Top Sustainable Restaurants in Iceland

In recent years, sustainable Icelandic restaurants have become a highlight for eco-conscious travelers. Iceland’s chefs have a knack for turning whatever the land and sea offer into something memorable. From greenhouse-grown tomato soup to fresh seafood, Iceland serves dining experiences rooted in nature. Here, great food and sustainable practices go hand in hand.

Plant-powered bowls? Farm-to-table dishes? Seafood buffets? These dining experiences show how Iceland blends creativity, local ingredients, and sustainability into every plate.

What Makes a Restaurant Sustainable in Iceland?

Sustainability in Icelandic dining isn’t just about recycling or using metal straws (though that’s nice too). Because Iceland is small, remote, and environmentally sensitive, chefs lean into ingredients that are fresh, local, and low-impact. 

A restaurant is typically considered sustainable when it embraces:

• Seasonal ingredients: Use ingredients at their freshest and most nutritious, adjusting dishes to fit Iceland’s natural growing seasons.
• Locally sourced ingredients: Make use of what’s available nearby to support local farmers and fishermen and reduce transport emissions.
• Farm-to-table approach: Grow or produce ingredients on-site or partner closely with nearby farms to ensure quality and reduce reliance on imports.
• Zero-waste cooking: Use all parts of an ingredient to minimize scraps and prevent food waste in the kitchen.
• Icelandic renewable energy: Rely on Iceland’s clean energy for farming, heating, lighting, and everyday restaurant operations.
• Vegan and vegetarian options: Many sustainable Icelandic restaurants offer vegan and vegetarian options to lower environmental impact and support eco-friendly dining.

Together, these practices help restaurants lower their carbon footprint while staying connected to Iceland’s natural rhythms.

The Top Sustainable Icelandic Restaurants

Quick note before we dig in (pun intended): these sustainable Icelandic restaurants offer their own take on eco-friendly dining experiences. Some geothermally grown tomatoes year-round. Some bake bread with geothermal heat. One even serves a seafood feast based entirely on the day’s catch. Let’s get into it.

Friðheimar Tomato Farm

If there’s one place that captures Iceland’s knack for doing things sustainably, it’s Friðheimar. It’s a family-run greenhouse restaurant glowing brightly in South Iceland and an easy stop along the Golden Circle.

Guests dine inside the greenhouse itself, surrounded by rows of tomato vines grown with geothermal heat and natural “good bugs” for pest control. And yes, the tomato soup somehow tastes even better when you’re sitting right beside the plants.

The menu leans into the theme in the best way: tomato pastas, sauces, drinks, jams, and even tomato ice cream. Because why stop at soup when tomatoes can do anything?

Practical info about Friðheimar:

• Address: Friðheimar, 806 Reykholt
• Opening hours: Restaurant 11:30 am–4:00 pm daily; Winebar & Bistro 12:00 pm–10:00 pm daily
• Reservation needed? Yes, for the main restaurant. Walk-ins welcome at the Winebar & Bistro

Sól Restaurant in Hafnarfjörður

Sól may be new, but it arrived with confidence. Located inside a greenhouse in Hafnarfjörður, the restaurant blends modern Icelandic cooking with a thoughtful farm-to-table approach. The space feels bright and calm, with a mix of greenery, stone, wood, and soft light. Like the other spot, vegetables are grown right on-site.

They pride themselves on serving refined, Icelandic-inspired dishes. Here, you can get a taste of smoked haddock, reindeer, skate, monkfish, beetroot terrine, and cured goose. They also brew their own beer. These are served exclusively at the restaurant, which feels like a quiet little bonus for anyone who makes the trip.

Practical info about Sól Restaurant:

• Address: Óseyrarbraut 27c, 220 Hafnarfjörður, Iceland
• Opening hours: Dinner Wednesday–Sunday, 5:30 pm–9:30 pm
• Reservation needed? Not required, but highly recommended, as it fills up quickly

Vogafjós Farm Resort in Mývatn

Vogafjós is farm-to-table in the most charming way possible. You’re eating in a cozy, glass-paneled room beside a real cowshed, with curious cows occasionally peeking in. The farm has been in the same family for over a century and today cares for sheep, cows, and cattle.

The kitchen serves traditional Icelandic dishes made with ingredients from the farm and nearby Lake Mývatn in North Iceland. Think Arctic char, smoked lamb, beef carpaccio, cured ewe fillet, homemade mozzarella, roasted rhubarb, and their beloved geothermal-baked bread.

Practical info about Vogafjós Farm Resort:

• Address: Vogafjós Farm Resort, 660 Mývatn, Iceland
• Opening hours: Daily 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
• Reservation needed? Recommended, especially in summer

ÓX Restaurant in Reykjavík

Blink and you might miss it. ÓX, a green Michelin-starred restaurant, hides behind an unmarked door on Laugavegur Street in Reykjavík. Once you’re inside, you’d feel like stepping into someone’s private kitchen. 

Chef Þráinn Freyr Vigfússon hosts just 17 diners around a cozy counter made from his grandmother’s old cupboards. Likewise, the tiny cocktail bar channels his other grandmother’s living room. It’s intimate, nostalgic, and quietly luxurious.

The experience is a four-hour tasting journey, with modern renditions of Icelandic cuisine. Smoked salmon with caramelized sea urchin, cod head, pickled pine, and grilled quinoa is just one example. Everything is sourced locally, and their no-waste creativity is next level. Their coffee grounds become caramel, rye bread becomes miso, and leftover ricotta becomes petits fours.

Practical info about ÓX Restaurant:

• Address: Laugavegur 55, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
• Opening hours: Dinner Tuesday–Saturday, 6:00 pm–12:00 am; lunch Saturday, 1:00 pm–4:30 pm
• Reservation needed? Yes, as it’s only a  17-seater, and bookings open 90 days ahead

Sjávarpakkhúsið in Stykkishólmur

Sjávarpakkhúsið sits right on the harbor in Stykkishólmur, which is fitting because everything here begins with the sea. They serve seafood from Breiðafjörður, one of Iceland’s richest food regions. And the menu shifts with whatever the fishermen bring in that day. This alone makes Sjávarpakkhúsið one of the best sustainable Icelandic restaurants.

Don’t know what to do in Stykkishólmur? You can delight yourself with scallop ceviche, halibut, slow-cooked beetroot, bluegill, crispy cod skins, and a shellfish soup. The restaurant also holds the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, reflecting its commitment to low-impact dining.

Practical info about Sjávarpakkhúsið:

• Address: Hafnargata 2, 340 Stykkishólmur, Iceland
• Opening hours: Daily 6:00 pm–10:00 pm
• Reservation needed? Not required, but highly recommended, as it’s a small and popular spot

Tjöruhúsið in Ísafjörður

Tjöruhúsið (“the Tar House”) is one of the Westfjords’ most beloved seafood spots. Housed in a 300-year-old building on the harbor, it serves only the day’s freshest catch. Their menu also changes completely depending on what the boats bring in. It’s a worthy stop when spending a day in Ísafjörður.

Inside, you’ll find rustic wood, long tables, and vinyl playing softly in the background. Lunch and dinner are buffet-style, with fish stews, pan-fried fillets, and seafood soups. It’s friendly and communal, something you’d enjoy if you like meeting other travelers. Just keep in mind that they only open from spring to late fall, when the fishing is at its best.

Practical info about Tjöruhúsið:

• Address: Neðstakaupstaður, 400 Ísafjörður, Iceland
• Opening hours: Seasonal, spring to late fall; lunch seating at noon and dinner seatings at 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm
• Reservation needed? Recommended, as it’s extremely popular during the season

Móðir jörð Cafe & Shop in Egilsstaðir

Móðir Jörð (“Mother Earth”) is a cozy stop on the organic farm at Vallanes, just off the Ring Road. The café prepares vegetarian dishes using Icelandic ingredients and vegetables grown outdoors when the season allows.

Expect salads, soups, barley dishes, root vegetables, potatoes, a vegetarian burger, and a bit of fish. Plus, a bowl of their crisp house sauerkraut that everyone ends up adding to their plate. In summer, they offer a vegetarian buffet built around whatever the fields are producing that week.

Practical info about Móðir Jörð Café:

• Address: Vallanes, 701 Egilsstaðir, Iceland
• Opening hours: May & September, Tuesday–Saturday, 11:00 am–5:00 pm; June–August, 10:00 am–5:00 pm daily
• Reservation needed? No, walk-ins are welcome

1 - Vogafjós’ signature rye bread is baked directly in the geothermal ground, 2 - A delicious plate from ÓX, 3 - The ingredients are as pure as at Móðir jörð

Local Ingredients that Define Sustainable Icelandic Cuisine

A big part of what makes sustainable Icelandic restaurants stand out is their commitment to using local ingredients. Regardless of whether it comes from local farms, waters, or revolutionary greenhouses in Iceland. 

These are the staple ingredients that shape Iceland’s most memorable meals:

• Geothermal-grown vegetables — tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and herbs grown year-round in warm greenhouses
• Icelandic lamb — naturally free-range, grazing on wild heaths for a clean, distinctive flavor
• Local seafood — Arctic char, cod, haddock, and other fish caught in cold northern waters, often the same day
• Root vegetables — hearty potatoes, carrots, beets, and other cool-climate crops that thrive in Icelandic soil
• Barley — one of Iceland’s most traditional grains, grown outdoors and used in soups, salads, breads, and porridges

These ingredients help keep emissions low and support local producers. They also deepen the link between Icelandic cuisine and its landscapes.

Sustainability Across Iceland

Choosing these spots is an easy, eco-friendly way to support Iceland’s local communities and low-impact food culture. Across the country, you’ll find Icelandic geothermal pools, eco-conscious tour operators, and wildlife-friendly excursions. There are also organic farms and small communities working hard to protect their landscapes.

Travelers who care about authenticity, local culture, and the environment will discover that Iceland makes sustainable travel easy and rewarding. By dining at these sustainable restaurants, you’re helping support Iceland's goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2040.

It’s a small choice that becomes part of a much bigger solution. Choosing these restaurants is an easy way to enjoy eco-friendly dining while supporting Icelandic communities.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sustainable Icelandic Restaurants

What are sustainable Icelandic restaurants?

Sustainable Icelandic restaurants are places that focus on seasonal ingredients, locally sourced produce, geothermal-grown vegetables, and eco-friendly cooking methods. They reduce waste, support local farmers and fishermen, and rely on Iceland’s renewable energy to create low-impact dining experiences.

What is the greenhouse restaurant in Iceland?

Friðheimar is Iceland’s famous “greenhouse restaurant.” Guests dine inside a geothermally heated greenhouse surrounded by tomato plants grown all year. The menu features tomato soup, tomato drinks, and even tomato ice cream, making it one of the most unique sustainable dining experiences in the country.

Which sustainable Icelandic restaurants grow their own ingredients?

Friðheimar and Sól are known for growing vegetables, herbs, and tomatoes in geothermal greenhouses. Vogafjós also raises its own dairy and meat, while Móðir Jörð uses organic produce grown on-site at their farm in East Iceland.

What ingredients do sustainable Icelandic restaurants use?

They rely on clean, local, and seasonal ingredients such as geothermal-grown tomatoes, free-range Icelandic lamb, Arctic char, cod, haddock, root vegetables, barley, seaweed, and herbs. Many also offer vegan and vegetarian options made with Icelandic-grown produce.

What are the sustainable practices in Iceland’s restaurant scene?

Common sustainable practices include farm-to-table cooking, zero-waste kitchens, on-site greenhouses that grow tomatoes and herbs, locally sourced seafood, composting food scraps, and using renewable geothermal or hydroelectric energy for heating and cooking. Many restaurants build their menus around what nature provides that season.