5 Best Restaurants in East Iceland and the Eastfjords, Iceland

White tablecloths, vintage-style crockery, and antiques add to the neoclassic tone of Eldhúsið restaurant, where you can enjoy beautifully plated meals made from local ingredients. You can’t go wrong with the fish of the day, beef reared on the surrounding farm, or the homemade ice creams and sorbets. There's a vegan menu, too.

While enjoying the exhibitions at Skriðuklaustur, you might get distracted by the delightful aromas wafting from the inviting in-house restaurant. If you follow your nose, you'll discover a lovely farmhouse-style dining area serving a buffet of lamb stew, reindeer pie, quiche, and potato salad, all made from mostly local ingredients. There's also a tantalizing display of sweets at the afternoon cake buffet. The cook, Elísabet, has published a collection of her favorite recipes available to purchase at the reception in English and Icelandic.

Helmed by the former head chef at Reykjavík restaurant Dill, Nielsen is the first Icelandic eatery to be awarded a Michelin star. The chef does wondrous things with the fine produce, all grown, caught, farmed, and foraged in the restaurant’s radius. You might spot wild game, pickled rhubarb, local barley, and angelica alongside better-known favorites such as fresh fish and lamb. 

Based in an old warehouse made of scrap wood, Pakkhús makes good use of the area's supply of fresh seafood, especially the langoustine, which they are primarily known for (often referred to as 'lobster' in Iceland). Their menu also features duck, lamb, and beef, with some tempting desserts too. The créme bruleé flavored with licorice presents a tasty (and very Icelandic) twist.

The large restaurant inside the Þórbergssetur museum and cultural center is often busy, as there are limited food options along this stretch of road in Iceland. Even with that pressure, the dishes are always tasty, with a special emphasis on lamb and arctic char raised on the local farm. It's an all-day affair too: you can stop by for a light meal, soup, or a waffle or a hearty, three-course evening meal.