Seafood is central to Icelandic cooking, and soup gives you something warm before the walking continues. It also sets up a useful point about Icelandic food: local dishes often focus on a few good ingredients rather than elaborate preparation.

The exact portion size can vary by serving, but the tour is designed as a sequence of tastings. You are not ordering a full bowl at every place. That lets you sample more dishes, though some people may find the overall meal less substantial than expected for the price.

Kolaportid Market, available on weekend departures

If your tour runs during the market’s opening hours, you visit Kolaportid, the Reykjavik Flea Market. It is open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., so this stop is not part of every departure.

This is one of the more interesting parts of the route because it gives you a look at traditional foods in a market setting. Your guide can point out Icelandic specialties, snacks, and ingredients that may not be obvious to first-time visitors.

The weekend restriction is important. Do not assume the market will be open just because you booked the food tour. On a weekday, the route uses the other food stops, so the experience remains worthwhile, but you lose this market segment.

Baejarins Beztu Pylsur and Reykjavik’s famous hot dog

No first visit to Reykjavik feels complete without trying the city’s best-known hot dog stand. Baejarins Beztu Pylsur has served hot dogs since 1937, and the tour takes you to the original stall.

The Icelandic hot dog is usually associated with lamb, though the exact recipe includes more than one type of meat. The point here is not just the hot dog itself. It is the place, the long-running local tradition, and the chance to try a quick Icelandic staple without paying restaurant prices.

This stop is also a useful contrast to the soups and more old-fashioned foods. Icelandic cooking is not only dried fish and fermented shark. It also includes simple street food that people eat during an ordinary day in town.

Icelandic Street Food and lamb soup

At Icelandic Street Food, the group samples lamb soup along with additional traditional foods. Several guides describe lamb soup as Iceland in a bowl, and that is a fair way to understand its place in the tour.

Lamb is a major part of Icelandic cooking, and the soup offers a hearty counterpoint to the seafood starter. You might also receive other small dishes here, depending on the current menu and the guide’s route. Past tour experiences have included lamb stew, smoked salmon, goose, cod, and assorted traditional appetizers.

This stop can be one of the more filling ones. Some people found the portions generous, while another person felt the soup and bread were less impressive than similar dishes elsewhere in Iceland. I would treat the tasting as a useful sample rather than the final word on lamb soup. If you enjoy it, ask your guide where to order a full bowl later.

Taste of Iceland: snacks, candy, and the stranger side of local food

The group then visits Taste of Iceland, a local delicacy store. This is where the tour shifts from prepared meals to packaged foods, snacks, and candy.

Expect a chance to see ingredients and flavors that may not appear on a standard restaurant menu. Chocolate-covered licorice has been part of the tasting experience, and Icelandic licorice can be stronger and saltier than many visitors expect.

This stop is short, about 10 minutes, but it adds useful range. Without it, the tour might feel like a run of soups and restaurant plates. Here you get a sense of the small foods people buy, share, and bring home.

Dass Reykjavik and the hakarl challenge

The final stop is Dass Reykjavik, near Hallgrimskirkja church. Here you try several Icelandic delicacies, including hakarl, or fermented shark.

Hakarl is not included as a dare for its own sake. It reflects an older food tradition shaped by Iceland’s climate and limited resources. The taste and smell can be intense, so you should approach it with curiosity rather than expectation. You do not need to love it. Trying a small piece and learning why it exists is the real point.

The ending also includes an Icelandic drink. The tour information says you can choose an alcoholic or non-alcoholic option, with beer and Icelandic schnapps recommended. One experience reported that the available choices were soda, beer, or moonshine, and that Black Death schnapps was not offered. If a particular drink matters to you, ask what is available that day rather than assuming every option will be served.

Finishing near Hallgrimskirkja gives the walk a clear endpoint, but the tour is not designed as a church visit. You return to the meeting point after the final tasting.

How much food do you receive?

You will taste food at several locations, but this is not a sequence of full restaurant meals. The combination may include shellfish soup, lamb soup or stew, a hot dog, snacks, candy, delicacies, and hakarl, with other dishes depending on the route.

Some people find the tastings generous enough to replace lunch or dinner. Others, especially those already familiar with Icelandic food, may find the portions less impressive for the cost. Your appetite and expectations matter.

I suggest eating a light meal beforehand, not arriving hungry enough to feel rushed or uncomfortable. You want room for the unusual foods, especially near the end. Water is included at all stops, and the final drink is included as part of the food journey.

Guide quality makes the biggest difference

The food is only half the experience. The guide connects the dishes to Icelandic culture and makes the walk feel like more than a series of counters.

Paul has been described as a retired fisherman with plenty of stories. Bo has explained how dishes are prepared and shared recommendations for other places to eat. Stefan has focused on ingredients, food history, sagas, and runes. Robyn has been praised for making the group feel comfortable, while Magnus and Oli have also been singled out for humor and clear explanations.

You should expect personality to vary because several guides lead the tours. That is normal for a small-group operation. The strongest part of the experience comes when the guide adds context, explains unfamiliar foods, and gives practical dining tips for the rest of your stay.

Is $152.37 a fair price?

At $152.37, this is not a cheap way to grab a few snacks. Reykjavik food prices are high, so comparing the cost with several separate restaurant visits is not quite fair. You are paying for the tastings, the guide, the planning, the walking route, water, taxes, and the final drink.

The better question is what you want from the afternoon. If you would otherwise order separate portions of seafood soup, lamb soup, a hot dog, local snacks, and traditional delicacies, the tour can offer reasonable value. It also reduces the risk of spending money on a full dish you dislike.

Still, the value drops if you have already sampled most of these foods, want large portions, or expect small independent restaurants with direct explanations from each chef. One person found the food stops too mainstream, and another felt the portions did not match the price. Those are fair concerns.

The tour earns its price best for a first visit, an adventurous eater, or anyone who wants cultural explanation with the meal. It is less compelling for a food expert who already knows Reykjavik’s dining scene.

Who should book this experience?

I would choose this tour if you want to try Icelandic food without committing to full servings at every stop. It suits couples, families with older children, solo visitors, and small groups who enjoy meeting people from different countries.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. The tour is open to most people who can manage a walking route through central Reykjavik, but the supplied information does not give a specific distance or step-free route. If mobility is a concern, ask the operator before booking.

You should also contact the provider about allergies or dietary restrictions. The company tries to accommodate them, and an allergy was accommodated successfully on one tour, but no food tour can promise that every traditional dish will suit every diet.

This is a good first-day activity because it helps you get oriented to downtown food options. It can also be a useful final meal before leaving, but I prefer it early in a stay so you can return to places you liked.

Booking, timing, and cancellation details

The tour lasts about 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours. There are many departure times, which helps fit it around museums, whale watching, or an evening plan. The experience is offered in English and uses a mobile ticket.

It is often booked well ahead, with an average booking time of 47 days. That does not mean every date sells out, but it is a sign that you should reserve early if your Iceland schedule is fixed.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside 24 hours are not accepted and are not refunded. The tour also requires a minimum number of participants, so if the operator cancels for that reason, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

My verdict on the Reykjavik Food Lovers Tour

I would book this tour for a first visit to Iceland, especially if you want to try hakarl, lamb soup, seafood, and the famous hot dog without ordering full meals everywhere. The small group, flexible departure times, and strong guide-led storytelling add real value.

I would skip it if you want quiet, chef-led tastings in obscure restaurants or if you already know Reykjavik’s food scene. The route uses well-known central stops, and the $152.37 price requires a healthy appetite and an interest in the stories behind the food.

For most curious eaters, this is a practical way to get your Icelandic food bearings fast. Go hungry, dress for the weather, arrive early, and treat the fermented shark as a cultural lesson rather than a flavor contest.

FAQ

How long does the Reykjavik Food Lovers Tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at Hlöllabátar, Ingolfstorgi 1, in Ingolfur Square, Reykjavik. You should arrive five minutes before the start time.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point.

What food is included?

The route includes Icelandic shellfish soup, the Icelandic lamb hot dog, lamb soup, traditional foods, local snacks and candy, Icelandic delicacies, and fermented shark. The exact food selection can vary by stop and departure.

Is the Reykjavik Flea Market included on every tour?

No. The Kolaportid Market visit is available when the tour runs on Saturday or Sunday between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Is a drink included?

Yes. The tour ends with an alcoholic or non-alcoholic Icelandic drink. The available alcoholic choices can vary.

Is the tour suitable for children?

Children can participate, but they must be accompanied by an adult.

Can dietary restrictions and allergies be accommodated?

The operator tries to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies. You should provide this information before the tour so the team can prepare.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the tour are not accepted and are not refunded.