Where to Eat in Reykjavík and Fuel a South Coast Road Trip

By PerkJolt Travel Desk

Reykjavík is where you can browse Icelandic dishes, cafés and a wide range of restaurants on foot. The South Coast is a different kind of food plan: you are moving between towns and outdoor stops, so a dependable breakfast, water and a packed snack can matter as much as the restaurant you choose at the end of the day. Give the city its own meals and build the road day around the route, the season and the places that are actually open.

Start with Icelandic flavors in the capital

Traditional menus offer several ways into Icelandic food without requiring an adventurous tasting menu. Plokkfiskur is a comforting fish-and-potato preparation often served with dark rye bread; kjötsúpa is a lamb soup; and skyr makes an easy breakfast or snack. These are useful dishes to look for, not guarantees that every restaurant serves them every day. Recipes vary and dietary needs deserve a direct conversation with the kitchen. Visit Reykjavík’s traditional-dishes overview gives a broader introduction to local foods, including hangikjöt, harðfiskur and seasonal Þorramatur.

Kaffi Loki is a central option when you want a traditional Icelandic-style meal during a day around Hallgrímskirkja. The restaurant describes its cooking as home-style Icelandic food and lists its location across the street from the church at Lokastígur 28. Its own page features dishes using rye bread and mashed fish, as well as rye-bread ice cream. Look at the current menu and ask about ingredients before choosing, especially for allergies. This location makes sense as part of a city walk; it is not a reason to cross town if your day is elsewhere.

For a more planned evening, Matur og Drykkur describes a seasonal dinner experience inspired by Icelandic food traditions and locally sourced ingredients. It is at Mýrargata 31 in the Old Harbour area. The restaurant posts its own current service information and booking link. Its page says it cannot offer vegan, gluten-free or lactose-free menus and asks guests with allergies to contact it in advance, so it may not suit every traveler. Check the live menu and discuss dietary requirements directly before reserving; do not assume a tasting menu can be altered.

The best known Icelandic meal is not always the most practical one for every schedule. A sit-down dinner is a poor fit after a late flight, while a restaurant reservation can anchor a relaxed city evening. Reykjavík’s downtown is compact enough that you can choose a meal around your walk instead of planning a food crawl that zigzags across town. If a named dish is important, confirm it is available on your date.

Keep South Coast meals flexible

Once the plan turns to waterfalls, coast and rural stretches, do not expect Reykjavík’s restaurant density to follow you. Start with breakfast before departure, carry water and a snack that travels well, and make the main meal stop in a town that fits your actual route. Selfoss, Hvolsvöllur and Vík have food and grocery listings, but individual opening arrangements can change. The Visit South Iceland South Coast overview helps orient the route and its communities; it is not a promise that a particular café will be open when you arrive.

In Vík, the local visitor organization keeps a current restaurant directory. One named possibility is Black Crust Pizzeria, whose own menu page shows its Vík location and current food and allergen information. Check the operator’s page close to your visit rather than treating an online menu or hours as fixed. A restaurant listing is a useful backup, not a reason to skip carrying something simple for the road. If your group needs a particular allergy accommodation, contact the venue before driving there.

For self-catering or a picnic, the Krónan store locator currently lists branches including Selfoss, Hvolsvöllur and Vík, alongside Reykjavík locations. Use the locator to see current branch details and verify the day’s opening information directly before relying on a stop. Shop for portable basics in Reykjavík or a larger town when convenient, then supplement along the way; avoid turning a grocery detour into a fixed itinerary promise. Carry food in a way that keeps it secure and respect any accommodation rules about cooking or storage.

Weather, daylight, road conditions and the pace of outdoor stops can all change meal timing. Check SafeTravel Iceland and the official road and traffic information before setting out, and shorten the route if conditions call for it. Food plans should support a safe day, not push you to keep driving toward a dinner booking after you are tired or delayed.

A one-day food plan: stay in Reykjavík

Give a single day to the capital rather than trying to sample Reykjavík and tour the South Coast between meals. Start with a light breakfast or coffee near your first city stop. If Icelandic dairy appeals, look for skyr on the menu or choose it from a shop; confirm ingredients if you have restrictions. For lunch, place Kaffi Loki into a central walking day if its current menu and service suit your needs. Its traditional dishes and rye-bread items offer a clear introduction without requiring a long excursion from the city center. Keep the afternoon meal modest and flexible. For dinner, book Matur og Drykkur only if its current seasonal format fits your group and dietary requirements; otherwise pick a venue from the official Reykjavík dining listings that matches your preferences. Reserve directly, and do not plan your arrival meal around a venue that may close before your flight reaches town.

Two days: one city day, one road day

On the first day, explore Reykjavík and choose one substantial local meal. On the second, treat the South Coast as a dedicated outing. Eat before departure, bring water and snacks, and decide in advance whether lunch should be a packed picnic or a stop in a town along the route. If you are driving, leave room for a meal break rather than stacking viewpoints until the day becomes rushed. If you are on a guided tour, ask the operator what stops are planned and whether there is time to buy food; bring something in case the group’s schedule differs from your preferred meal times. Vík can work as a meal stop on a farther-reaching itinerary if it is open and fits the return plan, but don’t assume you can reach it comfortably on every day trip from Reykjavík.

Three days: separate the city from the coast

With three days, give one full day to Reykjavík’s food scene, one to the western part of the South Coast, and another to a more deliberate route that may include an overnight away from the capital. A practical sequence is a city dinner on the first evening, a stocked breakfast and road snacks on the first coast day, then a meal in Selfoss or Hvolsvöllur if it aligns with your route. If you continue farther east, plan dinner around your overnight base in or near Vík and confirm the venue’s current service before you depart. On the final day, use a real breakfast and a grocery stop where convenient rather than assuming a late return will leave time for an elaborate city dinner. This approach leaves room to adjust for weather, seasonal daylight and the pace of outdoor stops.

Dietary needs, reservations and road-day basics

Traditional dishes can include fish, dairy, meat or allergens, and restaurant recipes may differ from broad descriptions. Ask the venue about ingredients and cross-contact; an online menu is a starting point, not a personal dietary guarantee. At Matur og Drykkur, the operator expressly says it cannot offer vegan, gluten-free or lactose-free menus. At Black Crust, consult the posted menu and speak with staff about allergies. For any fixed dinner plan, book directly and reconfirm close to the visit. On the coast, have a backup snack and water so a delayed stop does not become a safety problem.

For a broad first-visit overview of neighborhoods, arrival and the city/coast split, see the Reykjavík and South Coast first-visit guide. Menus, availability and opening details change; use the linked operators and current travel services before setting out.

Official sources

• Visit Reykjavík: traditional Icelandic dishes
• Kaffi Loki official site
• Kaffi Loki menu
• Matur og Drykkur official site, menu and reservations
• Visit Vík restaurant directory
• Black Crust Pizzeria menu
• Krónan store locator
• Visit South Iceland: South Coast
• SafeTravel Iceland
• Official road and traffic information