Friðheimar
Reykholt
Restaurant in Reykholt, Iceland
The Read
Dress
Casual
Why go
Friðheimar is a geothermal greenhouse restaurant on the Golden Circle where the entire menu revolves around the tomatoes growing around you. It's an easy booking compared to Reykjavík's top tables, a genuinely interesting lunch stop; especially for the tomato beer and Bloody Mary bar. Not a wine destination, but a smart detour if you're already on the route.
About Friðheimar
The Verdict
Friðheimar is worth the detour on the Golden Circle route, but you should know what you're booking: a geothermal greenhouse restaurant where tomatoes are the entire point. If you're expecting a broad Icelandic menu or a wine-forward evening, recalibrate. If you want a genuinely singular lunch experience in a working farm setting; with a menu built almost entirely around what's growing overhead; book it. Reservations are easy to secure compared to Reykjavík's leading tables, so there's no reason to leave this to chance.
What to Expect
The restaurant sits inside a heated greenhouse on a family-run farm in the Hveragerði area of South Iceland. Every dish connects back to the tomato harvest happening a few metres away, soups, salads, pastas, the house-made tomato beer that has become something of a calling card. The food is simple by design, not by accident. This is produce-led cooking at its most literal: the growing conditions, the variety selection, the harvest timing all feed directly into what arrives at your table.
On the drinks side, don't arrive expecting depth. The list is tight and purposefully focused, the tomato beer and Bloody Mary bar are the main events, they're worth trying. If you're travelling with someone who wants conventional wine with lunch, options are limited. For serious wine programming, DILL in Reykjavík or Moss in Grindavík will serve you better. Friðheimar's drinks program is a thematic extension of the food concept, not an independent strength.
Timing matters here. Friðheimar operates primarily as a lunch venue for travellers on the Golden Circle circuit. Arrive earlier in the service if you want a quieter table, the greenhouse fills quickly once tour groups arrive mid-session. The atmosphere is warm and informal, greenhouse glass overhead, plants surrounding the tables. Solo diners are comfortable; the communal, open layout means you won't feel conspicuous eating alone.
For anyone already covering Iceland's south, whether you're routing through to Nesjavallavirkjun in Selfoss or heading further along the Ring Road, Friðheimar is a practical and genuinely interesting lunch stop. It's not a destination restaurant in the way that ÓX or DILL Restaurant in Reykjavik are, but for what it does, there's nothing comparable on the route. See our full Reykholt restaurants guide for how it fits into the broader area, check the Reykholt experiences guide if you're building a full day around this part of South Iceland.
Planning details
- Location
- 5HH4+225 Friðheimar, 806 Reykholt, Iceland
- Website
- fridheimar.is
- Phone
- +354 486 8894
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Friðheimar presents an immediate sensory contrast to the surrounding lava fields: warm, humid air and the dense green scent of tomato vines greet you as you step into a low-lying greenhouse. The dining room is literally planted — rows of tomato plants are suspended above wooden tables — and the built environment feels purposeful rather than decorative. Geothermal heat and grow-lights sustain the crops year-round, so the room has the quiet intensity of a working farm and the cozy focus of a single-room eatery. The result is a modest, intimate setting where the cultivated landscape is inseparable from the meal.
Best For
Friðheimar suits travelers tracing the Golden Circle and anyone curious about food grown on-site through Iceland's geothermal grid. It functions as an experiential stop for road-trippers from Reykjavík — a place to eat amid the very plants that produced the meal — and it naturally fits family visits and casual get-togethers that appreciate a hands-on farm-to-table moment. The restaurant also appeals to guests interested in sustainable production and the uniqueness of year-round greenhouse cultivation at high latitude, offering an educational as well as gustatory experience.
Ordering Tips
Tomato-led preparations are Friðheimar's point of pride, so prioritize the house tomato dishes — the signature tomato soup and fresh bread are a clear place to start. Because the menu centers on fruit from the greenhouse, choose items that showcase fresh tomatoes and simple seasoning to appreciate the crop's texture and flavor. Keep expectations on ingredient-driven, straightforward plates rather than elaborate compositions: the attraction here is the provenance and immediacy of the produce, not heavy culinary embellishment.
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- DILL; New Nordic, Creative, €€€€
- Matur og Drykkur; Icelandic, Traditional Cuisine, €€€€
- Moss; Modern Cuisine, €€€€
- ÓX; Nordic, Modern Cuisine, €€€€
- Lava; Nordic, Nordic
Restaurant context
Friðheimar sits in a different category from Reykjavík's serious tasting-menu restaurants, so direct comparisons need context. DILL and ÓX are both €€€€ tasting-menu formats with strong wine programs and hard-to-get reservations; if a formal dinner with genuine wine depth is what you want, book one of those instead. Friðheimar is a lunch venue with a focused concept and easy availability, which serves a different travel need entirely.
Matur og Drykkur is the closer comparison for travellers who want Icelandic produce-led cooking without a full tasting menu commitment; it's in Reykjavík, more dinner-oriented, has a broader menu. Moss at the Blue Lagoon delivers modern cuisine at €€€€ with a strong sense of place, but it's a very different price point and occasion. For value and ease of access on the Golden Circle itself, Friðheimar has no real competitor; Lava is worth knowing about for the Fontana area, but it's a different stop on a different part of the route.
If your trip is built around serious dining, anchor your evenings in Reykjavík at DILL or ÓX and treat Friðheimar as a daytime add-on rather than a headline booking. If you're a first-time visitor to Iceland routing the Golden Circle, Friðheimar is the most interesting lunch option on that circuit and worth planning around. Check our full Reykholt restaurants guide and the Reykholt hotels guide if you're staying in the area overnight.
Explore Reykholt
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Friðheimar guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Friðheimar
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friðheimar | No published awards | Easy | |
| DILL | New Nordic, Creative | Star Wine Lists 2026 · #1Michelin Guide Nordic Countries 20262026 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Recommended2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #466We're Smart World Top Restaurants 20252025 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 Michelin 1 Star2024 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #364 | Unknown |
| Matur og Drykkur | Icelandic, Traditional Cuisine | Michelin Guide Nordic Countries 20262026 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Recommended2026 White Guide Nordic Restaurants - Very Fine Level2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #4422025 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 Michelin Plate2024 OAD Casual in Europe Ranked · #3842024 Michelin Plate | Unknown |
| Moss | Modern Cuisine | Star Wine Lists 2026 · #1Michelin Guide Nordic Countries 20262026 White Guide Nordic Restaurants - Fine Level2025 Michelin 1 Star2024 Michelin 1 Star | Unknown |
| ÓX | Nordic, Modern Cuisine | No published awards | Unknown |
| Lava | Nordic | 2026 OAD Casual in Europe Recommended2023 OAD Casual in Europe Recommended | Unknown |
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A quick look at how Friðheimar measures up.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I order at Friðheimar?
The tomato soup is the anchor dish and the reason most people come; it's made from tomatoes grown in the greenhouse you're sitting inside, which gives it a focus and coherence that novelty restaurants rarely deliver. Beyond that, the menu builds around what the farm produces, so lean into the tomato-forward dishes rather than looking for variety. If you want a broader Icelandic menu, this is not the right stop.
What are alternatives to Friðheimar in Reykholt?
Friðheimar is a specific format; a farm greenhouse on the Golden Circle; so like-for-like alternatives don't exist nearby. For serious Icelandic cooking in Reykjavík, Matur og Drykkur is the closer comparison: traditional ingredients, strong execution, a clear culinary point of view. If you're after Michelin-level dining, DILL is Iceland's reference point. Friðheimar works best as a daytime stop en route rather than a destination meal in its own right.
Is Friðheimar good for solo dining?
Yes, provided you're comfortable with the greenhouse setting and a menu that doesn't require much deliberation. The communal, informal nature of the space means solo visitors don't feel out of place, the experience is short enough; a lunch stop rather than a long dinner; that it suits solo travellers on the Golden Circle route. It's not the kind of counter-dining experience you'd seek out solo the way you might at a sushi bar, but it works.
Is Friðheimar good for a special occasion?
Not the strongest choice for a formal celebration. The greenhouse setting is atmospheric but the format is casual and daytime-focused, which doesn't suit milestone dinners. For a special occasion in Iceland, ÓX or DILL in Reykjavík offer the kind of intentional, chef-driven experience that marks an occasion. Friðheimar is a highlight of a day trip, not a destination evening.
How far ahead should I book Friðheimar?
Book at least 2 to 3 weeks ahead if you're visiting in summer, when the Golden Circle is at peak traffic and the restaurant fills with tour groups and independent travellers alike. Shoulder season gives more flexibility, but given the limited seating inside a working greenhouse, walk-in risk is real. Check availability as soon as your Iceland dates are confirmed.
