Guide to Vegan and Vegetarian Travel in Iceland

Iceland has a lot to offer travelers (particularly travelers who appreciate scenic, desolate landscapes, vast expanses of strange terrain, and surreal spaces as if not from this earth). Geisers, glaciers, fumaroles, volcanoes, and craters. Lava fields, boiling mud pits, and thermal springs. Towering rock formations, giant waterfalls and wide iceberg lagoons. And when weather conditions are right, one can see the aurora borealis, beautiful cloud patterns, and huge rainbows spanning the entire sky. Local residents take a lot of pride in their countrys natural beauty and their large scale reliance on renewable energy. Hydroelectric and geothermal power supply Icelands primary energy and water sources. Sound incredible? Thats because it is. Iceland is the type of place that makes you feel small and fragile powerless when engulfed by all this nature. Its really an amazing place to see with spectacular scenery you wont find anywhere else, so take your time.At least a month is probably necessary to get a good appreciation for all the country has to offer more time if youre relying on catching rides (autostop) or using public transportation.

So in summary, Iceland is a great travel destination.But is it a great travel destination for vegans? Wellthat that question requires a more detailed response.

A quick glance at a guidebook would probably tell you no.

Typical regional specialties include harfiskur (dried fish pieces), hangikjt (smoked lamb), svi(boiled sheeps head), hkarl (putrified shark), sviasulta (head cheese), soured rams testicles, blood pudding,and skyr (a thick yogurt-like dairy product).

Iceland is notorious for its commercial whaling industry, marine products account for a large percentage of the countrys exports, and animal products dominate the regions food culture. Many restaurants specialize in seafood because the ingredients are fresh, local, and easily accessible. And some restaurants, particularly ones that cater to tourists, even serve whale meat and other threatened species. Adventurous travelers who dont want to miss out on the countrys edible delights, fuel this exotic foodie tourism and orderthreatened species like grilled puffin and minke whale steak.

Its hard to fathom how someone can appreciate the beauty of these powerful, intelligent creatures during a wildlife or whale watching tour.then enjoy that same animal for dinner without any hesitation. But hoards of tourists do that every day. The Reykjavik Grapevine has a good article about this (read:Whale Watching Tourists Eating Whale).

Another thing that can make Iceland a particularly tricky destination for vegans is that its fruit and vegetable supply (particularly in the more rural areas) can be pretty meager. Since Iceland is an island destination with a cold climate and the majority of the countrys land mass is mountainous and volcanic, only a fraction of Icelands land is arable. Most vegetables are imported or grown in greenhouses, so the selection isnt always great and prices very drastically.

Despite some of the obvious obstacles Iceland poses for veggie travelers, it is definitely a place worth exploring and vegan and vegetarian travelers will do just fine.

Iceland is certainly no vegan paradise, as it is not well known for its veg-friendly cuisine. But most places can at least adapt one menu item to be made vegan. Foods incorporating locally grown barley are pretty common. And fresh rye (rgbrau)is popular throughout the country. Brennivn, another local specialty, is a traditional liquor made of potatoes and flavored with caraway seeds. Crowberries, blueberries, rhubarb, Iceland moss, wild mushrooms,wild thyme,lovage,angelica, and dried seaweed are also local ingredients that make up Icelandic cuisine. Locally grown vegetables most commonly available in markets are the more hardy vegetables that can survive cold climates (things like cabbage, turnips, rutabagas, and potatoes). Good travel foods like tomatoes, cucumbers, paprikas, and avocados, can often be found too. But they can often be quite expensive.

In the larger cities like Reykjavik and Akureyri, there are actually quite a few restaurants and health food stores that cater to vegetarians (listed further down in this article). Since you likely wont spend all your time in Reykjavik though, youll want to stock up on supplies while youre there.

In more isolated areas (which is basically most other places)it becomes a bit more difficult to find fresh ingredients. And youll have to be more creative and resourceful. This isnt difficult to do it just requires a bit more work. I have a more general list of vegan travel tips that will probably be useful as well, but here are some tips that I think apply specifically to vegan travel in Iceland.

Tips for Being a Happy & Healthy Vegan in Iceland

Vegan/Vegetarian Food in Iceland

Iceland has several restaurants that specifically cater to vegans and vegetarians.A more extensive list of vegan-friendly restaurants & health food stores in Iceland can be found on the Happy Cow Web site (with reviews, price ranges, etc.)but mentioned below are the few I managed to check out while I was there.

Veggie Places I Visited in Reykjavik

Please Note: I wrote this years ago and some of this info may be outdated. Always double check the actual Web sites before visiting these places.

A Naestu Grosum

Address: 20b Laugavegur (the main shopping street)Tel: 552 8410Mon-Fri: 11.30-14.00 and 18.00-22.00Saturday: 11-30-21.00Sunday: 18.00-22.00

Vegetarian whole foods restaurant with daily vegan specials, hearty rye bread, hummus, and chutneys.

Graenn Kostur

Address: Skolavordustigur 8B (Reykjavik) Tel: 552 2028.Open: Mon-Sat 11-30-21.00.Sunday: 16-00 21.00

Healthy, whole foods vegetarian restaurant with great wheat-free and vegan options and pitchers full of fruit-infused waters.

Kaffihusid Gardurinn (Ecstasys Heart Garden)

Small vegetarian cafe with daily soup and entree specials each day and always at least one vegan option. Soup is served with homemade bread and hummus.

Cafe Babalu

Skolavoroustigur 22a, City CentreReykjavik Iceland+354-5522278

Cozy cafe with wifi and some great veggie and vegan options (like vegan carrrot cake, chamomile soy latte, soups).

Kaffi Hjomalind

Cozy vegetarian coffee shop with vegan baked goods, nice coffee, wifi, community computer, a book library, and a room downstairs reserved for various classes/workshops/meetings/meditation. Good stuff!

Veggie Places I Visited in Akureyri

More Info For Vegans Traveling To Iceland

Guides and Articles:

Iceland for Vegans

The Idiots Guide to Being a Spendthrift Vegetarian in Iceland

Restaurants and Stores:

HappyCow Health Food Stores and Vegetarian Restaurants in Reykjavik

Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurants and Health Food Stores in Iceland

Vegetarian/Veg-Friendly Restaurants in Iceland

Blogs & Articles:

Veganlicious A Vegan in Iceland

Lolas Vegan Blog Vegan Vacation: Iceland

Bods Blog Vegetarian Iceland

Fredric Patenaude Eating Raw, Vegan, and Vegetarian in Reykjavik, Iceland

The Reykjavik Grapevine Vegan Iceland?

Veg Dining Land of Contraditions: Veggie Traveling in Iceland

Vegan World Trekker Sights, Sounds, and Vegan Tastes of Iceland

Vegetarian Travel Companies

IcelandVegetarian.com

Phrases for Vegans in Iceland:

g er grnmetista (I am a vegetarian)

g bora ekki kjt (I do not eat meat)

g bora ekki _______ ( I do not eat _____)

kjukling (chicken)

mjolfurafuroir (dairy)

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Vegetarian and Vegan Travel Guide - Iceland | Circle Our Earth