Don’t-Miss Dishes in Reykjavik

Given its island status and solid fishing culture, it’s no surprise that fish is a mainstay in Icelandic cuisine. Cod, salmon, and haddock are most common and typically served grilled, though you should also try plokkfiskur, a delicious traditional fish stew.

Visit Iceland in spring or summer and you’ll be sure to see lambs roaming around the hills. They soon make their way onto Icelanders’ plates, and—given their months of grazing on Icelandic moss, wild grass, and berries—their lean meat has a distinctive, almost gamey flavor. Try it in kjötsúpa, Icelandic lamb soup.

A thick, creamy dairy product, skyr is a sour-milk cheese easily mistaken for yogurt. Eat it like yogurt, straight from the tub, or as a dessert topping—it’s delicious over berries and high in protein.

In business for more than 60 years, the iconic Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur serves hot dogs made from a blend of beef, lamb, and pork. They’re best ordered eina með öllu (with everything), namely fried onions, brown mustard, and creamy remoulade.

A truly traditional and hearty Icelandic food, slátur is made from sheep innards and comes in two different varieties: blóðmör (blood pudding, similar to the UK and Ireland’s black pudding) and lifrarpylsa (liver sausage, similar to Scottish haggis).