Reykjavik: Christmas Food Tour with Tastings and Drinks

Reykjavik turns into a holiday block party after dark. This Christmas food tour mixes tastings of Icelandic seasonal dishes and drinks with a short walk to see the Christmas lights and decorations, plus a stop at a Little Christmas store where you get a locally inspired gift. I especially like how the menu balances heavy, smoky comfort food with crisp and tangy items, and I also like that your guide connects each bite to the cultural meaning behind it. One thing to weigh is the price, since $173 for 3 hours is on the higher side for what is, at the end of the day, a walking tasting.

The structure is simple and practical: you meet, you sample a lineup of classics, you sip festive drinks, and you finish with shopping time and a takeaway souvenir. If you are prone to cold-weather misery, plan to bundle up, because you will be walking outdoors and the tour runs in all weather. Also note it is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians, so check dietary needs early if you eat a restricted diet.

Key Things I’d Hold Onto Before You Book

• A guided lineup of Icelandic Christmas staples, from smoked lamb to leaf bread, with multiple stops for variety
• Festive drinks included, including Jólaöl, malt & appelsín, and Jólaglögg mulled wine
• Christmas lights walkthrough, so it is not only food, it is also the seasonal atmosphere
• Little Christmas Store stop plus a locally inspired gift, which helps justify the experience beyond the tastings
• English-speaking guide who focuses on stories and cultural significance behind what you eat
• Wheelchair accessible and private group options available, with a meeting point that has benches and a covered waiting area

Reykjavik Christmas, Built Around Food and Lights

This is a great fit if you want one short, organized way to feel the season in Reykjavik without planning a thing. In 3 hours, the tour gives you a guided taste of Christmas flavors and then adds the visual mood of the city after dark.

What I like most is the pacing. You do not get stuck at one place. Instead, you move through the experience in a way that keeps it lively: snack, sip, quick context, then a bit of walking for the lights and decorations. That flow matters in Iceland in winter, because it keeps your time feeling active rather than just standing in line.

Another good point is that the tour is built around real dishes, not just sweet treats. You get a mix of smoked, fried, cured, pickled, and glazed flavors. That variety helps you understand what Icelandic Christmas tables tend to feel like, even if you are only in town for a few days.

Where You Meet: Hlöllabátar by Ingólfstorg Square

The meeting spot is outside Hlöllabátar the Sandwich Shop, facing Ingólfstorg Square and the two tall stone pillars. CenterHotel Plaza is to your right, and there are benches, tables, and a covered ceiling to wait under if the weather turns.

It is a small but important detail. When it is cold and dark, you want an easy, obvious start point and somewhere comfortable to regroup before you head out. Your guide is typically wearing a light blue jacket with Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back, which makes it easier to find the group quickly.

Bring comfortable walking shoes and dress warm. You will be outside, and this tour operates in all weather conditions. If you hate being cold, treat that like a design feature you prepare for, not a surprise.

The Tastings That Actually Feel Like Christmas

The core of the tour is the food, and it is built to cover multiple Icelandic Christmas flavors in one session. You start with smoked lamb, known for robust flavor, and you move into laufabrauð (leaf bread). This is the crispy, intricately patterned fried bread that shows up at Christmas time in Iceland, and it is a fun counterpoint to the heavier, smoky foods.

Then you get several more classics in smaller tastings, including:

• Glazed Hamborgarhrygg, a special Christmas-style ham with a sweet, glazed finish
• Reindeer pâté, an iconic option that feels distinctly Icelandic
• Gravlax, a cured salmon with bright, savory flavor
• Pickled herring, tangy and punchy, the kind of bite that changes your palate fast

I like tours like this for one reason: they teach you how Icelandic holiday flavors work together. The smoked lamb and glazed ham lean comforting and hearty. The leaf bread brings crisp texture. Gravlax adds a cured, clean taste. Pickled herring brings acidity and bite. Reindeer pâté sits in the middle as a bolder flavor you can either love quickly or use to learn your own preferences.

The guide is also part of why the tastings land well. Expect lively discussion about the history and cultural significance behind each dish and drink. That turns a tasting menu into something you can remember, not just something you eat.

A Practical Note on Portions

You are not going to leave stuffed like you had a full restaurant meal. Instead, think of it as guided sampling designed to taste widely. If you arrive very hungry, plan for the tastings to satisfy you, but also know the experience is meant to be balanced, not a single huge feast.

Christmas Drinks Included: What You Can Sip

Food is only half the fun here. The included drinks are clearly chosen to match the Christmas theme, and you get both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options depending on what you choose.

Included drinks are:

• Jólaöl, a traditional Icelandic Christmas ale
• Malt & appelsín, a popular non-alcoholic Christmas drink
• Jólaglögg, mulled wine, warm and aromatic

I like that the tour includes a non-alcoholic option, because it keeps you in the holiday mood even if you do not want alcohol. And because the drinks are integrated with the tastings, you get an easier sense of how flavors shift when you pair food with something warm, spiced, or sweet.

In winter, drinks like mulled wine matter more than they do in other places. Warm beverages help you stay comfortable while you walk past the lights. Even if you do not drink wine, the idea of pairing a seasonal sip with cold-weather sightseeing is exactly what makes this tour feel like Christmas, not just a food list.

Seeing Reykjavik’s Christmas Lights and Decorations

Mid-tour, you get a guided walk to see Christmas lights and decorations. This is the part that makes the experience feel like it belongs in Reykjavik, since you are not just traveling between indoor tasting rooms.

What you gain is atmosphere. You get to connect the food you are eating to the season you are seeing outside. The guide adds context while you walk, so you do not just look at light displays. You learn small pieces that help the holiday feel local and intentional.

This section is also good for photos, but manage expectations. In Iceland winter, light changes fast, and weather can be unpredictable. Bring your camera gear with gloves in mind, because fumbling for it mid-walk is a pain.

Little Christmas Store Stop and Your Locally Inspired Gift

A big part of why this tour feels like more than a standard tasting is the shop stop. You visit the Little Christmas Store, where you can browse festive decorations and seasonal treasures, and you also receive a locally inspired gift to take home.

This matters for value. Without the store and gift, you could write off part of the experience as just food and drink, which you could recreate later. With this added stop, the tour gives you a tangible memory that fits the theme of Icelandic Christmas.

It also helps you interact with the holiday vibe in a low-pressure way. You do not need to hunt for souvenirs on your own, and you can shop at a comfortable pace because the tour includes time built into the flow.

Price and Value: Is $173 Reasonable for 3 Hours?

Let’s talk about the number plainly. $173 per person for a 3-hour guided tour is not cheap. I get why some people feel it is high, especially if you compare it to shorter snack tours.

Here is how I would judge value instead of just cost:

• You get multiple tastings plus drinks, not just one appetizer
• You get a guide who provides context about cultural significance, not only service
• You also get the Christmas lights and decorations walk
• You finish with a store visit and a locally inspired gift

If you value guided storytelling, want an all-in-one holiday experience, and like being fed warm and cold-weather friendly drinks while you walk, the price starts to make more sense. If you only care about eating a couple items and would rather explore on your own, you might prefer a cheaper option with less structure.

One more detail from real-world expectations: the guide quality appears to be a major reason people rate this tour so highly. Guides such as Pascal and Palli have been highlighted for being entertaining and knowledgeable, which matters because a food tour can either feel like a checklist or a fun, informed walk.

Who This Tour Suits Best (And Who Might Want to Skip)

This experience is best for you if:

• You like trying a range of Icelandic seasonal foods in a short time
• You want both food and the visual side of Reykjavik Christmas
• You enjoy guided explanations tied to what you are tasting
• You want a ready-made holiday activity when the city feels busy

It is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians, so if you follow those diets, you will likely need to look for an alternative tour format. The good news is that the operator is happy to accommodate specific dietary needs, but the tour itself is still listed as not suitable for vegans or vegetarians, so confirm what they can do before you book.

If you want a quiet, sit-down meal, this may feel more active than you expect because it includes walking, lights viewing, and a store stop. This is a food-and-holiday experience with movement built in.

Practical Tips for a Cold, All-Weather Walk

This is winter Reykjavik, so you should pack like a local: warm layers, gloves, and good shoes. The tour gives the right baseline advice, but I’ll translate it into what actually helps you feel comfortable.

• Wear warm clothing you can adjust in layers.
• Use comfortable shoes, because you will be walking outdoors.
• Expect the tour to run in all weather, so bring what you need for wind and cold.
• Keep smoking out of the plan, since smoking is not allowed.
• If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, inform the operator when booking so they can tailor what you receive.

If you are the type who hates changing plans because of weather, this tour still works well because it is designed for real Icelandic conditions. Your job is mainly preparation.

Should You Book This Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour?

If you want an efficient, guided way to taste Reykjavik Christmas flavors and see the city’s decorations without building an itinerary, I think this is a strong choice. The combination of smoked lamb and leaf bread, included festive drinks like Jólaöl and Jólaglögg, a lights walk, and the Little Christmas Store stop plus locally inspired gift makes the tour feel like a full holiday outing rather than just a snack sprint.

Book it if you:

• like guided food experiences with context
• want Christmas lights included in the plan
• are comfortable with meat and fish-based Icelandic Christmas classics

Skip it if you:

• follow a vegan or vegetarian diet
• want the cheapest possible food option in Reykjavik
• dislike walking outdoors in winter

FAQ

What is the duration of the Reykjavik Christmas Food Tour?

The tour lasts 3 hours.

How much does the tour cost per person?

The price is $173 per person.

Where do I meet the guide?

You meet outside Hlöllabátar the Sandwich Shop, facing Ingólfstorg Square and the two tall stone pillars, with CenterHotel Plaza to your right.

What food and drinks are included in the tasting?

The tour includes tastings of smoked lamb, laufabrauð, glazed Hamborgarhrygg, reindeer pâté, gravlax, and pickled herring, plus drinks including Jólaöl, malt & appelsín, and Jólaglögg mulled wine.

Is hotel pickup included?

No, hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Is the tour suitable for vegans or vegetarians?

No, it is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.

What language is the tour guide?

The live guide speaks English.

What should I bring and wear?

Bring comfortable shoes and warm clothing, since the tour operates in all weather conditions.

Can the tour accommodate dietary needs?

The operator is happy to accommodate specific dietary needs, so you should tell them about your restrictions or allergies when booking.