The Reykjavik Food Walk — Local services in Reykjavik

TL;DR version: friendly, knowledgeable, fun guide (Karítas Sif) who knows her food and gave us Iceland noobs a great foundation to start our stay in Reykjavik!

We went on March 2nd, 2025, and met up with Karítas and the rest of the group at the Harpa Concert Hall as directed at our scheduled time. After she did a brief introduction and told us we’d be going to four, possibly five, places to eat, we were off. The places we went and food selections were:

Forrettabarinn: horse fillet with caramelised onion, bernaise, potatoes, and root vegetables OR lamb with the same fixings (I think; we got the horse). Giddyup, it was better than I imagined horse would taste like! Reminded me a little of black bear. Probably my second-favorite dish. Sólon: fermented shark (optional) followed by a shot of Brennivín. Primary dish was Grilled Artic Char (fish similar to trout, meat looks like salmon) with mashed potatoes and capers pesto. The Arctic Char was both mine and my GF’s favorite dish. Hannesarholt Cafe: Plokkfiskur (fish pie) and Rye-bread. Of the five main dishes, this was my #4. Don’t get me wrong, it was good, just not as good as the Arctic Char, the horse filet, and… Bærjarins beztu pylsur: the famous Icelandic hot dogs, which is a lamb hot dog with ketchup, sweet mustard, raw onion, fried onion, and remulade. Definitely our third favorite dish. Hotel Borg: happy marriage cake (oats and homemade rhubarb jam) and coffee. This was our least favorite. Cake could have used more rhubarb or less oat. Or both.

Highly recommend this tour if you ever hit up Reykjavik. Karitas told us that in Iceland, horses aren’t bred for their meat, they’re bred for work and some for horse racing. When one has to get put down due to injury, it’s eaten, rather than wasted.

YMMV but for me, fermented shark is an acquired taste. It smelled worse than it tasted. The texture/consistency was also a little more dense than I thought it would be. Karitas told us it’s basically rotten shark meat. It’s fermented and then hung up to dry in a shed for 6 months. You do a shot of Brennivín after you eat the stinky shark meat, but I’m pretty sure the shot was worse than the shark.

So yes, if you’ve made it this far through my long-winded review: I’d highly recommend doing this Food Walk Tour. Especially within the first one or two days if you’re new to Iceland. From my reading through other reviews, everyone’s guides seem to be consistently good at what they do, and Karitas was no exception. It’s always fun to have a guide who’s not only knowledgeable but also enjoys their job.

10/10 would...

Our food tour with Hilda from Wake Up Reykjavík was hands-down one of the best experiences of our trip to Iceland. From the moment we met her, it was clear we were in expert hands — she was warm, incredibly knowledgeable, and brought such enthusiasm and heart to the journey that we felt like we were walking the city with a good friend.

Over the course of the tour, Hilda took us on a culinary adventure that felt like a love letter to Icelandic culture. Each stop was thoughtfully chosen and offered a completely different taste of Reykjavík's food scene — from cozy classics to bold, unforgettable flavors.

Fjallkonan ("The Mountain Lady") started us off strong with a perfectly tender slow-cooked lamb shoulder on Icelandic flatbread, topped with horseradish and carrot purée that danced together on the palate. The Arctic char on a blini with yuzu mayo was delicate and refreshing — one of the best bites of fish I’ve ever had.

Messinn was a revelation. The plokkfiskur (a creamy, cheesy cod stew) was soul-warming, the buttery Arctic char with almonds and cherry tomatoes melted in our mouths, and even the rye bread and butter was a highlight. Hilda shared stories and local insight that deepened our appreciation of each dish.

Of course, no Icelandic food tour is complete without a stop at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, and Hilda made sure we did it right — loaded with all the traditional toppings, the lamb hot dog was savory, crispy, sweet, and totally addictive.

Íslenski Barinn was a deep dive into tradition: the meat soup (kjötsúpa) was hearty and comforting, and we got bold with the infamous fermented shark, washed down with a shot of Brennivín ("Black Death"). Hilda’s guidance and good humor made this wild part of the tour approachable and fun — we all felt like brave Vikings for trying it!

We finished sweetly at Café Loki, with rye bread ice cream (yes, really — and it’s delicious!) alongside a warm cup of coffee. The view of Hallgrímskirkja outside the window was the perfect setting to reflect on the incredible flavors and stories we’d just experienced.

Through it all, Hilda was the heart of the tour — weaving in culture, history, personal anecdotes, and humor in a way that made everything come alive. She struck the perfect balance of being informative without ever being scripted, and she made everyone in our group feel seen, welcomed, and connected.

If you're visiting Reykjavík and want more than just a meal — if you want a memory — book this tour. And if you’re lucky enough to get Hilda as your guide, you’re in for something...

Not to miss highlight of the trip! I had no idea Icelandic food was so unbelievable.

Don’t eat beforehand, the portions are great. You will get a very full stomach and feel very satisfied from this tour.

My mom and I took this walking tour through Reykjavík on our first day. It was an easy walk.

If you only have one day to see the city, you can actually take the Fly bus from the airport right into town. Try to book it ahead of time online.

We were in Iceland for three days and this was an excellent way to get a tasting of the city and of the food!

Also, if you are staying a little bit longer, this will help you learn where some of your favorite restaurants are.

We talked about Icelandic culture and history, and we got to see major historical buildings, including the church and the Prime Minister‘s residence!

Our guide Dagur, was excellent! He was the best kind of guide, a wealth of knowledge and so fun to talk to. Our whole group enjoyed the opportunity to ask him questions.

We stopped at multiple places and there were options to order wine or beer with the food which I think is a fun thing to do.

They actually reserve a big table for the whole group and then you get to try some of the best bites of the restaurant.

And my favorite was actually the fish stew, I need the recipe!

So, in summary, delicious food, lots of it an excellent and informative, walking tour and a great way to see the historic sites of Reykjavík.

If I come back with friends who have never been, we’re doing...