Where to Eat in Reykjavik, Iceland

Dining out in Iceland's capitol city can be pricey. But there are a few places serving extremely tasty - and even healthy - meals that won't break your travel budget. Reykjavik is a very walkable city, and it will be easy for you to reach any of these if you're staying anywhere near the city center. Three are clustered close together, with just the Scandinavian left by itself on the Laugavegur.

The Scandinavian

This was my first sit-down meal in Reykjavik. The "spaghetti of the north" combined fish and a cream sauce with pasta. It was a pretty solid meal to end a full day of traveling from the U.S., marching around the city, taking in a soccer match and getting in a workout at the Laugardalslaug swimming pool. The "open Danish sandwiches" are also tasty. The plaice Danish sandwich was particularly tasty, and a nice introduction to a new-to-me sort of fish. I didn't notice The Scandinavian getting much attention in the guidebooks - certainly less than it is due. It also has the outstanding, high-strength microbrewed Icelandic stout called Lava. Be sure to try a bottle.

Krua Thai

Being from the Southwest United States, I need my spicy food. There wasn't much in the way of Mexican food in Iceland, but Thai is also one of my favorite spicy food fixes. And this did not disappoint. Every bite had a nice blast of flavor - I had some trouble with names that aren't the same as my familiar local Thai hangouts. If you can find a panang or peanut curry sort of dish, you're in good shape. And try the lamb. It's an unusual flavor to pair with Thai spices, but it works well. Especially since Iceland is known for high-quality lamb.

Icelandic Fish & Chips

You'll be hard-pressed to find a guidebook that doesn't include a mention of Icelandic Fish & Chips. There's a good reason: The fish is top-quality, and the staff worked hard to create flavorful dishes without the grease associated with traditional fish & chips (sorry, my English friends!). You can even get the fish baked. The restaurant gets fresh fish every day - so you won't always have the same selection. But what remains the same is the choice of dipping sauces made from skyr, the low-fat, high-protein yogurt-like Icelandic cheese. You can really go crazy with flavors like basil & garlic, sun-dried tomato, mango chutney, a traditional "tartar" style and several others. Icelandic also had a bottled soft drink that was outstanding - unfortunately, I can't remember the name. Ask about it when you visit; it's locally made, which should narrow it down a bit.

Sea Baron

Guidebook also have a lot to say about the Sea Baron. Like Icelandic Fish & Chips, it deserves its reputation thanks to a similar rotating menu of fresh fish. It's simple and unpretentious, with frankly barely any room to sit. But that's part of the charm. The lobster soup is a big hit - and very popular, judging from the other diners. If you have no ethical problems eating whale, it seems to be a specialty there. To me, it looked like beef. And I didn't want to eat one of my favorite creatures if it just tastes like cow (and if I have other alternatives). The salmon teamed up with the soup to keep me filled up for more hours of walking in the long daylight period of Reykjavik's summer. lled up for more hours of walking in the long daylight period of Reykjavik's summer.