Weekend Reykjavik Food Tour with a stop at the Reykjavik Flea Market

The best thing about this Reykjavik food tour is its range. In about three hours, you go from harbor shellfish soup to a lamb hot dog, supermarket sweets, traditional Icelandic foods, and a hearty bowl of meat soup. It is part tasting menu, part city orientation, with stories about Icelandic food and culture along the way.

I like the small maximum of 12 people, since it gives you a better chance to ask questions and hear your guide. I also like the central route, which begins at Ingólfur Square and finishes downtown, so you can keep sightseeing without arranging a ride. The main catch is timing: the flea market is open only Saturday and Sunday, and busy city events or a long hot-dog line can change the plan.

Key points to know before booking

• The food is filling: Soup appears twice, and the tastings add up to much more than a few nibbles.
• Kolaportið is weekend-only: The Reykjavik Flea Market operates Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The original hot-dog stand is a major stop: Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur has served hot dogs since 1937, but the line can sometimes prevent the planned tasting.
• Guides shape the experience: Óli, Stefán, Ester, Ólafur, and others are praised for warmth, humor, stories, and local knowledge.
• It works well on your first day: The walking route helps you get your bearings while keeping you awake after a flight.
• Come hungry and dress for weather: The tour runs outdoors in all conditions, and several tastings make a proper lunch unnecessary.

A practical first taste of Reykjavik

This is a good introduction to Iceland because it does not treat food as an isolated subject. As you walk through central Reykjavik, your guide connects what you eat with the island’s climate, volcanic ground, fishing culture, and older traditions.

That context matters. Icelandic food can seem unusual if you meet it without explanation. Fermented shark, dried cod, lamb, rye bread, and meat soup make more sense when you hear why people preserved food, relied on sheep, or made use of what the sea provided.

The route lasts about three hours, though one detailed account notes that it can run longer than expected. I would avoid scheduling a tight museum visit, airport transfer, or other timed activity immediately afterward. The walking is generally manageable, but there are some uphill stretches, stairs, and restaurant steps that may matter if you have mobility concerns.

Your meeting point is Ingólfur Square, at Hlöllabátar, Ingólfstorgi 1. Arrive five minutes early. The tour ends at Icelandic Street Food on Lækjargata, right in the center of town.

Starting at Ingólfur Square

The square is a useful launch point because it puts you close to several central sights and the old harbor. You are not collected from your hotel, so plan to walk or use public transportation to the meeting point.

The small-group format is one of the tour’s stronger features. With no more than 12 people, it is easier to stay together on city streets, hear the guide, and ask about foods that seem unfamiliar. On one occasion, a tour went ahead with only two people, creating an almost private experience. That is not something you should count on, but it shows the operator may still run a particularly small departure.

Guides named in the tour feedback include Óli, Stefán, Ester, Ólafur, Einor, Paul, and Bo, also identified as Sveinbjörn. The strongest pattern is not a fixed script, but the personality of the guide. Óli is described as calm and friendly, Stefán as funny and engaging, and Ester and Ólafur as strong storytellers with plenty of Icelandic background to share.

Guide quality can vary from person to person. One account found the guide less talkative and said questions were needed to draw out information. If you enjoy conversation, ask about the ingredients, local customs, and how Icelandic food changed over time. You will get more from the walk than by simply waiting for each tasting.

Shellfish soup beside the old harbor

The first substantial stop is near the old Reykjavik harbor, where you receive an Icelandic shellfish soup. It is a sensible opening dish: warm, local, and closely tied to Iceland’s fishing culture.

This is also a useful point for anyone with dietary restrictions. Fish and seafood are important parts of the tasting plan, but substitutions have been made for people with fish allergies. You should still provide your dietary information when booking and remind the guide at the start. The tour can accommodate some needs, but the supplied details do not promise that every allergy or preference can be handled.

The soup is served as a tasting rather than a full restaurant meal. Still, it begins a day of repeated portions, so you do not need to eat lunch before meeting the group.

Kolaportið, Reykjavik’s weekend flea market

The visit to Kolaportið adds something a standard restaurant crawl cannot. This is an indoor market where you can see traditional Icelandic foods together, rather than encountering each one in a polished restaurant setting.

The market stop is scheduled for about 30 minutes. Expect a quick look at foods such as dried cod and frozen sheep’s head, along with other local products. Some items are more interesting as cultural specimens than as lunch. Your guide helps explain what you are seeing and why these foods belong to Iceland’s older food traditions.

Timing is crucial. Kolaportið is open only on Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. If the tour is not operating within those hours, the flea market stop cannot happen as described. Citywide events can also complicate the route. One departure took place during major public events, with road access and meeting arrangements causing delays, and the group missed the market entirely.

That risk is worth taking seriously if the market is your main reason for booking. Check the departure time and local event calendar, and ask the operator to confirm the market stop if your schedule is tight. On a normal weekend departure, this is one of the more distinctive parts of the experience. You can also return on your own after the tour if you want more time to browse.

The 1937 lamb hot dog stop

No Reykjavik food walk can ignore Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, the famous hot-dog stand that dates to 1937. The tour presents the Icelandic lamb hot dog as a signature tasting, and it is an easy, inexpensive-looking food with a large place in Reykjavik’s popular culture.

The stop is planned for about 15 minutes. The practical problem is the queue. If the line is too long, the group may move on without eating. One person was promised a voucher to return later, but it did not arrive, so do not assume a missed tasting will automatically be replaced.

This is the tour’s clearest weak point because the hot dog is featured so strongly in the schedule. If you care about trying it, ask your guide what the backup plan is. You may also want to return independently if you miss it, though the tour price does not guarantee a separate visit later.

Taste is personal, too. Some people find the lamb hot dog memorable, while others find it ordinary compared with the hot dogs they know at home. I would treat it as a cultural stop first and a gourmet revelation second.

Icelandic snacks at a local supermarket

The supermarket visit lasts only about 10 minutes, but it gives you a practical look at modern Icelandic eating. Here you can inspect local snacks, candy, and unusual packaged foods that are easy to buy again after the tour.

This stop is especially useful if you want edible souvenirs. A supermarket also shows you what Icelanders actually encounter in daily life, not just the dishes chosen for a tourist tasting. Your guide can point out products that might otherwise be hard to identify.

Do not expect a long shopping session. The point is comparison and explanation, not a full grocery tour. If you find something you want, remember the name or take a quick photo so you can return later.

Traditional foods, including the bold stuff

The tastings may include foods that are not part of your usual diet. Icelandic dishes such as dried cod, fermented shark, and even whale meat have appeared during the food experience. The shark has a powerful reputation, and some people find its flavor hard to describe. Whale meat was compared by one person to steak.

You are not required to love every bite. That is part of the value here. The guide gives you a safe setting to try foods you might not order alone, then explains how they fit into Icelandic culture.

The tour is not designed around a single refined meal. It is a sequence of samples, stories, and stops. Some portions are small, and one account felt the total meal was not quite lunch-sized. Other accounts found the food delicious, filling, and substantial, especially with the two soups included.

If you are selective about food, the tour can still work, but look closely at the stop descriptions. The seafood soup and traditional samples are central to the experience. A fish allergy may be accommodated with substitutions, but strong dislikes are harder to plan around.

Finishing with meat soup and an Icelandic drink

The tour concludes at Icelandic Street Food with a large bowl of meat soup. The operator calls it Iceland in a bowl, and that is a fair description of its role in the meal: warm, simple, traditional, and satisfying after several tastings.

This is more than a final sample. The serving is described as a big bowl, so it helps balance the smaller portions earlier in the walk. You also finish with an Icelandic drink, including an alcoholic beverage. Since alcohol is included, tell the guide if you do not drink and ask what alternative beverage is available.

The end point on Lækjargata is convenient. You finish in central Reykjavik rather than at a remote restaurant, making it easy to continue walking, shop, or return to your accommodation.

What the $151.38 price really buys

At $151.38 per person, this is not a cheap way to grab lunch. You are paying for a guided, small-group experience, several tastings, beverages, an alcoholic drink, taxes, and the convenience of having the stops arranged for you.

The value is strongest if you want context. You could buy a hot dog and soup for less, but you would miss the explanation of Icelandic ingredients, the market visit, the supermarket stop, and the chance to sample foods you might not choose independently.

The price is harder to justify if you mainly want a full restaurant meal. Portions are spread across several stops, and the tour is more about variety than one generous feast, despite the filling final soup. I would book it as a cultural food walk, not as the best-value lunch in Reykjavik.

A small group improves the calculation. A maximum of 12 people means more guide access than a large coach excursion, and the route doubles as a downtown orientation. For a first afternoon in Iceland, that combination can be useful enough to justify the cost.

The smartest time to take it

I like this tour most for your first day in Reykjavik. Walking, eating, and listening can keep you moving through the afternoon instead of surrendering to a jet-lag nap. Several people found it a good way to get oriented and start the trip.

Take it on a weekend if Kolaportið matters to you. The market is open only Saturday and Sunday, and the stated hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Allow extra time around festivals, marathons, cultural days, and other city events, since crowded streets can affect meeting points and food stops.

Dress for changing weather. The tour operates in all conditions, and you will be outdoors between stops. Wear comfortable shoes, especially since the route includes some uphill walking and stairs.

The tour is offered in English. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and most people can participate. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Who should book this food walk?

I would recommend it to you if you:

• Want a first look at Reykjavik as well as Icelandic food
• Like trying unusual dishes, including fermented or preserved foods
• Prefer a guide who can explain local customs and ingredients
• Are happy with several tastings instead of one formal meal
• Want a small group and a central start and finish
• Can take the tour on a weekend if the flea market is important

I would be more cautious if you have a strict seafood allergy, though substitutions have been provided before. I would also hesitate if you need guaranteed access to the hot dog stand or if the flea market is the only feature that interests you.

Should you book the Weekend Reykjavik Food Tour?

Book it if you want an easy, social introduction to Reykjavik with real Icelandic flavors and plenty of conversation. The best parts are the mix of shellfish soup, lamb hot dog, market foods, snacks, traditional dishes, and meat soup, along with guides such as Óli, Stefán, Ester, and Ólafur who bring the stories to life.

Before paying, check that your departure falls during Kolaportið’s weekend opening hours. Arrive early, skip lunch beforehand, dress for rain or wind, and keep the rest of the day flexible. If those conditions suit you, this is a useful first-day experience that gives you both food memories and a working map of downtown Reykjavik.

FAQ

How long does the Weekend Reykjavik Food Tour last?

The tour lasts approximately three hours, though it can run longer than expected. Keep your schedule afterward flexible.

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at Hlöllabátar, Ingólfstorgi 1, at Ingólfur Square in central Reykjavik. You should arrive five minutes before the start time.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Icelandic Street Food, Lækjargata 8, in the heart of downtown Reykjavik.

Is the Reykjavik Flea Market open every day?

No. Kolaportið Flea Market is open only on Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What food is included?

The planned tastings include Icelandic shellfish soup, an Icelandic lamb hot dog, local snacks and candy, traditional Icelandic foods, and a bowl of meat soup. An Icelandic drink is also included.

Is the hot dog tasting guaranteed?

The hot dog is a planned stop, but a long line may prevent the group from being served. A missed tasting is not automatically guaranteed to be replaced.

Are drinks included?

Yes. Beverages and an alcoholic beverage at the end of the food journey are included.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. You are responsible for reaching the central meeting point, and hotel drop-off is not included.

What happens if I need to cancel?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.