Reykjavík Food Walk

Report from fall 2021

I had already taken part in a ^"Reykjavík Food Walk" in the summer of 2016, but I was alone in the city and had just returned from a women's trip through the Westfjords. Now, after just 5 years, I finally managed to take part in a food walk in Reykjavík with my husband again - and I can say it was worth it again! Both culinary and the “entertainment factor”.

For us, the tour in October 2021 cost 13,900 ISK, the equivalent of a good €90. Today the price is currently 15,500 ISK, which is the equivalent of around €110 per adult. But considering how much and how different you get to eat (and how expensive food is in Iceland), I think the price is quite reasonable for what you have on offer.

The starting point of the tour was Harpa, meeting point at the entrance area. We had parked near Hallgrímskirkja. We had a slightly longer journey from our house and of course wanted to get there on time - so we allowed plenty of time for the journey and then strolled through the city a bit before the tour. Wasn't the weather really just wonderful that day?!?

The meeting point was at the Harpa concert hall. By the way, the block of ice lying here was probably art.

I think there were 13 of us in total on the tour - mostly travelers from the US, but also English, French and other nationalities. We were led by an Icelander. The tour was in English. After a short round of introductions by all participants, things started.

Appetizers that whet your appetite for more

At our first stop, a restaurant in Hafnarstræti on Ingólfstorg, we were served two very tasty appetizers:

There was " Bleykja og Lummur ", i.e. lightly fermented lake char on a blini (lummur) made from chickpea flour with crispy lentils and an elderflower dressing. Sounds a bit unusual, but it was really very tasty!

There was also " Lamb og hveitikökur ", i.e. very slowly cooked soft lamb from Westfjord-style flatbread, with carrot puree, pickled red onions and horseradish sauce. A little less unusual than the char, more familiar in taste and definitely very nice - but the char was my personal highlight.

The most famous hot dog stand in Iceland...?

The best hot dogs in the world..? So the best hot dogs in the city , i.e. Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur , can be found in Reykjavík in Tryggvagata near the harbor, opposite the old customs house Kolaportið.

The hot dog stand here has existed since 1937 and former US President Bill Clinton as well as the guitarist from Metallica and Kim Kardashian have eaten sausages here.

The Icelandic hot dog sausages from SS Pylsur consist of around 65% meat (a mixture of lamb, pork and beef), plus other ingredients such as water, skimmed milk powder and potato flour. At 17%, the sausages have less fat than most hot dog sausages, but they have a relatively high protein content at 13% protein.

One of my favorite things! - One with everything!

If you order "eina með öllu" here, you get your hot dog "with everything". Specifically, this means: With Icelandic ketchup, Icelandic (slightly sweet) mustard, remoulade sauce and raw and fried onions.

It's not just the customers who like it, but also the many little birds who are always so busy looking for crumbs!

Once again char, but completely different -

and traditional Plokkfiskur with Rúgbrauð and butter

And we continued to a restaurant on Lækjargata. There were two dishes to try again, both of which were placed on the table in large pans and you could then help yourself to whatever you wanted.

There was lake char again, but this time prepared completely differently, namely fried in honey and butter with cherry tomatoes, lemon and almonds. And there was - we are in Iceland after all! - the national dish “ Plokkfiskur ”, i.e. boiled cod with mashed potatoes in white sauce. This typical, slightly sweet Icelandic rye bread ( rúgbrauð ) with butter was also served, also in a very classic way.

The food here was definitely very tasty - and it was a very special atmosphere, sitting so closely together at a large table, chatting happily and helping oneself from the large pans.

Next stop - an Icelandic bar with traditional dishes to try

When you think of Icelandic cuisine, you think of regional specialties such as fermented ice shark ( Hákarl ) or dried fish ( harðfiskur ), but also classic Icelandic meat soup ( íslensk kjötsúpa ). And that's exactly what we got to try at our next stop in a bar on Ingólfsstræti.

The ice shark has no kidneys and therefore accumulates urea in the blood. Hákarl is therefore not suitable for consumption by humans. The meat must first be buried for 6 to 12 weeks and then hung out to dry in the open air for 2 to 4 weeks so that the ammonia can be released and evaporate.

Hákarl has a consistency similar to bacon, tastes very hard to get used to and actually smells phenomenal. For many people, trying Hákarl is probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

By the way, here in the bar the Hákarl was served in a sealable glass - there could be good reasons for this.

The harðfiskur (dry fish) used to be one of the most common foods in Iceland - the fish (usually haddock or cod) were caught, killed and scrubbed vigorously, then the heads were removed, the fish filleted, the fillets briefly dipped in brine and then put on wooden racks hung to air dry. Finally, the dried fillets are thoroughly "beaten" and then traditionally eaten with butter. In many cases, the dried fish you get is a bit tough and difficult to eat for inexperienced eaters, and is also relatively "dusty".

The dried fish has a protein value of 80 - 85% and is very light, which is why it was also ideal as food on long hikes. Even today, many Icelanders eat their harðfiskur like people elsewhere eat chips or popcorn.

Traditional Icelandic meat soup ( kjötsúpa ) is a hearty soup made from lamb and vegetables, usually with potatoes, carrots, turnips and cabbage, often thickened a little with barley like the soup.

There was also a craft beer to try in the bar, namely white ale from the Einstök brewery (= unique ) in Akureyri. Cheers - skal!

Sweets at the end

At the end of our tour, we were served something sweet in a café on Hallgrímskirkja - there was classic Icelandic Kleinur, here with powdered sugar, and the legendary rye bread ice cream, with cream and rhubarb syrup.

A very cozy end to a very nice afternoon in the “most northern capital in the world”!

It was also fun to talk to the other participants in the restaurants. Every time we sat in a mixed bag, always with other neighbors who always came from completely different parts of the world and were able to contribute their very own experiences. We really enjoyed it, especially after 1.5 years of Corona without much socializing!

Afterwards we drove home very full and satisfied - although we made a quick photo stop at the illuminated greenhouses in Hveragerði. They glowed so beautifully through the night as we drove past.

Good night!

[Translated from here.]