Roadside Food on Iceland's Ring Road: Vík, the East, and the North
Photo note: Unless explicitly credited otherwise, the photos in this Iceland article are our original images from our September 27-October 6, 2024 Ring Road trip.
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The most useful food stops on our Iceland road trip were not always the places we had planned months in advance. They were the restaurants that appeared at the right moment: after a long coastal drive, before a remote stretch, or at the end of a day when the weather had changed the plan.
Across the middle of our counter-clockwise loop, Vík, Egilsstaðir, and the Mývatn area each broke up a long driving day in a different way.
Vík after the South Coast
On September 29, we ate at Veitingahúsið Suður-Vík after the South Coast. The bill was 13,570 ISK. After waterfalls, black-sand beaches, and the drive around Dyrhólaey, a proper meal in Vík was more useful than squeezing in another late viewpoint. It gave us time to warm up, recharge, and decide how far we really wanted to drive.
See our South Coast guide and Vík and Reynisfjara guide for the driving context.
Grilled meat dish from our dinner at Veitingahúsið Suður-Vík.
Fish dish from our dinner at Veitingahúsið Suður-Vík.
Egilsstaðir in the East
Egilsstaðir worked as a supply and meal stop after the Eastfjords. By that point, the scenery was quieter and the distances were longer, so a dependable meal had real planning value. It was also a natural place to combine food, fuel, and a warm-bath day if the route included Vök Baths.
Our Hengifoss and Eastfjords guide explains why this section deserves more than a drive-through.
Arctic char at Salt Café & Bistro during our October 2 East Iceland driving day.
Mývatn in the North
The Mývatn area connected food with a full regional day. After volcanic formations, geothermal ground, and a long drive, a relaxed meal made the area feel like a destination rather than a collection of stops. Our records include a Vogafjós farm restaurant receipt near Mývatn, which is the kind of local stop we would plan around again.
Continue with our Mývatn guide or return to the camper-van food guide.
Dessert with cake, cream, berries, and ice cream from our Mývatn food stop.