The Icelandic Kitchen: 5 Classic Foods You Didn’t Think of Trying

Quick answer: Skip the shock-value stuff for a night and try plokkfiskur (creamy fish stew) and hangikjot (smoked lamb) – the dishes Icelanders actually cook at home, not the ones tourists dare each other to eat.

Iceland’s food reputation online is mostly about fermented shark and sheep’s head, which are real but not what most Icelanders eat on a Tuesday. For where to find the everyday classics, see our Reykjavik local guide.

Plokkfiskur (Fish Stew)

A simple, comforting mash of white fish, potatoes, onion, and a milk-and-flour béchamel, traditionally served with rye bread and butter. It started as a way to use up leftover boiled fish and potatoes and is now a beloved lunch dish in its own right.

Hangikjot (Smoked Lamb)

Lamb cured by smoking over birch wood or dried sheep dung, then boiled and sliced thin. It is one of the most cherished dishes in Icelandic cooking, especially around Christmas, usually served cold or warm with potatoes in white sauce and pickled red cabbage.

Islensk Kjotsupa (Icelandic Lamb Soup)

A hearty soup built from tougher cuts of lamb simmered with root vegetables and herbs. It is the dish most Icelanders would call genuine comfort food – the one you want after a day outside in the wind.

Rugbraud (Geothermal Rye Bread)

A dark, dense, faintly sweet rye bread traditionally baked slowly using geothermal heat – buried near a hot spring for a day rather than baked in an oven. It is usually served with butter, smoked fish, or alongside hangikjot.

Kleinur

Twisted, deep-fried pastries similar to a cardamom-spiced doughnut, eaten as a snack with coffee. They keep well, which is why they turn up at almost every Icelandic gathering and bakery counter.