Eating Out
Although the national diet is quickly diversifying, fish and lamb are still consumed in great quantities in Iceland, and some say it can be quite hard to find a vegetarian option on restaurant menus. Despite this, Reykjavik's restaurant scene is exciting and becoming increasingly cosmopolitan as restaurateurs attempt to offer fresh interpretations of international dishes using local ingredients.
Traditional fare, available everywhere but probably only tempting for the more gastronomically adventurous, includes harðfiskur (dried fish-meat, eaten with butter); svið (singed sheep's head); slátur (sausage made from blood and offal, such as black pudding); hrútspungar (pickled ram's testicles); and hákarl (putrefied shark-meat).
There is also, controversially for some, the option of eating whale-meat while in Iceland. And if visitors really want to push the boat out, they can order it with some grated puffin on the side. Those with tamer appetites will be relieved to know that a staple of the Icelandic diet is the pylsa, a good, old-fashioned hot dog, served with fried onions, ketchup, and mustard.
Nightlife
There may be limited sunlight in the northern city of Reykjavik, but the locals here really know how to make good use of those long, cold, and dark winter nights. The bright lights of the bars and clubs that line the streets will blow visitors away, and they can heat things up even more on the dance floor.
Due to the high cost of alcohol, the nightlife only gets going very late, as most Icelanders tend to have a few drinks at home before hitting the town. Travellers arriving in Reykjavik by air should not pass up the opportunity to buy cheap alcohol in the duty free store at the airport.
Once sufficiently warmed up for the night, travellers can head to trendy Laugavegur, where most of Reykjavik's 100 or so bars and clubs are located, dotted around the strip and its side streets. On busy Friday and Saturday nights, it's not uncommon for the street to be filled with people all night long. On a side note, the drinking age in Iceland is 20.