Iceland has a well-established specialist grocery scene, though it is concentrated almost entirely around the capital. Asian markets, a Turkish shop, several Polish grocers and a Romanian store sit alongside the discount chains. They fill many of the gaps left by Icelandic supermarkets.
For a self-catering trip, these shops can be useful stops. They stock spices, rice, noodles, pulses, fresh herbs and particular cuts of meat. Produce is frequently cheaper there than at a full-range supermarket.
Where the specialist shops are
Almost all of the shops are in greater Reykjavík. The recorded exception is one store in the Westfjords. The pattern is straightforward: specialist groceries are mainly a capital-area feature, while outside it the chains become the usual option.
The Reykjavík shops fall into two broad groups. One is around the older central and eastern districts near the main shopping streets. The other is in the eastern suburbs, where many of the city's newer residents live. Both parts of the city are within easy reach of the rest of Reykjavík.
The Asian markets
The Asian Supermarket in Reykjavík has the simplest name to remember. Mai Thai is the other main name. It is a Thai grocer open from late morning into the evening on weekdays and during the afternoon on Saturday. Its range is broadly Southeast Asian rather than narrowly Thai.
Its shelves include many products that Icelandic supermarkets stock only thinly or not at all. You can find rice in sacks rather than boxes, wheat and rice noodles, fish sauce and soy in useful sizes, curry pastes, tofu and frozen dumplings. Fresh coriander, chillies and ginger are available too, although the chains stock them irregularly.
Turkish, Middle Eastern and halal
Istanbul Market is Reykjavík's specialist for Turkish and wider Middle Eastern groceries. The selection includes bulgur and rice, pulses, olives and cheeses, breads, nuts and dried fruit. Spice mixes are sold loose rather than in supermarket jars.
For halal food in Iceland, it is also the practical place to shop. The mainstream chains do not serve that range, so this is an errand to plan around the capital rather than something to leave for a town on the Ring Road.
Polish, Romanian and Eastern European
Poland is by a wide margin the largest source of Iceland's foreign-born population, and the grocery shops reflect that. Mój Market has capital-area stores with long weekday hours and Sunday opening. u Dziada is another Polish grocer in Reykjavík.
Romanian groceries have their own address in the capital. Dracula Grocery Store also uses the name Magazin Romanesc on the same sign.
A group of general international shops uses plain English names: Euro Market, City Market, Lux Market, Mix Market, Plus Market, OK Market and Family Market. Most combine Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Asian products instead of concentrating on one region.
The Icelandic specialists worth the same trip
The independent food shops outside the chains are not all import grocers. Reykjavík also has several Icelandic food shops carrying products the discounters do not.
Melabúðin and Kjötborg are traditional neighbourhood grocers, while Kjötborg is led by its butcher operation. Frú Lauga is a produce and delicatessen shop with short weekday hours. In the west, Ljómalind is a farmers' outlet selling local produce directly.
These shops are not intended to be cheap weekly supermarkets. The guide to Icelandic food goes into more detail on that difference.
Fitting them into a trip
Because the specialist shops are concentrated around the capital, they work best at the beginning or end of a road trip. Stock up before driving out, or restock when you pass through Reykjavík again.
The chains handle the rest of the everyday shopping. Their different tiers are explained in the guide to supermarkets in Iceland. Travellers who plan to eat out rather than cook may get more from the Reykjavík food guide.
Find the nearest shop
The supermarket and grocery finder covers these specialist shops as well as the chains. It sorts them by distance from your location and includes opening hours where those are available.
Opening-hour records are least reliable for small independent shops in the dataset because the information comes from volunteer mapping. Use the finder to locate a shop, but do not take it as confirmation that the door will be open.
Compare Reykjavík tours
If your days in the capital are still flexible, compare current options at /tours/reykjavik.
