Food Truck Frenzy: All You Can Eat, Off The Street

Look, Reykjavík isn’t exactly a street food paradise. It’s also not the easiest city to walk around in and eat at the same time — thanks, harsh Atlantic winds. But when some food trucks pop up on a street corner or at a festival, you’ll want to remember which ones are worth it. Here are some that we recommend.

Lángos Vagninn

Tryggvagata 19 (harbour-side entrance)

Opening hours: Saturdays & Sundays, 11:00-17:00

Nestled on the sea-facing front of Kolaportið, a singular food truck stands steady. This is Lángos Vagninn, offering delicious Hungarian street food to all passersby. Most traditionally, a lángos consists of fried dough topped with garlicky sour cream and cheese. But co-founder and accomplished chef Bernadett has used the lángos palette to present new flavours — from barbeque to a strawberries-and-Nutella dessert lángos, plus they even offer a vegan option! Alongside partner Zsófia, the two are bringing the tastes of Hungary to Iceland.

Pizza Port

Laugavegur 48 (back alley)

Opening hours: 12:00-21:00 every day

Hidden in a back alley behind a jewellery design store on Laugavegur, Pizza Port offers a rather traditional menu of Neapolitan sourdough pizzas; parma, diavola, capricciosa, with a couple of options leaning towards an Icelandic twist (dates — Icelanders love dates on pizzas). The price range is a manageable 2.400-2.800 ISK for a 12-inch pizza, which will leave even a carb-starved endurance athlete content.

Mijita

Check their Instagram @mijita_ehf to find out when and where they are open

Colombian-native María Jiménez Pacífico brings the taste of Colombia, like empanadas and arepas, to Reykjavík. Think cheese-filled empanadas or a southern grilled veggie mix for arepas. They’ve recently added a new kimchi empanada. It all started at the Reykjavík Street Food Festival in 2022, and a year later, they won the festival’s Best Vegetarian Option. You can get Mijita’s assortment at local stores such as Hagkaup and Melabúðin, takeout from their kitchen in Kópavogur, and delivery via Wolt — but we recommend looking out for the bright truck in the colours of the Colombian flag.

Vöffluvagninn

Frakkastígur 27

Opening hours: 12:00-21:00 every day

Vöffluvagninn, in its various incarnations, has existed — we believe — as long as Reykjavík has. Well, maybe not that long, but we are talking decades. While it used to just show up, unannounced here and there (there mostly being Lækjartorg), its whereabouts and origins generally a mystery, since nobody ever remembered seeing it while sober, it has now settled permanently near the heart of Reykjavík tourism: Hallgrímskirkja. While people have varied opinions on the quality of the only item on the menu, Belgian waffles, the menu, the vibe and the branding is at least as consistent as anything in this city can be.

Ísbíllinn

When and where you’re lucky enough to see (or hear) it

There’s a particular sound only people who’ve spent a few summers here can recognise — the unmistakable jingle of the ice cream truck approaching. According to their website, the ice cream truck drives around just 7-12 times each summer, driving through “every street, home to every town and through most of the more populated summer cottage areas.” The selection is surprisingly solid — way better than you’d expect. Dozens of types of packaged ice cream, including lactose-free and vegan options. They also sell other frozen goods, like pizza (because why not). You can even order the truck to your home if, let’s say, you’re throwing a party.