Lava Restaurant

While planning our Iceland itinerary, I knew that the Blue Lagoon would be the perfect first stop. I also knew that the jet lag would be best staved off by sticking with local meal times and so I wanted to book a reservation for lunch at one of the Blue Lagoon’s restaurants. I did worry initially that they may be tourist traps, maybe not a great culinary experience but I was very pleased to be proved wrong.

The Blue Lagoon’s Lava Restaurant has a stunning ambiance with high ceilings and the glow of the blue lagoon coming in from the floor to ceiling windows surrounded by black lava rock. You can opt to dine in your bathrobe which some diners did. Personally, I’m not a fan. There’s something unsettling and a bit hospital like to fine dining in a bathrobe but by all means if that’s your jam, do it!

Our server was excellent. Knowledgeable and attentive he guided us to menu options that we all enjoyed. My 12 year old was happy to see that the kids menu had some of his favorites and opted for a burger and fries. I ordered the ling fish which is local to Icelandic waters and was the first time I had tried it. It is different from ling cod, it’s a meaty texture similar to monk fish but more firm. It was a new cuisine that I very much enjoyed. I also ordered the langoustine soup which was a very clean recipe and included a toasted seaweed powder that had a nice cocoa flavor.

We were fully satisfied after our mains and rose prosecco, so we skipped dessert before heading to our hotel in Reykjavik, but the desserts did look good.

All in all, the Lava Restaurant was great experience and an important part of our perfect first day in Iceland.