Vegan's guide to restaurants in Reykjavík

Jon Tyson

In recent years the vegan movement has exploded in Iceland. The country has become a very vegan and vegetarian friendly place so you probably don’t need to pack an entire suitcase of oreos and ramen to survive your trip! There are a number of fully vegan restaurants in Iceland and the list is growing at quite a rapid pace.

Nowadays it is really easy to find vegan and vegetarian restaurants thanks to the Vegan Iceland app. This app uses your location to show you which vegan options are nearby you. The app is not limited to vegan only restaurants as it also tells you which restaurants in your area have a vegan option on the menu, what it is and how good it is. The best part is - it's free!

Veganæs

Veganæs is the ultimate comfort food vegan restaurant located inside of Gaukurinn bar in downtown Reykjavík. The owners are passionate about food and animal rights and they always have the biggest smiles on their faces. For a friendly, casual atmosphere with a fully vegan menu, it doesn't get much better than Veganæs.

Jömm

Jömm are located inside of the Kringlan mall food court just outside of downtown Reykjavík. They also have a food truck outside of Vegan Búðin (The Vegan Shop) in Skeifan. They have great takeaway options so this is an excellent option for 100% vegan food if you are in a rush. They have a selection of burgers, boxes, and wraps featuring the ever popular Swedish Oumph! product line. P.S. Keep an eye out for their sauce line in grocery stores. They have veganized a number of Icelandic sauces and condiments and are accessible in most grocery stores.

Gló

Gló is a great restaurant if you are looking for something a little more on the healthy side. They have a variety of bowls, pizzas, and have a good selection of raw desserts. (Please be advised there are multiple Glo restaurants around Reykjavik but only the one in Engjateigur is fully vegan)

The Junkyard

The Junkyard is a vegan food truck, previously located in Akranes but now located in Reykjavík. They have breakfast options, coffee, and a big menu of indulgent wraps and burgers.

Garðurinn Ecstasy's Heart Garden

This vegetarian cafe is not 100% vegan but most of the dishes served are vegan. The cafe itself is an adorable little place in downtown Reykjavík. There are usually 2 dishes served per day and there are always a number of cakes and pastries available. Seating is quite limited but if you can get a spot it's one of the most charming, cutest cafes in Reykjavík. The food is fresh, healthy, and just like a home cooked meal.

Vegan Grocery Shopping

Bónus, Krónan, Nettó and Hagkaup are the 4 main grocery stores in Reykjavík and you should have no trouble finding vegan options in any of these. Bónus is the cheapest and has the least selection but you can still find vegan cheese, milks, yogurts and plenty of other options without difficulty. Most grocery stores mark fridges and freezers with a big green V to make it clear where the vegan products are but keep in mind there can still be some non vegan products that make their way onto those shelves.

In Reykjavík we have a new store called Veganbúðin or The Vegan Shop. They are located in Skeifan and every single product inside the store is vegan. This is great if you are concerned about having to read labels in a foreign language on your vacation to determine if something is vegan or not. It's also just really fun to visit the store and support a company with a good cause.

Most towns in Iceland have at least one of the 4 largest grocery stores chains. Smaller grocery stores in towns outside of Reykjavík are less likely to be well stocked with speciality vegan products. The Vegan Iceland app will come in really handy for finding restaurants with vegan options. Most restaurants have at least 1 vegan option on their menu due to increased demand over the past years.