The Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour

Reykjavik’s Christmas food is more varied than a plate of cookies and ham. Over three hours, you walk through the city for smoked lamb, leaf bread, reindeer paté, gravlax, pickled herring, and Christmas drinks, while your guide fills in the strange and sometimes frightening stories behind Icelandic holiday customs.

I like the small-group walking format, which keeps the meal moving and lets you see central Reykjavik lit up for Christmas. I also like the guides’ personal touch. Palli, Paul, Einar, and Pauly have all received strong praise for their stories, help with food orders, and willingness to take group photos.

The main caution is value. At $173 per person, this is not a cheap way to eat, and one booking reported very small portions at one stop, along with missing laufabrauð and mulled wine. Christmas Day can also affect what is open.

Key points to know before booking

• Five food and tasting stops: The three-hour route includes several regional food stops, with walking sections of about 5 to 10 minutes between them.
• Icelandic Christmas specialties: Expect smoked lamb, laufabrauð, glazed Hamborgarhrygg, reindeer paté, gravlax, pickled herring, and other seasonal tastes.
• Three festive drinks: You may try Jólaöl, malt and appelsín, and Jólaglögg mulled wine, with hot cocoa available instead of the mulled wine.
• Storytelling is part of the meal: Your guide explains holiday traditions and tells Icelandic Christmas stories, including some darker ones.
• The Little Christmas Store is included: You can browse decorations, crafts, and seasonal gifts, then take home a locally inspired present.
• Tell the company about dietary needs early: Allergies and restrictions can be accommodated when reported at booking.

A Christmas meal that walks through Reykjavik

This is not a sit-down feast in one restaurant. You move from stop to stop on foot, eating as you go and using the streets of central Reykjavik as the thread connecting the meal.

That format suits Iceland well. The city center is compact, and the short walks help break up a rich meal. You also get a better sense of Reykjavik in December, when lights and seasonal decorations give the streets a warm look during the darkest part of the year.

The tour lasts three hours. The route begins outside Hlöllabátar, a sandwich shop facing Ingólfstorg Square and its two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is on your right, and benches, tables, and a covered ceiling make this an easy place to wait.

Arrive five minutes early and look for a guide in a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik. That small detail matters in a busy square, especially if the weather is poor or several walking groups are gathering nearby.

The guides bring much of the character. Palli has been praised for his Viking persona and storytelling, while Paul has helped organize food at the stops and taken group photos around the Christmas decorations. Einar received praise for explaining Icelandic traditions and handling an allergy, and Pauly has been described as warm and entertaining. The individual guide can shape the mood, but the common thread is a strong focus on stories and conversation.

First bites near Ingólfstorg Square

The opening stop is at Hlöllabátar, followed by a short walk of about 10 minutes. From there, the food portion begins in central Reykjavik.

The exact order of dishes may vary, but the supplied plan gives you several regional food stops of roughly 30 minutes each. That pacing lets you try a dish, hear its background, and then walk onward before the meal becomes too heavy.

Do not expect a formal Christmas dinner with every dish served at once. You are sampling Icelandic holiday food in stages. For you, that means more variety and less time sitting at one table, but also less control over portion size and timing than you would have in a traditional restaurant meal.

The guide’s explanations are an important part of the value. Food such as smoked lamb and pickled herring can be familiar in name but different in taste and preparation from what you know at home. Hearing why these foods appear at Christmas gives the samples a stronger sense of place.

Smoked lamb and the crisp snap of laufabrauð

Smoked lamb is one of the tour’s key savory tastes. It has a firm, smoky flavor and the kind of presence you expect from a Christmas centerpiece. The dish is a good introduction to Icelandic holiday cooking because it is direct, hearty, and strongly tied to the season.

You also get laufabrauð, or leaf bread. This thin bread is cut into delicate patterns before it is fried until crisp. Its appearance is part of the pleasure, but the texture matters just as much. It offers a light, buttery contrast to the heavier meats.

One important caveat: a December 2024 booking reported that laufabrauð was not served. The advertised food can therefore depend on the date, venue, or supply. If leaf bread is one of your main reasons for booking, it is sensible to confirm what is planned before you pay.

The walking route gives these foods room to register. You are not rushing through a large buffet. Instead, you take a few tastes, listen to the guide, and move on through decorated streets.

Hamborgarhrygg, reindeer paté, and seafood

Another part of the meal centers on special glazed Hamborgarhrygg. This is a traditional Christmas ham preparation, served with a sweet glaze that adds another layer to the savory meat.

The menu then moves across Iceland’s food traditions. Reindeer paté brings a game flavor, while gravlax offers cured salmon with a cleaner, delicate taste. Pickled herring supplies a sharp, tangy counterpoint.

This range is one of the tour’s strongest features. In a short period, you sample meat, game, cured fish, and pickled fish rather than eating several versions of the same dish. If you want a fast introduction to Icelandic Christmas foods, that variety is useful.

It can also be a demanding meal for cautious eaters. Herring, reindeer, and strong smoked foods are not neutral flavors. You do not need to love every bite for the tour to work, but you should come ready to try foods outside your usual holiday menu.

The tasting stop listed near the end of the route lasts about 15 minutes, followed by a longer regional food stop of about 45 minutes. That final section gives the guide more time to explain the traditions and answer questions.

Jólaöl, malt and appelsín, and warm drinks

The drinks add a distinctly Icelandic Christmas angle. Jólaöl is a traditional Christmas ale, while malt and appelsín is a beloved non-alcoholic combination. The two drinks give you a useful comparison between an alcoholic holiday option and a sweet, familiar soft drink.

Jólaglögg, a mulled wine, brings the expected warm spices and winter comfort. If you prefer not to drink wine, or simply want something softer, the company can substitute hot cocoa.

The drink selection is practical for a walking tour because it helps pace the meal and warms you between stops. Still, the experience may not include every advertised drink on every departure. One December 2024 booking specifically reported no mulled wine, so treat the menu as a seasonal plan rather than an absolute guarantee.

You should also tell the company about dietary restrictions and allergies before the tour. The guide was able to accommodate an allergy on one booking when it had been reported in advance. Do not wait until you arrive, since the food is spread across several stops and the company needs time to arrange alternatives.

The Little Christmas Store and Reykjavik’s holiday streets

The visit to the Little Christmas Store gives the food route a clear seasonal finish. You can browse Christmas decorations, handmade items, and other small gifts, then receive a locally inspired present of your own.

This stop is more than a shopping break. It gives you a look at the kind of seasonal objects Icelanders use to mark Christmas, and it offers a chance to take home something smaller and more personal than a standard souvenir.

The timing matters here. The store or nearby Christmas market may not operate normally on Christmas Day. One booking on December 29 noted disappointment because a Christmas market was closed, even though the market was a major reason for booking. Do not assume that every Christmas attraction is open simply because the tour runs during the holiday period.

Your guide may also point out decorations and good photo spots along the way. Paul was specifically praised for suggesting group photos around the city’s Christmas displays. That is a nice extra if you want a record of the evening without arranging every picture yourself.

Icelandic Christmas stories, including the scary ones

The food is only half the point. Your guide also talks about Icelandic Christmas customs and tells stories that can turn dark or downright frightening.

That is especially fitting in Iceland, where seasonal folklore is not limited to cheerful elves and snowflakes. The tour description promises interesting and sometimes terrifying Christmas stories, so families with young children should consider whether that tone suits them.

For adults, the stories add context that a menu alone cannot provide. You learn why certain foods appear at Christmas and how local traditions fit into the holiday season. The guide’s personality matters here, and Palli’s storytelling received especially strong praise.

The best approach is to treat the tour as a conversation with food, not a lecture. You get a chance to ask questions as you walk, and the short route keeps the information connected to the places and dishes around you.

Is $173 a fair price for three hours?

At $173 per person, this tour costs more than a casual meal in Reykjavik. Iceland is an expensive destination, and the fee covers a guide, several food stops, drinks, the walking route, and a gift from the Christmas store.

The price makes more sense if you want structure. You do not need to search for traditional dishes, work out where to go, or guess what the food means. You also get a local guide who handles the stops and adds stories that you would not receive from a restaurant menu.

Still, the cost is not automatically good value for everyone. One booking considered the food portions too small for the price and described one sample as extremely tiny. Since the tour is described as all-inclusive and says you will not leave hungry, expectations should be set carefully. You receive many tastes, but this is still a tasting walk, not a three-hour banquet.

For someone who wants a broad sample of Icelandic Christmas food in one evening, the price may be worthwhile. If you mainly want a large meal, you could find the cost hard to justify.

Who will enjoy this walking food tour?

I would recommend it most strongly to you if you want a guided introduction to Icelandic holiday food and do not want to plan several restaurant stops yourself.

It suits couples, small groups, and solo visitors who enjoy talking while they eat. The reported group size has been as small as 10 people, which is intimate enough for questions without feeling like a huge city tour.

It also works well early in a Reykjavik stay. The route gives you a feel for the center, introduces foods you can seek out later, and helps you get your bearings around Ingólfstorg Square and Laugavegur.

You may want to skip it if you dislike cured fish, smoked meat, game, or pickled flavors. You should also think twice if you need a guaranteed menu with exact dishes, since seasonal availability can change.

The tour is not ideal for anyone expecting a Christmas market visit on a fixed date. The Little Christmas Store is included, but a separate market may be closed on Christmas Day or outside its operating hours.

Weather, timing, and practical details

You walk outdoors between food stops, so wear weather-appropriate clothing. Reykjavik weather can make a short walk feel much longer if you are cold or wet, and the route includes several outdoor sections of 5 to 10 minutes.

The meeting point is outside CenterHotel Plaza, not inside it, near Hlöllabátar and Ingólfstorg Square. Be there five minutes before the start. The guide usually wears a light blue jacket with Your Friend in Reykjavik printed on the back.

The tour is offered in English with a live guide. Starting times depend on availability, so check the date you want rather than assuming a standard departure hour.

You can reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Christmas plans are still moving around. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund.

The overall rating is 4.8 from 19 ratings, with especially strong praise for the guides, the amount and variety of food, and the friendly atmosphere. The less positive feedback focuses on price, small samples, missing menu items, and Christmas market expectations. Those are not minor details, so keep them in mind when judging the cost.

Should you book the Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour?

Book it if you want a guided tasting of Icelandic Christmas traditions, enjoy local stories, and value convenience over a low-cost meal. The combination of smoked lamb, laufabrauð, reindeer paté, gravlax, herring, festive drinks, and the Little Christmas Store gives you a broad look at the season in three hours.

I would be more cautious if you are booking mainly for the Christmas market, a guaranteed serving of mulled wine, or a large dinner. Those details may not be available on every date, and the price is high for tasting portions.

For the best fit, contact the company with your dietary needs before booking, confirm the expected food and drink menu for your date, and arrive ready for cold weather and a few spooky stories. If that sounds like your kind of evening, this is a friendly, focused way to meet Reykjavik through its Christmas table.

FAQ

How long is the Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour?

The tour lasts three hours.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $173 per person.

Where does the tour meet?

You meet outside Hlöllabátar sandwich shop, facing Ingólfstorg Square and the two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to your right.

How early should I arrive?

You should be at the meeting point five minutes before the walking tour begins.

How can I identify the guide?

The local guides usually wear a light blue jacket with Your Friend in Reykjavik printed on the back.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour is conducted in English.

What food is included?

The food can include smoked lamb, laufabrauð, glazed Hamborgarhrygg, reindeer paté, gravlax, pickled herring, and other Icelandic Christmas specialties.

What drinks are included?

The planned drinks include Jólaöl, malt and appelsín, and Jólaglögg mulled wine. Hot cocoa can be substituted for the mulled wine.

Can dietary restrictions and allergies be accommodated?

Yes, the company tries to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies. You need to provide that information before the tour.

Is cancellation free?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.