Reykjavik: Christmas Food Tour with Tastings and Drinks

Reykjavik’s Christmas food traditions are more unusual than a plate of cookies and hot chocolate. On this three-hour walk, you can try smoked lamb, reindeer pâté, gravlax, pickled herring, and laufabrauð, then wash it down with Icelandic holiday drinks. The food gives you a quick lesson in how Iceland’s Christmas table mixes preservation, local ingredients, and modern festive habits.

I like the way the tour connects each tasting to a story, rather than dropping food in front of you without context. I also like the Christmas lights walk and the stop at the Little Christmas Store, where you receive a locally inspired gift. The main caution is the price, $173 per person, which is high for three hours and may feel steep if you are not keen on meat, fish, or strong traditional flavors.

Key points to know before booking

• Christmas classics in one sitting: Try smoked lamb, glazed Hamborgarhrygg, reindeer pâté, gravlax, pickled herring, and crisp laufabrauð.
• Three festive drinks included: Taste Jólaöl, malt and appelsín, and warm Jólaglögg mulled wine.
• A lights-and-food walk: The route combines Reykjavik’s holiday decorations with guided tastings.
• Palli may be your guide: A recent booking praised Palli for his entertaining style and strong grasp of the food traditions.
• A useful seasonal stop: The Little Christmas Store adds decorations, crafts, and a small locally inspired present.
• Plan for Icelandic weather: The tour runs in all weather, so warm layers and comfortable walking shoes matter.

Why this Christmas food tour is different

Many food walks focus on restaurants or everyday snacks. This one is narrower and more seasonal. Its subject is the Icelandic Christmas table, so the dishes reflect what people traditionally serve during the holiday period rather than a general sample of Reykjavik cuisine.

That makes the tour especially useful early in a winter visit. You can learn what the foods are before encountering them at a Christmas market, hotel buffet, or local meal. You also get a little help with names that may otherwise look mysterious on a menu.

The experience combines food with a guided stroll through central Reykjavik. Christmas lights and decorations are part of the setting, not just background scenery. Since the tour lasts three hours, it gives you enough time to eat at an unhurried pace while hearing the stories behind the dishes.

The format is guided and available in English. A private group option is also offered, which may suit families or small parties who want a more personal pace. The standard information does not specify the exact number of people in a shared group, so ask when booking if group size matters to you.

Meeting in central Reykjavik

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

This is a central location, but do not rely on a quick glance at the square and hope you spot the guide. Your Friend in Reykjavik guides usually wear a light blue jacket with the company name on the back. Arrive with enough time to identify the meeting point, especially in winter darkness or poor weather.

You will not receive hotel pickup or drop-off. That is not a serious problem for most people staying in central Reykjavik, since the meeting point is in the city center, but it does mean you need to arrange your own way there.

The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible. You should still mention any mobility needs when booking, since the experience involves walking outdoors and moving between food stops.

Smoked lamb and the taste of Icelandic Christmas

Smoked lamb, known in Iceland as hangikjöt, is one of the headline tastings. It has a firm texture and a pronounced smoky, savory flavor. If you like cured or smoked meats, this will likely be one of the most immediately appealing samples.

The dish also helps explain the practical side of Icelandic food traditions. Smoking was a way to preserve meat, and preserved foods remain closely tied to Christmas meals. You are not just sampling a festive dish, you are tasting an old method of keeping food through a demanding season.

Hamborgarhrygg adds another style of holiday meat. You will sample a special glazed version, which brings a sweeter finish than the smoked lamb. The contrast between the two is useful: one is smoky and robust, while the other leans toward the polished, celebratory side of a Christmas dinner.

The portions are described as tastings, not full restaurant meals. That is good news if you want to try several strong flavors without committing to a large plate of every dish. It also means you should not book this as your only meal of the day unless the tour operator gives you more specific portion information.

Laufabrauð, the edible Christmas decoration

Laufabrauð is one of the most distinctive foods on the tour. The name means leaf bread, and the thin bread is cut with intricate patterns before it is fried until crisp. It looks decorative, but it is meant to be eaten.

This is one of the tour’s most memorable details because the craft is part of the food. A plain slice of bread would tell you little. A carefully patterned piece of laufabrauð shows how holiday preparation can become a family tradition and a visual part of the Christmas table.

Its crisp, buttery character also offers a welcome change from the smoked and cured foods. You can think of it as a delicate, savory snack with a festive role. If you enjoy food that has a story and a handmade quality, this may be your favorite tasting.

The supplied information does not promise a demonstration of how laufabrauð is made, so do not book expecting a cooking lesson. The value is in tasting it and hearing about its place in Icelandic Christmas customs.

Reindeer pâté, gravlax, and pickled herring

The seafood and game tastings make this a distinctly Nordic Christmas experience. Reindeer pâté has a rich, savory profile and gives you a chance to try a game product associated with Icelandic festive eating.

Gravlax brings cured salmon to the table. Its flavor is gentler than smoked lamb, but it still reflects the wider northern habit of preserving fish. The tour uses these samples to show that Icelandic Christmas food is not built around one single flavor. You move between smoke, salt, sweetness, acidity, and rich pâté.

Pickled herring supplies the sharpest contrast. It has a tangy flavor and may be the most divisive tasting for some people. If you already know that you dislike herring or strongly pickled foods, this is worth considering before paying the full price.

You can tell the guide about allergies and dietary restrictions at booking. The operator says it can adapt the experience for specific dietary needs, but the tour is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians. Because meat and fish are central to the listed tastings, plant-based diners should choose a different Reykjavik food experience.

Three drinks that explain Icelandic holiday cheer

The drinks are not an afterthought. Jólaöl is a traditional Icelandic Christmas ale, giving the tour a local seasonal drink rather than a generic beer stop.

You will also try malt and appelsín, a beloved non-alcoholic Christmas combination. It balances malt’s darker, sweeter taste with the citrus lift of appelsín. This is useful for anyone who wants to join the holiday drinking tradition without alcohol.

Jólaglögg is the warm option. The mulled wine brings spice and heat, which matters on a dark winter walk. It is also one of the moments when the outdoor Christmas setting and the food experience come together naturally.

The inclusion of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks makes the tasting more flexible than a tour built entirely around beer or wine. Still, if you do not drink alcohol, tell the operator in advance so the guide can make the best arrangements for your tastings.

Reykjavik’s lights and the Little Christmas Store

The walking route includes a guided look at Reykjavik’s Christmas lights and decorations. The tour does not present the lights as a separate sightseeing excursion, but they add a pleasant seasonal frame to the food.

This works best if you want a gentle introduction to central Reykjavik after dark. You get a sense of the city’s holiday mood while moving between tastings, rather than spending three hours indoors. The drawback is that winter weather remains part of the deal. The tour operates in all weather, so rain, wind, or snow can affect your comfort.

The Little Christmas Store is another small but worthwhile feature. You can browse festive decorations, artisanal crafts, and seasonal items, then receive a locally inspired gift. This gives the tour a clear ending and something tangible to take home.

Do not view the store stop as a major shopping session. Its value is that it adds a local retail and craft angle to the food. If you want a meaningful souvenir but do not have time to visit many shops, this short stop may be useful.

What the guide adds to the food

The food list alone would not justify the price for everyone. The guide is what turns a series of samples into a cultural experience. You hear why particular dishes appear at Christmas, how drinks fit the season, and what the foods mean beyond their ingredients.

Palli was specifically praised for being entertaining and full of useful information. That matters on a food tour because the pace can otherwise become a procession of names and samples. A lively guide helps explain unfamiliar dishes without making the experience feel like a lecture.

The tour also allows questions and discussion. You can ask about preparation, holiday customs, or the difference between foods that are smoked, cured, glazed, or pickled. Those conversations are likely to be most useful if you arrive with a little curiosity rather than expecting only a meal.

Guide quality can vary from one departure to another, so I would not assume every tour has the same personality as Palli’s. The operator does provide a live English-speaking guide, and recent ratings are very strong, with a 4.8 score from five reviews. That is encouraging, but the small number of ratings means you should treat it as a helpful signal rather than a guarantee.

Is $173 a fair price?

At $173 per person, this is an expensive three-hour activity. You are paying for several tastings, drinks, a local guide, the Christmas lights walk, a shop visit, and a gift. You are also paying for the convenience of getting many seasonal specialties in one organized experience.

The price makes more sense if you would otherwise struggle to find these foods on your own. Several dishes are traditional and specific to Christmas, and you may not want to order a full portion of smoked lamb, pâté, herring, gravlax, and glazed pork separately. The tour lets you sample them in small amounts while learning what you are eating.

It makes less sense if you mainly want a full meal or a basic city walk. You may leave satisfied by the variety, but tastings are not the same as a substantial dinner. One recent booking described the tour as excellent overall while also feeling the price was somewhat high. I think that is the fair reading of the value.

The included drinks help, especially since you get both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. The locally inspired gift is a pleasant extra, but it should not be the reason you book. Think of the gift as a keepsake, not a major part of the price.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend this tour to adventurous eaters who want a focused look at Icelandic Christmas customs. It suits couples, families with older children, and small groups who enjoy trying unfamiliar foods and asking questions along the way.

It is also a good choice for a first visit during the Christmas season. The lights, decorations, dishes, drinks, and shop stop give you a compact introduction to the holiday atmosphere in Reykjavik.

You should think twice if you are vegetarian or vegan, since the experience is specifically not suitable for either diet. People with allergies should contact the operator before booking, even though dietary needs can be accommodated in some cases.

The tour also favors people who are comfortable walking outdoors in winter. Bring warm clothing and comfortable shoes. Smoking is not allowed during the activity, and the all-weather policy means you need to dress for conditions rather than hope for a clear evening.

Booking flexibility and practical details

The tour lasts three hours, with starting times based on availability. It is offered in English, and private groups are available. You can reserve now and pay later, which is useful when your Reykjavik schedule is still changing.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. That gives you some protection if the weather forecast looks poor or your plans shift, but you still need to keep the deadline in mind.

I would schedule it early in your stay if you want the guide’s food suggestions to shape later meals. If your main goal is Christmas lights, an evening departure may make the festive setting more noticeable, though the exact start times should be checked before booking.

Should you book the Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour?

Book it if you want traditional Christmas food with explanations, not just a restaurant meal. The mix of smoked lamb, laufabrauð, reindeer pâté, gravlax, herring, seasonal drinks, lights, and the Little Christmas Store gives the three hours a clear purpose.

Skip it if $173 feels too high for tastings, or if meat and fish are not part of your diet. For everyone else, the tour offers a convenient way to understand Icelandic holiday food without hunting down each specialty yourself. Dress warmly, arrive at Hlöllabátar with time to spare, and let the guide handle the unfamiliar names and flavors.

FAQ

How long does the Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour last?

The tour lasts three hours.

What food is included?

You can sample smoked lamb, laufabrauð, glazed Hamborgarhrygg, reindeer pâté, gravlax, and pickled herring.

What drinks are included?

The tasting includes Jólaöl, malt and appelsín, and Jólaglögg mulled wine.

Is the tour suitable for vegetarians or vegans?

No. The experience is listed as not suitable for vegetarians or vegans.

Can dietary restrictions or allergies be accommodated?

The operator asks you to provide dietary restrictions or allergies when booking and says the experience can be tailored to specific needs.

Where does the tour meet?

The meeting point is outside Hlöllabátar the Sandwich Shop, facing Ingólfstorg Square and the two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to the right.

How can I identify the guide?

The guides usually wear a light blue jacket with Your Friend in Reykjavik written on the back.

Does the tour operate in bad weather?

Yes. The tour operates in all weather conditions, so you should bring warm clothing and comfortable walking shoes.