Iceland is known as an expensive place to visit, but there are plenty of great places to eat that aren’t too pricey.
Fish and seafood are a huge part of Icelandic cuisine, but burgers are also really popular and there’s a good mix of quirky cafes and quality restaurants serving food from various cultures.
Here are a few of my favourite places to eat, where you can get a cheap meal:
Svarta Kaffid
Laugavegur 54, 101 Reykjavík
This small and unassuming café is home to one of my favourite ever culinary experiences: traditional Icelandic soup, served in a bowl made from crusty bread with the middle scooped out and used for dipping.
If you’re planning a visit to Reykjavik, you must stop here.
Lebowski Bar
Laugavegur 20b, 101 Reykjavík
Reykjavik is home to numerous great burger restaurants, which is especially interesting since the last McDonalds in Iceland closed down in 2009.
Lebowski Bar is known as a cool place to hang out, thanks to its popular menu of burgers and shakes, the jukebox stuffed with great songs and its very own bowling alley.
Icelandic Fish and Chips
Tryggvagata 11, 101 Reykjavík
An organic bistro near the harbour, this restaurant serves delicious, traditional fish and chips with a twist. And it’s reasonably priced too, which is a big plus in Iceland, where food and drink can be very expensive.
The Laundromat Café
Austurstræti 9, Austurstræti, 101 Reykjavík
One of the things I love most about The Laundromat Café is the décor: it’s a traditional diner featuring a colour co-ordinated book display around the bar and map murals on the walls.
Plus it’s got a great brunch menu, or you can order a good burger.
Baejarins Beztu Pylsur
Tryggvatagata 1, 101 Reykjavík
This hot dog stand in the centre of town is popular with visitors, including Bill Clinton! Its name translates to “the best hotdog in town.”
What could be better?