Gróðurhúsið - Mathöllin í Hveragerði

The Greenhouse - the Food Hall in Hveragerði

Hveragerði is a small town in the western part of the region Árnessýsla. This is where you arrive when coming from the capital Reykjavík via the mountain pass road Hellisheiði is driving east on the ring road.

The area is known for hot springs and high-temperature areas. 

In the description of the region, which the administrative officer and farmer Hálfdan Jónsson(1659 - 1707) had written for the scholar and manuscript collector Árni Magnússon (1663 - 1730) in the year 1703, there are indications that the hot springs were already used back then for bathing, cooking, and washing clothes.

As early as 1912, a wool factory was founded here on the river below the small waterfall, the foundations of which can still be seen today when visiting the park of Hveragerði (demolition of the factory 1915). Later, the Mjólkurbú Ölfusinga, the dairy of the people from Ölfus, was founded (bankruptcy 1938). Around the year 1930 a first one then emerged here small place. After 10 years, around 140 people were already living here. Since 1987 is Hveragerði a town (bær), at that time with about 1,500 inhabitants. Today live here just under 3,400 inhabitants. 

The place is also known for its greenhouses, which are being heated with geothermal energy. Here, fruit and vegetables, including bananas, and flowers are cultivated. The city is therefore also called "the Flower Town" ("blómabærinn") and every year in August are held here the blómstrandi dagar, the 'blooming days' - a folk and family festival.

Fitting for the flower and greenhouse city is the Hveragerði's food hall designed as "gróðurhús", i.e. as a greenhouse. From the outside, the building does not necessarily make much of an impression, ...

Back of the building in April 2026
(in heavy snowfall)

.. but that interior design of the house is the Icelandic stage designer and interior architect Hálfdan Pedersen designed. It has really become very beautiful, elegant, and very cozy!

In the December 2021 the greenhouse was opened. 

The building is used for several purposes - on the upper floors there is a hotel, the reception is located downstairs in the hall. In addition, there is still in this half of the building shops, a café and a ice cream parlor (which, however, was closed when we were there in the snowstorm in April). In the other half of the building downstairs, you can find the food hall, the bar and the lounge area. The concept is intended to appeal to both Icelanders and foreign tourists.

We were in the April 2026 here - actually we wanted to take a walk in town, but it was snowing so heavily that we took refuge in the Gróðurhús. I really wanted to check out the food hall anyway!

We first walked here in the direction of the hotel reception, the café, and the shops.

In the "Farmers Market" of "Me & Mu" gourmet products are offered under the motto "beint úr héraði" (= "directly from the region"), which come from farmers and top chefs from Iceland and abroad are offered, especially from smaller producers and companies. Here you can also find skincare products, soaps, napkins, etc.

I found the smoked herring in oil very charming and very nicely packaged, but 2,290 ISK (just under €16) seemed relatively expensive for 120 g - especially since I personally don't really like smoked herring!

I fell in love to the different types of licorice balls immediately; there were either blueberries with white chocolate or salt caramel. Unfortunately, they were also twice as expensive as the balls from 'Lakrids by Bülow' at around 30 € per can, so I reluctantly refrained from buying any – after all, I still have delicious licorice chocolate balls at home.

In the foreground, you can see the clothing of the Icelandic outdoor outfitter 66°North, in the background a selection of menswear retailer Kormákur & Skjöldur. 

This here is the area of epal, a well-known Icelandic design business (founded in 1975). Here, products by Icelandic designers and from the other Nordic countries are particularly offered.

I was personally especially pleased about these cups here.

I fell in love with the cups since the first time I saw them in the shop window of Gallery from Inga Elín seen on Skólavörðustígur. Unfortunately, my husband (yes, I know, he is not entirely wrong!) thought I already had enough cups in the cupboard. But my heart was simply attached to these beautiful cups..!

In January 2024, after I had received the first invoice for my author's pay for the special edition of a journal about Iceland ("Zauber des Nordens", I finally fulfilled my dream and bought one of those beautiful mugs with a part of the fee for about 40 €. Ah - lovely!

Photo from 2024

After the epal shop, we then came from stores to the food hall area on the other side of the building.

Here there is various gastronomic offerings, from wok dishes to burgers, fish & chips, steak or fish soup, to nachos and tacos and small dishes like fries or fried vegetables. The restaurants are currently  (April 2026) usually open from 11:30 am to 9 pm.

The guests sit here comfortably at small tables or long benches, eat, drink, talk, and enjoy life.

For example in Taco Vagninn fresh tacos and nachos are offered with a Mexican flair. Here, among other things, for around 8 € you can get homemade nachos chops with special mayonnaise, spring onions, cilantro, chili, and nuts; the tacos cost (depending on portion size) between about 15 € and 27 €; the portion of fries with mayo, spring onions, cilantro, chili, nuts, bacon, and Parmesan is just under 14 €. Everything really looks very delicious - and the food truck is definitely designed really cool!

In "Hipstur" fresh dishes with fish, meat, and vegetables are at the forefront - both dishes that are permanently on the menu and changing seasonal dishes. For example, the "Fish of the Month" currently costs around €29, a portion of fish & chips costs around €27, the rib steak with fries is just over €45, and the fish soup costs around €19 as a starter or around €22 as a main course.

In the "YUZU", there are juicy burgers with sauce and fries for prices between €21 and €24, as well as small dishes like nuggets, fried chicken pieces, fries, sweet potato fries, or a bowl of kimchi for around €7 to €14.

Recently, there is also the "WokWok", here you can get wok bowls with meat and fish for around €23, as well as wok dishes for around €25 and vegetable dishes for around €13.

Of course, for the guests of the food hall, tap water is also available for free to drink, as is customary in Icelandic restaurants.

This here is then the lounge area behind the bar. It looks really cozy, with the soft old sofas, the armchairs, the low tables, and the many sofa cushions!

Definitely a really cozy place - not just when it's storming and snowing outside again!

Translated from here.