Reykjavik Food Halls And Markets Guide
Hlemmur Mathöll, Grandi Mathöll, and Kolaportið compared: what each one is for, what to order, hours, and how they differ from a sit-down restaurant.
Reykjavik has two proper food halls, Hlemmur Mathöll in a former bus terminal on Laugavegur and Grandi Mathöll in a converted fish-baiting shed at the old harbour, plus Kolaportið, a weekend flea market with a genuinely good food section hidden in its back half. All three let you eat across several independent vendors for less than a sit-down restaurant, trading some service and setting for price and variety.
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Affiliate links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Restaurant prices in the original guide are dated estimates; confirm current menus.Quick Facts: Reykjavik Food Halls
| Venue | Location | Hours |
| Hlemmur Mathöll | Laugavegur 107 | 08:00 (09:00 weekends) to midnight Fri-Sat, 23:00 other nights |
| Grandi Mathöll | Grandagarður 16, Old Harbour | Mon-Thu 11:00-21:00, Fri-Sun 11:00-22:00 |
| Kolaportið | Tryggvagata, near the harbour | Weekends only |
What Is Hlemmur Mathöll?
Hlemmur Mathöll occupies a repurposed bus terminal at Laugavegur 107 and was the first food hall of its kind in the city. The vendor lineup shifts over time, but a typical visit turns up artisanal sourdough pizza, hearty Icelandic lamb dishes, and Vietnamese street food sitting a few counters apart under one roof, along with Nordic and Mexican options depending on the week. Its location right on Laugavegur makes it the easiest food hall to fold into a normal day of sightseeing, and it stays open later than most restaurants, until midnight on Friday and Saturday.
What Is Grandi Mathöll?
Grandi Mathöll sits inside a refurbished fish-baiting shed at Grandagarður 16, out by the old harbour, and the building itself carries some of that maritime, working-industry character into the dining experience. Expect charcoal-grilled dishes and wine at one counter, French-Asian fusion at another, colourful poke bowls further along, and Italian plates at a fourth, a genuinely wider spread of cuisines than the name "fish shed" suggests. It is a slightly longer walk from the centre than Hlemmur, which makes it a better fit for an afternoon that already includes the harbour, the whale museum, or Sægreifinn nearby, rather than a fast lunch on the way somewhere else.
What Is Kolaportið And Is It Worth Visiting For Food?
Kolaportið, open weekends near the harbour, looks from the entrance like a straightforward flea market: secondhand clothes, books, and household goods on folding tables. Push further back and it holds one of the more reliable sections in the city for traditional Icelandic food products, bought the way a local household actually buys them rather than plated for a restaurant menu. Harðfiskur, the dried fish Icelanders snack on the way other people eat crisps, is sold here in bulk, along with rúgbrauð and other staples. It is not a sit-down meal, it is closer to grocery shopping with a stronger cultural education attached, and it rewards the extra few minutes of walking past the front tables that most visitors never bother with.
Which Food Hall Should You Choose?
If the question is a quick, varied lunch between two sights, Hlemmur Mathöll wins on location and hours alone. If the plan already includes the old harbour, whether for the whale museum, Sægreifinn's langoustine soup, or just the working-boat atmosphere, Grandi Mathöll fits naturally into that afternoon rather than requiring a separate trip. Kolaportið is the odd one out: it is not a meal replacement so much as a genuinely useful stop if you want to understand what Icelanders actually eat at home, and it only runs on weekends, so it needs to be planned around rather than dropped in as an afterthought.
None of the three replace a proper sit-down dinner, and if that is what you are after instead, the best seafood restaurants in Reykjavik guide and the where locals eat guide both cover that ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Hlemmur Mathöll and Grandi Mathöll?
Hlemmur Mathöll, in a former bus terminal on Laugavegur, is more central and stays open later, until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Grandi Mathöll, in a converted fish-baiting shed at the old harbour, is a slightly longer walk but sits inside Reykjavik's most interesting working-harbour neighbourhood. Both mix several independent vendors under one roof.
Is Kolaportið a food market or a flea market?
Both. Kolaportið is primarily a weekend flea market for secondhand goods and clothing, but its back section holds one of the city's better traditional Icelandic food counters, selling harðfiskur, rúgbrauð, and other staples the way a local household would buy them. Most visitors never get past the front tables.
Are food halls cheaper than restaurants in Reykjavik?
Generally yes. A meal at Hlemmur Mathöll or Grandi Mathöll typically runs lower than a comparable downtown restaurant dinner, since each vendor operates a small counter with lower overhead than a full sit-down kitchen. You are trading some of the service and setting for the price and the variety.
Which food hall is better for a quick lunch between sights?
Hlemmur Mathöll, because it sits directly on Laugavegur and is walkable from most central attractions in a few minutes, whereas Grandi Mathöll is worth building into a harbour-focused afternoon rather than a quick detour.
Icelandic tour guide since 2014 · Founder, Reykjavik Food Tours
Sigurd has guided over 8,700 travelers through Reykjavik’s food scene since founding the agency.
Make Room For One Food Experience
Traditional Icelandic Food Walk
Taste old-harbour shellfish soup and traditional Icelandic food with a local guide. Check your travel date before arranging the rest of your meals.
Meet outside Hlöllabátar at Ingólfstorg; finishes at the same square. Hotel transfers and tips excluded. Dietary requests need operator confirmation. Daytime weekend routes can include the flea-market food section when open; Hlemmur and Grandi food halls are not listed stops.
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Check Dates On ViatorIndependent Food Halls, A Weekend Market Or Home Cooking?
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