Gluten Free in Iceland

Iceland Travel Tips

G-Free Travel Rating

8/10

Major Airport

Keflavic International Airport (KEF)

Official Language

Icelandic (Most speak English fluently)

Currency:

Icelandic Króna

Power Outlets:

Types C & F

Eating Gluten Free in Iceland

We only traveled through the southern part of Iceland so we can only speak to our experience there. What we have discovered is it is a great destination for travelers with dietary restrictions. Many cafes and restaurants in the cities can accommodate gluten-free requests, ensuring that you can enjoy delicious meals without compromising your health. The country’s commitment to accommodating dietary restrictions makes it an ideal place to explore without the worry of finding suitable food options.

With all that being said though, it is best to make sure that you do have granola bars or other trusty snacks with you as a back-up, especially if you are traveling to more remote areas.

Since we didn’t have any multi-day tours where someone would be responsible for our meals, we had to research restaurants that were willing to accommodate a gluten free diet. This turned out to be easier than I thought it would be. Again, I didn’t really know what to expect traveling internationally gluten free as I am only now converting to the diet. Terry, on the other hand, was aware of all the struggles that go with traveling gluten free, albeit they are greatly improving.

When we travel we normally eat two meals a day with a snack in between breakfast and supper. Since we decided to stay in Airbnb’s, except when we went to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and stayed at Fosshotel, we cooked breakfast before we took off for the day. So that means we got to go grocery shopping right after we got off a red-eye flight! Let me tell you how much fun that was…not at all. Being tired and hungry then going into a grocery store where you don’t know where things are and what to look for on labels is bad enough but try going to one where you have to figure out what the words on the label translate to. Lucky for us we were sticking to easy breakfast items like eggs. However, we did learn a few words to help make our shopping and dining easier:

Wheat = hveiti
Gluten = Glúten
Rye = Rúg

Grocery Shopping Pointers

We did our grocery shopping in Reykjavik. We recommend getting as many groceries as you think you’ll need in Reykjavik for a couple of reasons:

There are more supermarkets to choose from but we used Krónan.
The farther you venture from Reykjavik the more limited your grocery options will be.
The more remote your journey the less likely you will run into someone who speaks English well enough to understand gluten-free.
- Better access to data and/or WIFI to use GOOGLE translate if needed.
Prices will steadily increase the farther away from the capital you travel.

Traditional Icelandic Meals

Fermented Shark: Most common exotic food in Iceland. We did not try it but someone at a table next to us did…I don’t think it was their cup of tea. It was even served in a sealed tight mason jar to contain the smell.
Fresh Fish: Cod, haddock, langoustine, and salmon
Icelandic Hot Dog: Sadly not gluten free
Icelandic Skyr: Thick yogurt where most brands are gluten free. A few brands are not certified gluten free yet so make sure to read the labels carefully.
Lamb: Comes in many different forms and is a pretty traditional dish.

Restaurants

Unfortunately, most of the restaurants we ate at in Reykjavik have closed after COVID-19, but there are still a couple that are going strong.

- Eldur og Ís: Specializes in crepes and ice cream. Terry went for the dessert crepes and loved them. However, I went for the ice cream as that is one of my favorite desserts.
- Joe & the Juice: This is a great smoothie place that also offers sandwiches, of which they do offer a gluten free bread. We just went in for smoothies but it’s nice they have gluten free alternatives.
The below restaurants are not ones that we have tried but do have great reviews for gluten free options:
- Fiskmarkadurinn – The Fish Market: One of the best places to get seafood in town. They do have a gluten free menu; however, they are on the expensive side.
- Tapas Barinn: Where tapas meet fresh Icelandic cuisine. Items are not indicated gluten-free on the menu; however, the wait staff is very knowledgeable about what can be made gluten-free.
- Brass Kitchen & Bar: Contemporary dining experience with a focus on Icelandic ingredients. Knowledgeable staff, gluten-free menu and a dedicated fryer all help make this restaurant a must try.
- Cafe Babalú: Quaint little coffee shop that accommodates gluten free diets. Appears the brownie is the best in town.

We only stayed one night in Vik.

- Halldórskaffi: This was a little on the expensive side but the food was fantastic. The lamb filet was phenomenal and environment was relaxing.

South Iceland

- Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon: We actually celebrated Christmas Eve here so it was a 5-course meal. They had no problem accommodating a gluten free diet. Probably the best reindeer that we have ever had!! The only thing we weren’t prepared for was the 3 hours it took for this meal to be served. Another thing to take caution to is that their menu symbolizes things that have gluten in them.

All in all, the restaurants throughout the country try hard to be able to accommodate any dietary restrictions they can. We never met someone who was unwilling to at least give us options where we could feel safe enough and enjoy our dining experience. Calling ahead does help in case they are only able to do simple accommodations (i.e. hamburger with no bun) and that is not what you are looking for. Preparation is always the key to a vacation with minimal hiccups.