Restaurant in Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik's serious dinner, no hype needed.
DILL is the most compelling case for a serious dinner in Reykjavik: Nordic set-menu cooking grounded entirely in Icelandic ingredients, served in a room that feels like an occasion without the formality. Book it for a date, a celebration, or any night when you want the best the city offers. A week's notice is usually enough outside peak summer.
DILL is one of the strongest arguments for booking a serious dinner in Reykjavik. Located at Sturlugata 5 in the 101 district, it has held a place at the leading of Iceland's fine dining conversation for years — the kind of restaurant where the cooking punches well above what the relaxed, unfussy room would lead you to expect. If you are spending one night eating well in Reykjavik, this is where to spend it.
The room at DILL does not try to intimidate you. The atmosphere is calm, convivial, and relatively low-key for a restaurant at this level — which is partly the point. Icelanders tend to dress well but not formally, and the energy here reflects that: focused enough to feel like an occasion, relaxed enough that a special dinner does not require a briefing. The noise level stays conversational, which makes it a better pick for a date or a business meal than most restaurants operating at this quality tier. If you want a celebration dinner that does not feel like a performance, DILL gets the balance right.
The cooking is rooted in Icelandic ingredients and Nordic technique. Expect a set menu format that tracks the current season , right now, in winter, that means darker, more mineral-driven flavours: lamb, fish, foraged elements, and dairy from Icelandic farms. DILL does not try to import or approximate; the entire project is built around what Iceland actually produces, and that restraint is what gives it its edge over restaurants in the city that borrow freely from broader European playbooks.
For a first-time visitor to Reykjavik, DILL also functions as a genuine introduction to Icelandic food culture in a way that a hotel restaurant or a brasserie simply cannot. See also Friðheimar in Reykholt and Moss in Grindavík for other restaurants that take the same ingredient-first approach outside the capital.
Booking is direct relative to restaurants of comparable ambition in other cities. You are unlikely to find a table on the same day, but a week's notice is usually enough outside peak summer season (June–August), when tourist pressure on the leading Reykjavik tables increases significantly. Check our full Reykjavik restaurants guide for current availability context across the city, or browse hotels, bars, and experiences to plan around your dinner. For Nordic fine dining comparisons further afield, Lazy Bear in San Francisco runs a similarly convivial set-menu format if you want a useful international reference point.
Quick reference: Sturlugata 5, 102 Reykjavik , set menu format , book 1–2 weeks ahead in shoulder season, earlier in summer , smart casual dress , good for dates, celebrations, and solo counter seats where available.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| DILL Restaurant | Easy | ||
| Amma Don | Unknown | ||
| Bon Restaurant | Unknown | ||
| Eiriksson Brasserie | Unknown | ||
| Hjá Jóni | Unknown | ||
| Kröst | Unknown |
A quick look at how DILL Restaurant measures up.
Book at least 3 to 4 weeks ahead, longer during summer high season when Reykjavik sees its heaviest tourist traffic. DILL operates at Sturlugata 5 in the 101 district and seats a limited number of covers, so last-minute availability is unlikely on weekends. If your travel dates are fixed, secure the reservation before you book your flights.
The room at DILL is calm and relatively unfussy for a restaurant at this level, so dress neatly but do not overthink it. A step above everyday casual fits the atmosphere — no jacket requirement, but this is not the place to show up in hiking gear straight off the trail. Think of it as dressed-for-dinner rather than dressed-to-impress.
Yes. The low-key, convivial atmosphere at DILL makes solo dining comfortable rather than isolating, which is not always the case at restaurants operating at this level. A tasting menu format also removes the pressure of menu decision-making, which suits solo diners well. Let the restaurant know when booking so they can seat you appropriately.
Small groups of 2 to 4 are well-suited to DILL's format. Larger parties should check the venue's official channels well in advance, as the dining room is not large and the tasting menu structure requires coordination across the table. DILL is located at Sturlugata 5, Reykjavik — confirm group-size logistics before assuming availability.
Most serious tasting menu restaurants at this level accommodate dietary restrictions when notified at the time of booking, and DILL is no exception in practice. Communicate restrictions clearly when you reserve — do not wait until you arrive. Severe allergies or highly specific requirements are worth confirming directly with the restaurant beforehand.
DILL operates on a set tasting menu format, so the decision is largely made for you — which is part of the point. The kitchen draws on Icelandic ingredients and Nordic technique, meaning the menu shifts with season and availability. Trust the format rather than trying to steer it; that is the experience DILL is built around.
DILL is a tasting menu restaurant in Reykjavik's 101 district, positioned as one of the strongest arguments for a serious dinner in Iceland. The atmosphere is calmer and less formal than the restaurant's reputation might suggest, so do not arrive expecting ceremony. Budget a full evening — tasting menus at this level run 2.5 to 3 hours — and book well ahead rather than hoping for walk-in availability.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
