3 VEGETARIAN PLACES TO VISIT IN ICELAND

Vegetarian and heading to Iceland soon? One of my worries when I was going to Iceland was being able to find places to eat. You have nothing to worry about, there are plenty of places that cater for vegetarians. Nearly all menus will have a vegetarian option and there are some restaurants that just cater for vegetarian and vegan food.

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1) Cafe Loki

Sat opposite the famous Hallgrimskirkja, this restaurant is probably the first place to eat food that you can spot from the square. A 2 story restaurant, Cafe Loki offers traditional Icelandic food.

 The menu had 2 options, Loki’s vegetarian plate or the bagel with cheese & marmalade. I was worried about the price but thought I would try the vegetarian plate – for 2600KR (GBP 16.54), it was a tad expensive BUT totally worth it.  My plate came out and it was massive. It had all been freshly cooked and a big thing for me – separated, it hadn’t been mixed together yet. An interesting combination of food, I wouldn’t have put them together if I made it myself but on this plate, I was really happy with all the tastes. My favourite – the rye bread!

Vegetarian plate on the top – ham and cheese bagel on the bottom.

2) Röstin

We came by this restaurant by chance, it was pouring down with rain and we felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. It was the off season Garðskagi Point and so everything was shut. After googling for somewhere to eat, we didn’t come up with much but we could see the flashing open sign on the side of this building. Tucked at the top of the Heritage and Maritime Museum of Garðskagi, we walked into the very quiet Röstin restaurant. I can imagine during the summer this place is a haven for looking out over the sea, but unfortunately due to bad weather, we couldn’t see anything.

As I read the menu, I was a little bit worried as there wasn’t actually anything vegetarian, but the waiter said they could put something together for me as a mix of their dishes on the menu. There was only 1 girl in the kitchen but all of our meals came out so quickly and were presented very well. I tucked into my noodle salad, mixed with greens, pomegranates, apple and potato pieces which disappeared very quickly. The rest of my group really enjoyed their meals of burgers, fish and chips & lamb chops. 

Although there isn’t a particular vegetarian dish on this menu, I would definitely recommend visiting the area & restaurant for the fact that in nice weather, I’m sure it is beautiful. They were welcoming and adapted a meal for me to eat & you could look at the museum or lighthouse whilst you are there.

Vegetarian noodle dish

3) Efstidalur

Although not directly a meal, a good place to get ice cream – though some may not entirely agree with my inclusion of this farm on the list as it is using dairy products from their farm; the cows and livestock did look healthy and were getting fed when we arrived. Known for it’s milk production, Efstidalur is a family run farm that has been established since 1750. 

A selection of ice creams in the cafe and a restaurant on the second floor (which I’m sure they would cater for veggies), we stayed here for an hour or so, trying out their ice cream flavours. Greeted by one of their farm dogs, she sat and stayed with us as we relaxed on the picnic bench outside eating our ice cream, personally I had salted caramel, which tasted great, but there was plenty of others to choose from. 

Located in the golden circle, not far from the geysirs, if you fancy some ice cream, give this place a visit.

The farm dog who posed so perfectly for our photo

4) Bonus

Here’s an extra one for those staying in an airbnb/catering for themselves. I was pleasantly surprised when we went shopping when I found a whole section for vegetarians & vegans. I did find quit a lot of the foods I usually eat at home in the section but it meant that I knew I was guaranteed some sustenance. Bonus is probably the best supermarket and the cheapest, that’s where we did most of our shopping. You’ll be able to find burgers, sweet potato, quinoa and many more.

These are just a few suggestions that we were able to experience during our time in Iceland. There are plenty of shops, resturants and cafes that you can have vegetarian food. There is no need to worry when travelling that you will not find something as there are so many options. 

Shopping for vegetarian/vegan items in Iceland?

Let me know where you favourite place to get vegetarian food is, pop me a message, save and pin for later.