A Food Journey to Iceland

I don’t know about you guys but I am feeling a SERIOUSLY INTENSE case of cabin fever. Like not just the plain “get me out of this house” level of cabin fever but the level where I really need out of the country. Since we can’t safely do that right now, and because I am not a spontaneous person and can’t just hop onto a plane tomorrow, I thought now would be a good time to look back. Specifically back to Iceland. It was my last trip out of the country, google says It was almost 2 years ago now and just the thought of that makes me want to scream . Like I can’t believe this but I am almost starting to miss the plane rides WHICH I HATE (clearly I don’t fly first class or else maybe I’d say something like “planes are my second home” or something crazy like that.) Anyways, I figured I couldn’t be the only person feeling this way so instead of looking back at photos by myself and missing it all, I thought it might be fun to share it all with you guys. So without further delay (airplane puns anyone? No?) Let’s take a journey and look at some of my favorite things in Iceland and of course THE FOOD.

All Things Breakfast

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to visit local bakeries and coffee shops. For me, it’s a fun way to observe the town around me while also getting to munch on something sweet and enjoy some coffee. I found that almost anywhere I went that sold lattes or coffee items with whipped cream on top had some sort of a vegan alternative. As someone who is not vegan, but is very much so lactose intolerant, I enjoyed these alternatives greatly.

After Going through all of my photos, I narrowed down my list of favorites to these.

Mosfellsbakari

This place was about a 2 minute drive away from the house we were renting in Mosfellsbær so we went here almost daily. It was a nice place to sit and relax before starting a day full of activities.

The staff was so nice and the food was even better. My favorite thing was this sticky pastry that I honestly have no idea if it was a donut or a cinnamon roll dipped in icing but I do know that I ordered it multiple times.

Mokka Kaffi

Another bakery favorite of mine was Mokka Kaffi. Their swiss mokka was so good and they served waffles which I can never turn down. Their waffles were served with a side of whipped cream and jam and it was tasty while also not filling me up too much to take on my full day.

Kattakaffihúsið

Okay, so I did not actually get any coffee from here but I have a good reason! My partner is tragically allergic to cats. To me, someone who has been a cat lady since birth, it is the saddest thing and I will never stop trying to convince him to “just take allergy pills” but I digress. So when he got a phone call that I knew would take him at least 10 minutes I dashed over from Mokka Kaffi over to the beautiful cat cafe kattakaffihúsið. All their cats are up for adoption and I WISH i could have stayed and had one of their cat themed coffees. It’s on my list, even though I did not technically try any of their items, because I hope one of you fortunate people who have chosen travel companions who are not allergic to cats will see it here and go.

The Coocoo’s Nest

This was a place that I remember being so proud I found. It was cute, had a line (which we got there before it formed), and had gorgeous food. I also may have been very stubborn about making sure we made it to this location and I am honestly really proud of myself for it. Because THIS FOOD WAS SO GOOD. We did their brunch, wow remember when that was just a normal activity and not a covid spreading situation??? Anyways, brunch, it was very basic items like green eggs & ham and I really don’t know why that would make it so dang delicious but for some reason it really was. The coffee was adorable, as all coffee is when presented in cute baby mugs, and me being me and thinking that breakfast food equals dessert got myself a hot chocolate.

Kaffitar- Located in the National Museum of Icelandic Culture

This is where I discovered that vegan whipped topping means something marshmellowy without being a marshmallow and OH MAN IT WAS GOOOOOD.

That’s all, this photo says it for itself.

Everything Else- Including Ice Cream

ísbúðin litla valdís

Lets go ahead and get the ice cream out of the way. This place was packed, I was overwhelmed but in that good way where you know you’re about to get some good food because why else would a place be this packed. It was fantastic, I was freezing but I wanted more. I still wish we went back at least 10 more times before leaving.

Gandhi Indian Restaurant

THIS WAS THE BEST AND FANCIEST INDIAN FOOD EXPERIENCE I HAVE HAD SO FAR. It felt like they gave Indian food the proper elevated status it deserves. I wanted to go back here as well but we didn’t end up having the time for it. I cannot recommend this place more. The food was so good and the atmosphere of the place gave it a fun date night vibe without taking itself too seriously.

Eldofninn Pizzeria

We went here because we saw that banana pizza is a thing in Iceland. I don’t know if it’s something you do where you live, I certainly had never seen something like this before here. So we went for it and you guys we did not hate it. It gave a sweetness similar to what pineapple would do for you but with a certain mush feel. We will not be putting bananas on our pizza at home but it was a fun experience. Another thing that seemed different was that although Tayler and I shared our pizza like we would back home, the locals in the restaurant all had their own like a personal pizza situation.

bæjarins beztu pylsur

This is on my list just because it is something you must check off your list while in Iceland. It’s a hotdog. I know, not exciting. But it sort of is. They do them very differently than we do in the states so it is just a fun thing to see how differently they taste than ours. I was not a fan but Tayler really enjoyed them so give them a try and maybe you will too.

Flóran Garden Bistro

Who doesn’t want to eat in a gorgeous greenhouse inside of a botanical garden? The menu changes with the season and everything is locally sourced. I found this to be a really nice escape from the chilly weather while still experiencing the gardens.

Smiðjan Brugghús

The last one on my list of favorites was a small brewery pub restaurant in Vik. You’d think by just looking at this “wow she got a burger? Why you can get that anywhere” and you would be correct for the most part, but you don’t understand. This was the best burger I have ever eaten. I can’t explain it any other way but you really need to get yourself there, when it’s safe to travel again, and try it out for yourselves. The views by the way, were also worth it.

Thank you for taking this food journey with me. While you’re here you might as well enjoy the rest of the photos from the trip. The black sand beach photos are all from Vik so if the burger and views from the brewery was not enough to get you out to Vik I hope the beach photos are.