Seafood in Iceland: There’s plenty more fish in the sea

All that coastline, all those fishing boats! It’s a given that you’re going to eat some fine fresh fish on your travels around Iceland.

You may have heard of farm-to-plate dining? Iceland does this style of locavore cuisine as second nature – and trust us when we say it’s equally enthusiastic about fishing-boat-to-plate (or bowl, in the form of sensational soups). The time between catching, cooking, and eating is sometimes just a matter of hours.

On your travels in Iceland, look out for fish favorites such as cod (in Icelandic, þorskur), delicious Arctic char (bleikja; it’s similar to trout) and haddock (ýsa).

Fish and chips is a classic dish found on many menus, and fiskibollur (fish balls) are another comfort-food staple. One of the best local dishes to try is plokkfiskur (also called plokkari), a creamy fish stew made from mixing mashed fish with béchamel sauce and potatoes. It’s traditionally served with a slice of sweet rye bread on the side.

If you’re looking for a traditional snack, you can be brave and opt for the infamous hákarl (fermented shark), but harðfiskur (dried fish) is a milder introduction to the quirks of Icelandic fish snacks. Harðfiskur can be roughly described as ‘fish jerky’ – a chewy snack (usually from cod or haddock) that’s typically eaten plain or generously spread with butter. It’s high in protein and was historically an essential food for survival during long Icelandic winters. Nowadays it’s a popular snack for hikers thanks to its tasty, long-lasting qualities.

For some great places around the country where you can try fresh, delicious fish and assorted sea critters, here’s a handy guide.

Langoustine

You may see lobster soup and other ‘Icelandic lobster’ (humar) dishes on menus around the country. This is actually langoustine, the smaller cousin of the lobster, fished in local waters. Höfn in the southeast of Iceland is the unofficial langoustine capital, and the town celebrates the crustacean with an annual festival each summer. Every menu in town features langoustine in some form or another, from pizza topping to sandwich filling, but the classic dish of langoustine tails with butter and garlic can’t be beat. Try it in elegant restaurants like Pakkhús and Otto, or in sandwich form at the fun local diner, Hafnarbúðin.

Other great langoustine haunts include Fjöruborðið, a cozy, unpretentious waterside restaurant in south-coast Stokkseyri (about a one-hour drive from downtown Reykjavík), where the langoustine soup comes with extra magic and a great menu description.

In Reykjavík, Sægreifinn (also known as the Sea Baron) by the harbor is justifiably renowned for its rich, creamy soup.

Fish pans

Many restaurants have cottoned on to the fact that fresh fish cooked simply and well, without too many bells and whistles, makes diners happy. To that end, they simply pan-fry fish in cast-iron pans that are then brought to the table, together with potatoes and a salad to enjoy. A cod fillet may be simply grilled in butter, or Arctic char with perfect flavoring such as honey, almonds, and cherry tomatoes.

Fish served in this manner is found in quality restaurants around the country, including the rustic Messinn in Reykjavík. A newer place to discover is the Bait Shack (or Beituskúrinn), which brings a touch of New England to Neskaupstaður in East Iceland. Vestmannaeyjar (aka the Westman Islands) is, naturally, an excellent place to sample freshly caught fare, and Gott is an always-reliable choice. In the Westfjords, the ultimate fishy destination is Tjöruhúsið in Ísafjörður, where a cozy wooden building from 1782 houses a family-run restaurant that lays on a buffet of fish pans – all the better for tasting a variety of creations, from a signature wolffish dish with cream cheese, capers, mushrooms, and grapes, to delicious cod cheeks in butter and garlic.

Sushi

Access to all that fresh fish makes for some fine sushi (fun fact: Iceland grows fresh wasabi), and one of the best places in the country to sample local seafood with a modern Japanese twist is in the East, in the charming town of Seyðisfjörður. At Norð Austur, open in summer, the fish lands straight off the boat and into the hands of an internationally trained sushi chef. The aesthetics (of both the dishes and the restaurant) are first-class, and the sake, botanical cocktails, and Japanese beers belie the far-flung locale.

In the capital, a few high-class places fight for your attention with super sushi, including Fiskmarkaðurinn (also known as the Fish Market) and Fiskfélagið (Fish Company), where tasting menus take the pain out of choosing and options run beyond sushi to cover impeccable local fish, meat, and other flavors. Sushi Social is also a fun option, a fusion of Japan meets South America (sounds odd, but it works!).

Mussels and scallops

Locally harvested blue-shell mussels and scallops draw diners to charming Stykkishólmur, on the Snæfellsnes peninsula in West Iceland. Here, the restaurants Narfeyrarstofa and Sjávarpakkhúsið both take the provenance of their food seriously, with menus bursting with local specialties and fresh-from-the-bay goodness.

Here’s where to get your fill.

Reykjavík Trawl the capital for piscatorial riches.

Stykkishólmur Mussels, scallops, and other treats from (and on) Breiðafjörður.

Suðureyri Explore fishing-village life in this scenic Westfjords outpost.

Ísafjörður Sample a bountiful fish buffet.

Hauganes Scenery aplenty, plus whale watching and sea fishing.

Akureyri Fresh fishy business in the town’s restaurants.

Húsavík Spend the day on the water, whale watching, then tuck into fresh seafood.

Seyðisfjörður Quite the surprise: one of the country’s best sushi options.

Neskaupstaður As far east as you can get, with rustic flavor on a view-filled deck.

Eskifjörður Step into yesteryear in an old ‘sea house’ that’s now a restaurant.

Höfn All the langoustine your heart desires.

Stokkseyri Magical soup and classic crustacean fare.

Sure, a restaurant meal of fresh fish is a delight, but nothing beats fishing for your own dinner. Sea-angling trips are available in a few towns around Iceland, including Reykjavík, where a handful of tour companies will take you out to sea with the required gear and will barbecue your catch on board. In Hauganes and Húsavík in North Iceland, you can combine whale-watching with a little sea-fishing.

Landlubbers and fans of slow travel might prefer the ‘Seafood Trail’, a guided gourmet walking tour around Suðureyri, a remote and beautifully sited fishing village in the Westfjords. The company running the tours is simply called Fisherman – they have a hotel and restaurant in Suðureyri.

Fishermen’s Day (in Icelandic, Sjómannadagurinn) is usually celebrated on the first Sunday in June each year, with family-friendly celebrations taking place around the country. If you’re anywhere close to an Icelandic town with a fishing harbor on this day, look out for some form of celebration.

Maritime museums are dotted around Iceland, showcasing the country’s strong ties to the sea. In East Iceland, stop by Randulffssjóhús in Eskifjörður to see amazing preserved artifacts in a ‘sea house’ from 1890 that now functions as a restaurant.

Other evocative pit stops as you travel around Iceland include the award-winning Herring Era Museum, which examines the herring boom in Siglufjörður in North Iceland, and the super-scenic Ósvör Maritime Museum at Bolungarvík in the Westfjords. 

Did you know that diners in Boston and New York can eat delicious fish that was swimming in Icelandic waters only 36 hours earlier?

The Points Guy came to Iceland to investigate the fresh fishy journey, from fishing boat to Icelandair aircraft to restaurant kitchen. Follow that fish!