Sometimes traveling as a vegetarian, especially if you don’t intend on cooking all your own meals, can be a little stressful. Happy Cow is a great resource for finding vegetarian/vegan-friendly restaurants across the globe and a quick Wikipedia search will give you a list of side dishes that are normally vegetarian, but when there’s a language barrier and you’re trying to figure out if chicken stock was used to make the stew at restaurant, things can get a little tricky. Luckily, Reykjavík is a safe haven for vegetarians, vegans and those into general healthy eating.
Bergsson Mathús
Bergsson Mathús isn’t a 100% vegetarian/vegan restaurant, but there are always well-marked options on their rotating daily menu, and the focus of all their meals is freshly, healthy eating. Where Bergsson Mathús really excels is at breakfast. They open earlier than most restaurants, making it the perfect choice when you urgently need an americano after a restless “night” of non-existent darkness.
Chia Pod has been trying to break into the New York market, and I’ve tried a few flavors, but can’t seem to get into it. I decided to be brave and give Bergsson’s chia porridge with fruit compote a chance and damn! I guess this is what chia is supposed to taste like. By the end of my time in Reykjavík I was begging the staff to airmail me a bag of their porridge once a week.
Reykjavík is a very walkable city, so sometimes you’re going to need more than a bowl of porridge to fuel up, which is where their vegan brunch plate comes in. Don’t worry- you still get a taste of the porridge with the brunch plate, plus so much more. All food in Iceland is super expensive, but I found Bergsson’s to be among the more reasonably priced options, considering how much food they give you. I loved that baked beans where often part of a Reykjavík breakfast (I found this true in Dublin too); we really need to get on this in the U.S.!
The staff at Bergsson Mathús could not have been friendlier or more welcoming. I ate breakfast there every single morning and even more than the food, everyone’s cheerful attitudes attitudes were the perfect way to start the day. Icelanders are reserved, but once they warm up to you, it’s a lovefest.
Garðurinn
Garðurinn is a tiny little restaurant, but the food packs a nice punch. Icelandic cooking isn’t known for its use of exotic spices, but Garðurinn serves up a lot of Middle Eastern and African inspired dishes, providing a nice change of pace for your palate. [Note: The letter Ð or ð is not a “d,” but a “th” sound; Þ or þ is likewise not a “p,” but another “th.” Ð/ð has “z” mixed with “th,” as in “those” or “them.” Þ/þ is a softer “th” sound, as in “thing” or the name “Theo.”]
The menu here is pretty simple. Each day there are only two options: a soup and a main dish. You can ask for a full-order of either option, or get a small portion of each offering. You know a restaurant is good when you find it full of locals, and I think I was the only non-Icelander there each time I went. Garðurinn clearly has a following and the only caution would be to go mid-afternoon when you can avoid the lunch rush and be guaranteed a table.
The staff are all about meditation and giving out those Buddhist peaceful vibes. They are truly sweet people, making this the type of local business I’m happy my tourist dollars can support.
Gló
When I asked the two front desk workers at Oddsson Hostel what the best vegetarian restaurant was, they both answered in unison: Gló. I guess you could describe Gló as a fast-casual restaurant, with their most popular item being the bowl bar. You can either make your own bowl or opt for one of their pre-set flavor pairings, which I recommend doing. I tried the Mexican, Thai and Greek bowls over my time in Reykjavík, as well as their pulled Oumph sandwich; Oumph is a brand of vegan meat popular in Scandinavia that also just made its debut in U.K. supermarkets. I can’t seem to find it here in New York yet, but it’s very close to seitan in taste and texture. Almost all the bowls at Gló use Oumph as their protein.
There’s always room for dessert; vegan cheesecake must be healthier for you than traditional cheesecake, right? I don’t plan on ever actually verifying this assumption, so if you know otherwise, keep it to yourself!
