A purveyor of New Nordic cuisine (local, seasonal), Dill offers an elevated approach to traditional Icelandic fare. Dinner may be a seven-course affair with wine pairing, while the lunch menu could include a hearty fish stew or meatballs with a twist. In 2017, Dill became the first restaurant in Iceland to be awarded a Michelin star.

Set in an historic building from 1884, the Fish Company is known for its charming atmosphere and seriously innovative food. The stone cellar dining room has a cozy feeling with whimsical modern touches like copper lanterns that resemble organ pipes and windows panes from a Lutheran church above the bar (tables are set out on the terrace in the summer as well). The owner and chef Larus Gunnar celebrates Icelandic ingredients and a global sensibility with each course named after a different country, using its key ingredient to signify its inspiration (the Japan Rice starter, for instance, is mixed sushi). Fiji Coconut is a boiled fish soup with langoustine, grilled monkfish, coconut jelly and seaweed. France Truffle is a poached egg served in a potato nest with truffle puree, green asparagus and fried wild mushrooms. Make sure to save room for the desserts, including the Egypt Blood Orange, a pyramid of white chocolate and blood orange parfait served with salt caramel, orange leaf and caramel sand.

Smack dab in the middle of the city, Grill Market provides a swanky setting for a memorable night on the town. The restaurant, which is tucked away slightly off the main drag, has a bar on the lower level that serves wine by the glass and cocktails starting at 5pm and a main dining room on the ground level, whose low-lighting and sultry décor favors brown tones in a variety of textures (wood, leather, rattan.)  The kitchen sources ingredients fresh from the farm and so the menu changes according to what is in season.  Adventurous eaters can go for the Grillmarket tasting menu, but it is also possible to order à la carte. As the name implies, there are lots of grilled options: chicken, lamb, salmon, and even lobster.

Facing out onto Reykjavík’s port, Kopar’s brasserie-style dining room serves up delicately prepared dishes made from locally sourced ingredients.  The young chef/owner honed her skills at Reykjavík’s perennial favorite Fish Market before venturing out on her own.  The menu at Kopar offers traditional Icelandic dishes reimagined with unexpected touches and accompaniments like oven-baked Catfish with pistachios, green kale and cauliflower.

Located on Laugavegur, one of the most popular streets in Reykjavik, Nostra offers experiential dining at its finest. The tasting menus incorporate local, seasonal ingredients and feel innovative and artful, featuring unique dishes like seared cod with lobster sauce and lardo. Guests can choose from four-, six- or eight-course tasting menus and also have the option of crafting a menu around specific preferences, like vegetarian, pescatarian or vegan diets. The cocktail menu is comprised of infused alcohols and syrups made daily.