Best Of Reykjavík 2018: Best Sushi

There has never been a more exciting time for the restaurant scene in Reykjavik. Thanks to burgeoning tourism, exposure, and a genuine curiosity for foods from far and wide, diners now have a plethora of choices on offer. Whether it’s high-end fine dining (we even boast a Michelin starred gem!), or a cheap late night bite, Reykjavik is coming into its own as a culinary destination, offering small plates, tasting menus, farm to table seasonal produce and classic Iceland cuisine, and all while accommodating vegans and vegetarians. The following restaurants are the very best, according to our panel of enthusiastic gourmands. Feel free to let us know what you think of our choices as you eat your way around the city. We’re listening. And we’re hungry.

Best Sushi

Fiskmarkaðurinn

Aðalstræti 12

Hands down our panel’s favourite sushi restaurant in town, we suggest making a meal of the sashimi platter. It’s beautifully presented at the table, with a lot of flair, and deftly sliced fatty salmon and trout, and glistening scallop—left mercifully unadorned—with a sprinkle of roe here, and a delicious mound of wakame there. All of this beautiful food is only made better by the table-side grating of fresh, locally grown, Icelandic wasabi. Pair it with the wasabi cocktail and you have a delicious and refreshing meal.

Runner-Up:

Sushibarinn

Suðurlandsbraut 10

Housed in a beautiful old timber house in the heart of downtown, Sushibarinn offers a variety of sauce-laden sushi rolls—the local favourite—but we recommend sticking to their fresh sashimi platters and washing it down with something from their saké selection. Sakébarinn, located downstairs with an entrance on Laugavegur, offers window seats and takeout.

Runner-Up:

Sushi Social

Þingholtsstræti 5

Not for worshippers of ‘Jiro dreams of sushi’, Sushi Social is the evolution of Japanese dish on this island—aka ‘pylsu sushi’. Traditionalists may baulk, but the surf and turf rolls have a loyal following, and the exhaustive cocktail menu should help any sushi purists through the fusion-cooking trauma.

Previous Winners

2016-7: Fiskmarkaðurinn

2015: SuZushii

2014: Sushisamba

2013: Sakebarinn

Other Dining Categories

Best Burger

Best Coffeehouse

Best Sushi

Best Indian

Best Thai/Chinese

Best Goddamn Restaurant

Best Place For A Fancy Meal

Best Family Meal

Best Cheap Meal

Best Pizza

Best Coffee

Best Bakery

Best Vegetarian Meal

Best Vegan Meal

Best Brunch

Best Seafood

Must-Try Dining Experience

Best Late Night Bite

Best Place To Go With A Group Of Friends

Best Newcomer

Best Lunch Place

Best Veggie Burger

Best Ice Cream

Best Tasting Menu

Best Italian

You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Reykjavík 2018 magazine—an essential guide to having fun in Reykjavík—here, posted worldwide. We also have a Special Offer double-pack that also includes our Best Of Iceland magazine, about places to eat, see, swim, shop and stay, all around the country, here.