Despite the numerous visits to Baejarins Betzu Pylsur for their scrumptious hot dogs, we did have some time (and room in our stomachs) to visit other restaurants for delicious bites. Below are a few of my favorite dining explorations in Reykjavik and of course it's accompanied with pictures that will surely make you hungry!

Icelandic Fish & Chips

After coming back from London, I still had a hankering for some good ol’ fish and chips. Icelandic Fish & Chips kept coming up on my radar during my research for good eats in Reykjavik. It’s also conveniently connected to The Volcano House, a museum to explore films on volcanic eruptions and exhibits on volcanic rocks.

We slipped in with about 20 minutes left till closing time, but we were seated immediately and reassured to take our time. After scanning the menu of their selection of fresh fish, we ordered a plate lobsters and the cod fish and chips. We weren’t sure of portion size so we asked the waiter what he thought. He was quick to point out that what we ordered would probably be too much food for two people and we wouldn’t be able to finish it. We ordered it anyway.

The fish was fresh and very nicely battered. While holding the battered part of the fish, it felt fairly warm but after taking that first bite, steam gushed out of the hot, moist fish. The chips weren’t fries like I expected, instead they were wedges of potatoes which I'm not too fond of. It was a little too starchy and bland for my taste. The lobster dish completely surprised me. I was expecting a large lobster tail on the plate, but instead it was a bunch of tiny ones, almost the size of crawfish. They tasted amazing though, nice and crispy with a great garlic butter flavor. Oh, and we completely demolished the two plates, and headed over to the hot dog stand afterwards for second dinner. Not sure if that was a stab at our waiter or if we just eat way more than we’re supposed to.

Noodle Station

For the perfect comfort food on a cold windy day, look no further than Noodle Station. We stumbled upon this Thai noodle shop on our way to Hallgrímskirkja, the largest church in Iceland, that can be seen from pretty much every street. We weren't particularly hungry but the glowing red sign caught our attention and the thought of warm noodle soup piqued our interest. The restaurant is pretty small and cozy, and upon entering we were welcomed with a blast of warm steamy air and wonderfully fragrant soup broth.

The menu is delightfully simple and makes the decision making process so easy that the line to order was never too backed up. You have two choices to customize your bowl in regards to protein (chicken or beef) and broth (spicy or non-spicy). It's as simple as that and the next thing you know, the steaming bowl is in front of you ready for you to dig in!

We're huge fans of Taiwanese beef noodle soup and when our order came out, it definitely looked similar to it! Noticeable differences are the thick rice noodles, comparable to those in Pad Thai, and the broth had a different kick to it with its different spices. Also, no Thai dish would be complete without a gorgeous helping of peanuts! I also loved the fact that the beef was very lean and tender, it didn't have too many fatty pieces that I despise.

Overall, I adored Noodle Station. It was cozy, fast and efficient, served amazing comfort food, and it's really cheap to boot! Regardless of what you order, the price is 980 ISK, equivalent to around $7.50! Definitely worth a quick pit stop to warm up our bellies and slap a smile on our face before we brave the cold more!

Nonnabiti

As I mentioned earlier, our itinerary was jam packed with activities and we never really had time to sit down at a fancier restaurant, so most of my dining experiences are with cheap fast food! Nonnabiti is the epitome of greasy, late-night, hangover fast food, which of course makes it delicious!

They have a variety of sub sandwiches and burgers along with the usual sides. The atmosphere inside did remind me of American diners, and their green and yellow colors are easily comparable to Subway. Although, I doubt they promote that their subs are healthy because they're grilled on a flat top stove and stuffed with all sorts of greasy ingredients and special sauces.

They're open late to cater to the party-goers who crave yummy subs after a night out. Hours are until 2am on weekdays, and up to 5:30am on weekends. Dining in Iceland is generally pretty expensive and I've read many other reviews complaining that Nonnabiti is too expensive for subs, costing around $11. I'm not sure if I'm used to higher prices because of San Francisco, but $11 for a sub doesn't seem out of the ordinary to me. The sub was also delicious enough for me to want to return. Of course, the best part of it was the fresh soft bread! Any sandwich that nails the bread will get a thumbs up from me.