Horses. Lambs. Puffins. Sharks.
These aren’t just Iceland’s most iconic residents — they’re also on the menu. When I was getting ready for a trip I’d been looking forward to for years, that thought hit me like a wall. Five weeks in Iceland, and I was picturing myself surviving on granola bars and sad spoonfuls of oatmeal. The country had been on my bucket list forever, and suddenly I was wondering if I’d made a terrible mistake.
The Reality of Being Vegan in Iceland
Those fears didn’t last long. I asked friends who’d already been, did a quick search on Happy Cow, and found that Reykjavik had a genuinely surprising number of options. Yes, most places serve meat — but there’s at least one fully vegan restaurant, Kaffi Vinyl, and even in regular restaurants it’s pretty common to find vegan choices across every course, desserts included.
I ended up spending over a month in Iceland, eating my way through Reykjavik with real enthusiasm. If you’re planning a vegan trip to this city, you’re in for a better time than you might expect.
The Best Vegan (and Vegan-Friendly) Restaurants in Reykjavik
There’s no shortage of plant-based options in the world’s northernmost capital. Here are my three favourites, plus a longer list worth bookmarking.
**BEST VIBE:**
Kaffi Vinyl – Reykjavik’s only fully vegan restaurant, and honestly the most relaxed place in town. The walls are covered in eclectic art, the music theme is retro, and the crowd is wonderfully mixed. The playlist alone is worth the visit — they run regular DJ nights, Reggae Night being a favourite. I tried the lasagna, wraps, and cakes, and every single one delivered. Go here regardless of your diet. You won’t regret it.
**BEST VARIETY:**
Glo – There is chicken on the menu, which I hope changes eventually, but the vegan and gluten-free selection is genuinely extensive — mains, sides, desserts, the lot. The space is open and clean, somewhere between a health café and an upscale cafeteria. It was my first meal in Iceland, and the staff made me feel immediately welcome. Good food, reasonable prices, and yes, they have beer.
**BEST FOOD:**
Sushibarinn – Picking a single winner for best food was tough, but Sushibarinn edges it. The restaurant serves fish and meat, but the vegan sushi rolls are extraordinary. The staff member who made my order was vegan herself, and you could tell — she put real care into each roll. Light, inventive, and genuinely melt-in-your-mouth. A perfect way to end a stay in Reykjavik.
**OTHER FAVES:**
Gardurinn – Honest, home-cooked vegan and vegetarian food with a rotating daily menu. Check what’s on before you go — it changes, and that’s half the appeal.
Café Babalu – A wonderfully odd little coffee house with quirky decor and good people-watching from the window. Their vegan chili and carrot cake are both worth ordering.
Pylsa/Pulsa – Primarily a sausage shop, but the vegan sausage is genuinely good, and the cocktails are strong. There’s an art gallery inside and live Icelandic music on certain nights. It also happens to be right across from the Phallological Museum, if that’s your kind of detour.
Bryggjan Brugghus – Reykjavik’s first brewery, and a solid spot for a relaxed evening. The vegan food is simple — soup, burgers, fries — but the craft beer selection makes up for it.
**MORE RESTAURANTS:**
Núðluskálin – Not vegan, but the noodle options and vegetable-based sauces make it easy to eat well here.
Reykjavík Chips – Fries fried in vegan oil, served with a vegan satay dipping sauce. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
Bike Cave – A family-run burger spot with a bike-workshop theme. They do vegan burgers, and you can browse gear while you wait.
Kruska – A health-focused place serving poultry and fish alongside several solid vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Kryddlegin Hjörtu – Meat is on the menu, but the vegan and vegetarian spread is impressive — soups, salads, fusion dishes. The buffet offers particularly good value.
The Laundromat Café – An international chain, so don’t expect anything groundbreaking, but there are vegetarian and vegan options, and eating lunch while doing your laundry has a certain charm.
For the Vegan with a Sweet Tooth
Eldur og Is – Skip the Subway next door and get vegan crepes instead — sweet or savoury, with good coffee alongside.
C is for Cookie – Better than the name suggests. Settle in with a big mug of coffee and try the vegan cakes. It’s a good spot for an afternoon of slow reading or writing.
Valdis – Possibly the only ice cream shop in Reykjavik doing proper vegan options, and they’re genuinely delicious. It’s a short walk from the Northern Lights Museum, so work it into that route.
17 Sortir – Just around the corner from Valdis, this small bakery makes vegan cakes and cupcakes that look almost too good to eat. They taste even better than they look — do not hold back.
Passion Reykjavík – A beautiful bakery for a composed start to the day. Vegan pastries and coffee before heading out into the city.
After You’re Full
Food will take up a satisfying portion of your time in Reykjavik — the craft beer scene alone could keep you busy — but there’s plenty beyond the plate. Street art, striking architecture, and clear-night scrambles to catch the Northern Lights with half the city are all part of the experience.
Get out of Reykjavik when you can too. Iceland’s landscapes are genuinely unlike anything else, and whether you join a guided tour or hire a car and go at your own pace, the country beyond the capital rewards the effort.
Northern Lights, vegan food, glaciers, midnight sun — Iceland piles on the reasons to visit, and it keeps surprising you the longer you stay.
