Reykjavík is absolutely safe and very pleasant for people who are on a gluten-free diet. The following guide will give you a nice overview of the wide selection of places where you can enjoy the local food and stay gluten-free.
Being a tiny country with an even smaller population, you might have the impression that Iceland doesn’t offer many options for visitors with food allergies. Surprisingly, Reykjavík is absolutely safe and very pleasant for people who are on a gluten-free diet. The following guide will give you a nice overview of the wide selection of places where you can enjoy the local food and stay gluten free. It is always good to know you can get a nice meal without having to worry about your sensitivity or disease bringing some nasty consequences.
The variety of gluten-free products in supermarkets is fairly good. Gluten-free bread, crackers, cookies, nuts, chocolate, veggies and meat are all available in the largest supermarkets in Reykjavik: Krónan, Bónus, Hagkaup and Nettó.
These supermarkets can be found in the larger towns all around the country, however, there are not so many. Save this list of grocery stores in Iceland with a map and your search will be easy!
Some of the grocery stores called 10-11 have a salad bar – these stores are open around the clock and there are quite a few of them in the capital area.
Heilsuhúsið, the ‘Health Store’, is an amazing source of organic and local food, this shop has an entire section dedicated to gluten-free products. They have six shops in the country: four in the capital area, one in South Iceland and one in North Iceland.
There are quite a few roadside shops at the petrol stations around the Ring Road that offer snacks like sandwiches and hot dogs. Icelandic hot dogs often contain wheat and these small snack bars usually cannot cater for those with special dietary needs. Although they normally sell nuts, fruits, and the famous Icelandic Skyr, this is a type of yogurt which is gluten free.
It is advisable to do your shopping in Reykjavík before heading out to the countryside. The selection of products in little village stores is much smaller and the opening hours are less friendly. Always keep some own snacks, bread or crackers with you in case you cannot find places that can safely accommodate your dietary restriction.
If you are staying in a hostel, AirBnB or a campsite you might have a kitchen available to cook for yourself, this is a good plan B.
Restaurants are quite aware of gluten-free dietary requirements, it is, though, always a good idea to call them first and ask what options they are able to offer. They will also appreciate having extra time to prepare something suitable if they are willing to do so, and a great many are with sufficient notice.
If you have coeliac disease which is serious, make sure to call the restaurant ahead of time and inquire about their gluten-free menu and the possibility of contamination. Upon arrival, it is advised to double-check with your waiter again when you arrive, explaining your dietary limitations and the possible consequences of a failure to the person who will be serving you.
Those who like seafood and lamb are the luckiest because they will find something delicious to eat very easily. Chicken is also common in Iceland, but most restaurants usually offer something more characteristic of local cuisines, such as puffin, horse meat or beef. Pork is not that common in restaurants here.
We have created a list of restaurants and cafés in Iceland that offer gluten-free options. It is based on the recommendations of travelers who are on gluten-free diets. We have only featured those places which have good reviews on Tripadvisor, and ‘gluten-free’ has been mentioned in at least two positive reviews. We have highlighted those places that have plenty of very positive reviews regarding their gluten-free options and we are constantly updating the list.
The list is not final, we update it regularly.
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