The Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour

Christmas tastes better in Reykjavik. This three-hour walking tour pairs Icelandic holiday food with local stories, festive streets, and stops at several city eateries. I especially like the mix of smoked lamb, gravlax, reindeer pâté, and laufabrauð, plus the chance to hear the stranger side of Icelandic Christmas folklore from guides such as Palli, Paul, and Einar. The main concern is value: at $173 per person, portions and included dishes need to match the promise.

I also like that the tour includes drinks, a visit to the Little Christmas Store on Laugavegur, and a small locally inspired gift. It is a good way to taste several seasonal foods without planning your own restaurant crawl. Still, you should confirm the exact food and drink lineup before booking, especially if you are visiting on Christmas Day, when nearby seasonal markets may be closed and substitutions can occur.

Why this tour catches my eye

• Smoked lamb and Christmas ham: You taste two central Icelandic holiday foods, including glazed Hamborgarhrygg.
• Odd and memorable flavors: Reindeer pâté, gravlax, and pickled herring give you a broader picture of Icelandic Christmas cooking.
• Three drinks are included: Try Jólaöl, malt and appelsín, and Jólaglögg, with hot cocoa available instead of the mulled wine.
• Stories are part of the meal: Guides explain the customs behind the dishes and share Christmas tales that can turn frightening.
• The walking route is manageable: The food stops are linked by walks of about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Dietary needs can be discussed: You must provide allergy or dietary information before the tour.

Starting at Hlöllabátar in central Reykjavik

The meeting point is outside Hlöllabátar, a sandwich shop facing Ingólfstorg Square and its two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to your right, and the covered area with benches and tables gives you a practical place to wait.

Arrive five minutes early. The guide usually wears a light blue jacket marked Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back, which helps you spot the group in the center of town. The tour is conducted in English and begins on foot, so you do not need to arrange transport between stops.

The location is useful for another reason. Ingólfstorg sits close to Laugavegur and several central streets, so the route puts you in the middle of Reykjavik’s Christmas decorations from the start. You get a city walk, but the food remains the main event.

Five short walks, five food-focused stops

The route takes about three hours. You walk for roughly 10 minutes between the early stops, then make a shorter five-minute walk before the final food tasting and restaurant stop.

That pace matters in December. Reykjavik can be cold, wet, and windy, and you will spend time outdoors between tastings. Wear a proper coat, warm layers, and weather-ready shoes. This is not a bus tour where you stay sheltered. The walking is part of the experience, but the weather can shape your enjoyment.

The food stops are spread across Reykjavik and usually give the tour a relaxed rhythm. You eat, listen, walk, and eat again rather than sitting down for one long meal. A small group of 10 people made for a friendly setting on one outing, though the available information does not promise that every departure will have exactly that number.

Smoked lamb, laufabrauð, and Icelandic Christmas plates

The strongest part of the experience is the range of food. Icelandic Christmas cooking is not limited to one famous dish, and this tour gives you several chances to compare flavors and textures.

Smoked lamb is one of the key tastes. It has a firm texture and a strong smoky flavor, so it is not a timid introduction to Icelandic holiday food. If you like cured or smoked meats, this will likely be one of the most satisfying samples.

You also get a taste of laufabrauð, or leaf bread. This thin bread is cut into delicate patterns before it is fried until crisp. It is buttery, decorative, and very different from an ordinary slice of bread. Its careful pattern work also shows how festive food can carry a visual tradition, not just a recipe.

The selection may include glazed Hamborgarhrygg, a special Christmas ham preparation. The glaze gives the meat a sweeter holiday profile than the smoked lamb. Having both on the same route lets you compare two important styles of Icelandic Christmas meat: one smoky and robust, the other glazed and more festive.

One point needs care. A December 2024 participant reported that laufabrauð and mulled wine were not served. That does not prove the same issue will happen on every departure, but it is a useful reason to ask what is planned for your date. Food availability can change, and the company may substitute items.

Reindeer pâté, gravlax, and pickled herring

The more unusual samples give this tour its Icelandic character. Reindeer pâté is a memorable stop for anyone who wants to try something beyond familiar Christmas fare. It has a stronger sense of place than a standard cheese or pastry tasting, and it can become one of the foods you talk about after the tour.

Gravlax brings a softer, cured fish flavor to the table. Pickled herring adds tang and sharpness. These dishes help you understand how preserved fish remains part of Nordic holiday food traditions, especially at a time of year when older methods of storing food still shape the menu.

The portions may not always be large. One person felt that a sample at one stop was tiny and that the overall food quantity did not fully match the price. That criticism is important. This is an all-inclusive tasting walk, not a series of full restaurant meals. The tour promises that you will not leave hungry, but you should think of it as a broad sampling of Christmas foods rather than a three-hour dinner with large plates.

At the same time, another person praised the amount and quality of the food, and several people found the restaurants very good. Your sense of value will depend on how much you expect to eat and how much you value the guide, stories, and organization alongside the food.

Christmas drinks, from Jólaöl to hot cocoa

The drinks add a useful seasonal touch. Jólaöl is a traditional Icelandic Christmas ale, while malt and appelsín is a popular non-alcoholic holiday drink. The latter combines malt with orange soda, giving you a taste that is sweet, fizzy, and distinctly tied to Icelandic Christmas.

Jólaglögg, a mulled wine, is also planned. It brings warm spices and a hot drink to the walking route, which is welcome in December. If you prefer, you can request hot cocoa instead.

As with the food, substitutions are possible. One person specifically noted that mulled wine was not served. If the drink matters to you, mention your preference when booking and ask the guide what is available on the day. The tour can accommodate a hot cocoa request, but you should not assume every listed item will appear in exactly the same form.

The drink menu also makes this tour easier for mixed groups. You can try the alcoholic option, choose a non-alcoholic Christmas drink, or request cocoa. Still, the available information does not promise a full drinks package beyond the listed tastings.

Icelandic Christmas stories with Palli, Paul, and Einar

The guides receive the warmest praise. Palli was described as a strong storyteller with a Viking-like presence, while Paul was praised for being welcoming and for taking group photographs beside the Christmas decorations. Einar was praised for explaining Icelandic traditions and handling an allergy with care.

That human side matters. Food tours can become a parade of plates with little context. Here, the guide explains why each dish belongs to the season and adds stories about Icelandic Christmas customs. Some are interesting. Some are unsettling. The promise of occasionally terrifying Christmas stories is not just marketing decoration, it is part of what makes the walk feel tied to local folklore rather than a generic holiday tasting.

Paul’s habit of taking photographs is a nice example of practical guiding. It was his idea, not an extra service listed as part of the tour, so do not treat photos as guaranteed. But a good guide can notice the lights, decorations, and group mood in ways that help turn a food stop into a pleasant evening.

The guide also handles the practical work at the restaurants. One person praised Palli for organizing each stop, which is valuable when you are moving through several venues in a short period. Your guide is the person to ask about ingredients, substitutions, and the story behind a dish.

The Little Christmas Store on Laugavegur

The visit to the Little Christmas Store gives the tour a change of pace. After several food and drink tastings, you browse festive decorations, handmade crafts, and seasonal items along Laugavegur.

This stop is useful if you want a small souvenir with a Christmas connection rather than another restaurant meal. The included locally inspired gift adds to that appeal, though the details of the gift are not specified, so you should not book expecting a particular item.

Take note of the calendar. The Little Christmas Store is included, but that does not mean every nearby Christmas market is open. A person who booked for Christmas Day was disappointed to find the market closed. If a market visit is your main reason for booking, confirm the exact plan before you pay.

That is especially important because Iceland’s holiday opening hours can affect the feel of a city walk. The tour can still offer food, stories, and the store, but a closed market may change what you imagined.

Is $173 a fair price?

At $173, this is an expensive food walk. Iceland is costly, and the price includes a guide, several Christmas dishes, drinks, the walking route, and a gift. If you value local explanation and want to sample foods you would not know how to order on your own, the cost can make sense.

I would judge the value by three questions:

• Do you want a guided introduction to Icelandic Christmas food?
• Will you eat enough of the samples to replace a meal?
• Do you care about stories and local context, not just the number of dishes?

The experience earned a 4.8 rating from 19 reviews, with especially strong praise for the guides, food quality, and friendly atmosphere. That does not erase the price concern. One person considered the food poor value and found one tasting extremely small, while others felt the food was generous and the restaurants were good.

My advice is to book this for the complete package, not for quantity alone. If you want the cheapest way to eat in Reykjavik, this is not it. If you want someone to guide you through smoked lamb, reindeer, cured fish, Christmas drinks, local tales, and festive streets in one evening, the calculation looks better.

Dietary needs and booking advice

The company asks you to provide allergy and dietary information before the tour. One person reported that an allergy was handled successfully after being noted at booking.

Still, you should be specific. Tell the company about allergies, intolerances, vegetarian needs, or foods you cannot eat before you arrive. Do not wait until the first restaurant. The tour can try to adapt, but the exact alternatives are not stated.

You also get free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is available, which gives you some flexibility if your Reykjavik plans are still changing.

The tour is in English only. Because it lasts three hours and includes outdoor walks, you should be comfortable walking between several central stops in December weather. The route itself is not described as difficult, but the cold and wind are practical factors.

Who will enjoy this Christmas food walk?

I would recommend it most strongly to:

• First-time visitors who want an easy introduction to Icelandic holiday food.
• Couples and small groups who enjoy eating while hearing local stories.
• People curious about smoked meats, cured fish, reindeer, and pickled foods.
• Anyone who wants a planned evening instead of choosing several Reykjavik restaurants alone.
• Visitors who enjoy Christmas decorations, small shops, and seasonal drinks.
• Families or mixed-age groups who can use the non-alcoholic drink and hot cocoa options.

I would be more cautious if you are looking for large restaurant portions, a guaranteed Christmas market visit, or a fixed menu with every advertised item. You should also ask questions before booking if you have strict dietary restrictions.

Should you book the Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour?

Book it if you want stories, variety, and a guided taste of Icelandic Christmas, and you are comfortable paying a premium for the complete experience. The best part is the combination of unusual foods and engaging guides such as Palli, Paul, and Einar. It gives you a practical introduction to dishes that may be hard to identify or order on your own.

Skip it if your main goal is a large meal or a Christmas market. At $173, the portions may feel too small for your budget, and seasonal items can change. Before booking, confirm the food lineup for your date, ask about mulled wine or hot cocoa, and do not assume a market will be open on Christmas Day.

FAQ

Where does the Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour begin?

It begins 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 in front of CenterHotel Plaza, outside rather than inside, five minutes before the start time.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts three hours.

Is transportation included?

The tour is conducted on foot. The walking sections between stops take about 5 to 10 minutes.

What foods are included?

The planned food includes smoked lamb, laufabrauð, glazed Hamborgarhrygg, reindeer pâté, gravlax, and pickled herring. Specific items can vary.

What drinks are included?

The planned drinks include Jólaöl, malt and appelsín, and Jólaglögg mulled wine. Hot cocoa can replace the Jólaglögg if requested.

Can dietary restrictions and allergies be accommodated?

The company tries to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies. You must provide the information before the tour, ideally when booking.

Is the Little Christmas Store part of the tour?

Yes. The route includes a visit to the Little Christmas Store on Laugavegur, with decorations, crafts, seasonal items, and a locally inspired gift.

Is the tour offered in languages besides English?

The live tour guide conducts the experience in English.

Can I cancel the tour for a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is also available.