Restaurant in Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik's go-to for plant-forward lunches.
A health-focused, centrally located stop on Reykjavik's main dining strip, Gló works best as a lunch venue rather than a dinner destination. Booking is easy and walk-ins are generally manageable, making it a practical choice for returning visitors and solo diners. For serious evening dining in Reykjavik, look elsewhere.
Gló sits on Laugavegur 20b, right in the middle of Reykjavik's main shopping and dining corridor, which makes it one of the more convenient stops in the city for a daytime meal. Without confirmed pricing data in our records, it's difficult to give a precise spend-per-head figure, but Gló is publicly known as a health-focused restaurant in a city where eating well on a budget takes effort. If you're returning after a first visit and wondering whether to come back for lunch or dinner, the answer for most visitors is lunch: the format tends to suit the venue's offering, the room is easier to get into midday, and the daylight hours in Reykjavik make a lunchtime stop feel less rushed than an evening commitment.
Located on Laugavegur, Gló benefits from one of Reykjavik's most walkable addresses. The visual identity of the space leans clean and functional rather than atmospheric, which fits the daytime-dining format well. If you've been once for lunch, you already know what to expect visually: bright, ordered, practical. An evening visit, by contrast, changes the proposition, since the room was built for throughput rather than lingering, and Reykjavik's dinner scene offers more atmospheric alternatives if a slower evening is what you're after.
For returning visitors, the question is less about whether Gló is worth revisiting and more about timing. Lunchtime remains the format where this venue performs most consistently. The midday crowd tends to move through efficiently, which is either a feature or a drawback depending on what you want from the meal. For a solo diner or a pair looking for a reliable, well-positioned stop between other activities, it works. For a group wanting to settle in for the evening, other Reykjavik options will serve you better.
In Reykjavik's dining context, lunch is consistently where price-conscious visitors extract the most value. Dinner in the city skews expensive across the board, and Gló's format, from what the venue is publicly associated with, suits a midday visit more naturally than an evening one. If you're returning for a second visit, come at lunch. If dinner is the only slot that works logistically, manage expectations: the venue is not designed to compete with Reykjavik's more destination-oriented dinner restaurants like DILL in Reykjavík or Moss in Grindavík, both of which offer a more complete evening experience at a higher price point.
For visitors building a broader itinerary, Pearl's full Reykjavik restaurants guide covers the full range from quick daytime stops to serious dinner reservations. You can also explore Reykjavik hotels, bars, and experiences to plan around your meals.
See the comparison section below for how Gló sits against other Reykjavik options including Amma Don, Bon Restaurant, and Brút. For quick, casual daytime stops, also consider Bergsson Mathús and the legendary Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur for a different register entirely. If you're travelling beyond Reykjavik, Friðheimar in Reykholt, Fjöruborðið in Stokkseyri, and Strikið in Akureyri are worth factoring into your itinerary. For context on what serious dining looks like at the leading end of a different market, Le Bernardin in New York City and Lazy Bear in San Francisco offer a useful comparison point for tasting-menu format and price expectations. Pearl's Reykjavik wineries guide rounds out the full picture for drink-focused visitors.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gló | Easy | — | ||
| Amma Don | Unknown | — | ||
| Bon Restaurant | Unknown | — | ||
| Eiriksson Brasserie | Unknown | — | ||
| Hjá Jóni | Unknown | — | ||
| Kröst | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Dietary flexibility is central to what Gló does — the menu is built around plant-forward, health-conscious cooking, with strong options for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free diners. It is one of the more reliably accommodating kitchens on Laugavegur for guests with specific requirements. If you have complex allergies, calling ahead is still advisable.
Gló is a casual daytime restaurant on Reykjavik's main commercial street — come as you are from a day of walking. There is no dress expectation beyond being comfortable; this is not a formal dinner venue.
Gló operates with a walk-in-friendly format, particularly at lunch, and the street-level Laugavegur location means passing trade is high. That said, peak tourist season in Reykjavik (June to August) puts pressure on popular spots, so booking a day or two ahead is sensible if you are on a fixed schedule.
Not the obvious choice for a milestone dinner — the format is casual, daytime-leaning, and built around bowl-style healthy eating rather than a set menu or occasion dining. For a birthday or anniversary dinner in Reykjavik, Eiriksson Brasserie or Kröst would be a stronger fit.
For a more structured meal, Bon Restaurant and Hjá Jóni both offer a different register from Gló's relaxed, health-focused format. Amma Don is worth considering if you want something with a distinct local character. Kröst and Eiriksson Brasserie sit further up the formality scale for evening dining.
Yes — the casual counter-style and bowl-format menu make Gló one of the easier venues on Laugavegur to visit alone. There is no awkwardness around table minimums or shared-plate pressure. Solo lunch here is a practical, low-stress option in a neighbourhood that can feel geared towards groups.
Gló is known for its bowl-based menu built around whole foods, grains, and seasonal produce — the build-your-own bowl format is where the kitchen performs most consistently. Specific menu items are not confirmed in the current record, so check the menu on arrival or via their current listings for the most accurate picture.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
