Vegetarian And Vegan Food In Reykjavik
Reykjavik's plant-based restaurant scene is stronger than the traditional lamb-and-fish menu suggests. Where to eat well, and what to expect.
Reykjavik has a real, dedicated plant-based restaurant scene, not just a token menu item at meat-focused restaurants. Chickpea and Spes Kitchen lead the fully vegetarian and vegan options, skyr suits vegetarians but contains dairy, while vegans should check rye-bread ingredients, and even Moss, one of Iceland's three Michelin-starred kitchens, runs a strong vegan tasting menu. For a guided outing, choose a dedicated vegetarian and vegan route and confirm your exact dietary needs before booking.
Use the restaurant advice below to plan independent meals. A dedicated plant-based walk adds tastings and local context. Explore The Guided Option
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.Is Reykjavik Actually Good For Vegetarians And Vegans?
It surprises most visitors who arrive expecting a food culture built entirely around lamb and fish. That culture is real and it dominates the traditional menu, but alongside it Reykjavik has built a genuine plant-based restaurant scene over the last decade, with several kitchens serving vegetarian and vegan food as their entire concept rather than a side accommodation. The gap between reputation and reality here is wide enough that it is worth its own guide rather than a single paragraph inside a general eating guide.
Which Restaurants Are Fully Vegetarian Or Vegan?
Chickpea, a family-run restaurant, is the most straightforward starting point: every dish is vegetarian and can be made vegan on request, and the falafel, served as wraps, pitas, and bowls, is what people order it for. It runs as an easy, casual lunch rather than a sit-down dinner, which makes it simple to fit between sights.
Spes Kitchen runs a more ambitious, seasonal plant-forward menu built around Icelandic vegetables and foraged greens, closer to a proper dinner destination than a quick lunch stop. For something with more range, Reykjavik also has dedicated spots serving plant-based comfort food and internationally inspired plant-based cooking, which between them cover most of what a vegetarian or vegan traveller would want across a week in the city, from a fast lunch to a considered evening meal.
Which Traditional Icelandic Foods Are Already Plant-Based?
Skyr, the thick cultured dairy Icelanders have eaten since the Viking Age, sits in an odd category since it is dairy rather than vegan, but it is naturally vegetarian and central to the traditional diet rather than an add-on. Rúgbrauð is a dense dark rye bread traditionally baked with geothermal heat. Recipes and accompaniments vary, so check for dairy, honey and other animal-derived ingredients if you are vegan. Iceland's geothermal energy also powers a real greenhouse industry, growing tomatoes and other vegetables at a scale unusual for a country this far north, which means fresh, locally grown vegetables are more available here than the climate would suggest.
Can Mainstream And Fine-Dining Restaurants Accommodate You?
Generally yes, and at the very top of the market this is no longer a token gesture. Moss, one of Iceland's three Michelin-starred restaurants, earned its star in 2023 and runs a genuinely strong vegan tasting menu alongside its standard offering, not a stripped-down substitute. At the mid-range level, most Reykjavik restaurants, including the traditional ones covered in our what to eat in Reykjavik guide, will accommodate a vegetarian request with reasonable notice, since greenhouse vegetables and skyr already give a kitchen something to build from.
How Do You Eat Plant-Based On A Guided Food Tour?
Vegetarian and vegan requirements are different. Skyr contains dairy, and traditional tasting menus often include fish and meat. A dedicated vegetarian and vegan food walk offers the clearest starting point; for a general food tour, ask the operator to confirm each relevant substitution before booking. The one thing worth doing is telling the operator in advance rather than mentioning it at the first stop, since some of the smaller tasting counters need a little notice to prepare a plant-based portion alongside everyone else's.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it hard to eat vegetarian or vegan in Reykjavik?
No, and it surprises most people who expect a purely lamb-and-fish menu culture. Reykjavik has a genuine plant-based restaurant scene with several fully vegetarian or vegan kitchens, and nearly every mainstream restaurant, including the Michelin-starred ones, carries at least one plant-based option.
What is Chickpea and is it fully vegan?
Chickpea is a family-run vegetarian restaurant with every dish available vegan on request. It is best known for its falafel, served as wraps, pitas, and bowls, and it runs as an easy, casual lunch stop rather than a formal sit-down meal.
Which traditional Icelandic foods are naturally vegetarian?
Skyr is dairy and vegetarian, not vegan. Greenhouse-grown vegetables suit a plant-based diet; check the ingredients and toppings of rúgbrauð, the traditional rye bread. Iceland's geothermal energy also powers a genuine greenhouse tomato and vegetable industry, which is unusual for a country this far north.
Can a guided food tour accommodate vegetarian or vegan diets?
Some tours offer vegetarian substitutions, while the dedicated vegetarian and vegan walk focuses on plant-based eateries. Confirm whether your whole menu can be vegan, and discuss allergies separately before booking; a vegetarian option does not automatically establish vegan suitability.
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
Private Vegetarian Food Walk
Explore vegetarian and vegan restaurants with tastings and a private guide. Check your travel date before arranging the rest of your meals.
English option, approximately 2.5 km. Meet outside Hlöllabátar at Ingólfstorg. Confirm your exact dietary needs. Hotel transfers and extra orders excluded.
A Plant-Based Restaurant Walk Or Vegetarian Home Cooking?
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