After a stroll through Reykjavík, we spent the rest of our time in port on a walking food tour with Wake Up Reykjavik. We had no idea how evolved and tasty Icelandic cuisine would be.

Five delicious stops with lively commentary — history, tidbits about daily life, and the evolution of the cuisine along the way.

Stop One: Grilled Lamb

The first stop was a grilled rack of lamb with a mustard herb salsa topping — super tender and yummy. Lamb has a large presence in Icelandic cuisine, and this was a great introduction to why.

Stop Two: Fish Soup, Oyster Mushroom Tacos, and Fermented Shark

Our next stop brought a fish soup and fried oyster mushroom tacos — such interesting flavors. It was here we were “treated” to a sample of the local historic bite: fermented shark. One and done on that — there was 100% agreement on that point in our group.

Stop Three: More Lamb and Fish

The third stop leaned further into the two mainstays of Icelandic cuisine: lamb and fish. A smoked arctic char on a buckwheat pita, and pulled lamb over an egg salad on toast. The presentation landed somewhere between Spanish tapas and Danish smørrebrød.

Stop Four: The Icelandic Hot Dog

Stop number four was the #1 street food of Iceland — the hot dog: 80% lamb (told you lamb had a big presence in the cuisine), mustard and horseradish sauce on top, crispy onions underneath. A bit odd but ultimately a delicious combo.

Stop Five: Rhubarb Crumb Cake

The last stop was dessert: a rhubarb crumb cake with ice cream. Rhubarb turned out to be everywhere on this trip, which was unexpected.

Our Take

This was one of the best food tours we’ve taken. If you find yourself in Reykjavík, do yourself a favor and think about taking this food tour.

Quick Tips for the Wake Up Reykjavik Food Tour

• Go in hungry — five stops of lamb, fish, and dessert add up to a real meal, not just tastings.
• Brace yourself for the fermented shark — it’s a historic bite worth trying once, but don’t expect to love it.
• Try the Icelandic hot dog even if it sounds a bit odd — the lamb, mustard, horseradish, and crispy onion combo works.
• Book it for your port day — it’s a great way to get oriented in Reykjavík leaving time to exploring on your own before or after based on your docking times.

Next port of call: Grundarfjörður.