Reykjavik restaurants with non-seafood, non-lamb options

Posted by emmye (DC area) on 07/10/25 07:56 PM

My family and I visited Iceland 3 years ago and I absolutely fell in love. I recently booked a last minute trip for my mom and me for the end of August and I am beyond excited. We have traveled together quite a few times over the past decade, and while she has become somewhat more adventurous, she has sadly not developed her palate.

I would like for us to enjoy a nice dinner on our last evening. So....can anyone recommend a restaurant that checks off all of these:

1- has a few options other than seafood and lamb
2- an actual sit-down restaurant, with nicer than a pub atmosphere
3- entrees under $60 per person
4- walkable from Reykjavik city center, as we will no longer have a car
5- no Asian food (Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian etc)

Thank you so much!

Posted by mikliz97

Snohomish, WA

07/11/25 02:04 PM

3464 posts

Take a look at this place, https://www.forrettabarinn.is/en/menu/ . They have chicken, beef, duck etc. They are mostly small plates and our meal there was very good!

We like https://islenskibarinn.is/#menu but it is more of a pub style, but with a varied menu. I don't feel like I am in a pub per se, but not a fine dining place either. The food is quite good.

This place is one that is on our radar for our next trip next month. There are quite a few options besides seafood and lamb. https://www.rokrestaurant.is/dinnermenu

This is a place that we have also really enjoyed. https://www.snaps.is/en/dinner The dining room is beautiful too.

This place is inside Center Hotel Midgardur, which we have stayed at several times. We have not had dinner here, but have heard great things about it. https://www.jorgensenkitchen.com/dinner . The Center Hotel Laugavegur is about a block away and their restaurant, Loa, is very good, but at Midgardur they have more options and the dining room is nicer.

There is also Tapas Barinn, and while the food was good, it is my least favorite restaurant in Reykjavik. Only because the tables are super close together, like almost on top of each other, and the tables are so small that there is only room for 2 tapas plates and 2 drinks, barely. So if that does not bother you, then you may like this.

Posted by emmye OP

DC area

07/11/25 05:15 PM

77 posts

mikliz97- I was hoping you would weigh in since you've been to Iceland so many times!

I had heard of all of the places you mentioned, but two- Rok and Jorgensen. And those both sound great!! I fear the other places don't offer enough options for my mom. Thank you so much!

Posted by Carrie

Chicago

07/11/25 05:31 PM

3780 posts

If you want options, check out one of the food halls. We ate at the Pósthús Food Hall multiple times as it was right near our hotel.

https://posthusfoodhall.is/

It’s probably not the atmosphere that you are looking for, but the food was excellent. My sister, who used to work at a well-known Chicagoland steakhouse, said the steak sandwich she had there was the best she’s ever had. That’s saying a lot coming from her.

Posted by mikliz97

Snohomish, WA

07/11/25 11:23 PM

3464 posts

ROK is much higher end than Jorgenson.

We will be back in Iceland at the end of August as well. I can't wait! I made a few dinner reservations today and places were already really booking up. So see what looks good and get it booked asap.