Route 1, Iceland's Ring Road, loops about 821 miles (1,322 km) around the country. Most travelers drive it in seven to ten days, through black-sand beaches, glacier lagoons, fjords and lava fields.
What surprises people is how empty much of it is. Towns can be an hour or more apart, restaurants in small villages close early or shut for the season, and on some stretches the only food for miles is at a single gas station. A little planning keeps you from eating gas station hot dogs three times a day. (Though, to be fair, once a day is fine.)
How to plan your meals
The easiest routine on the Ring Road:
- Breakfast: At your guesthouse, or skyr and bread from your own supplies.
- Lunch: A picnic you packed that morning. Iceland has scenic rest stops and picnic tables everywhere.
- Snacks: In the car, always. Never count on finding a store when you get hungry.
- Dinner: Your one restaurant meal of the day, in the town where you're sleeping. Book ahead in summer, because small-town restaurants fill up.
Stock up in bigger towns
The big supermarket chains, Bónus, Krónan and Nettó, are far cheaper than gas stations and have a much better selection. They're concentrated in Reykjavík and the larger towns along the route, such as Selfoss in the south, Egilsstaðir in the east and Akureyri in the north.
When you pass a full-size supermarket, use it. Buy two or three days of picnic supplies and snacks, because the next one may be a long drive away. The East Fjords and the stretch across the northeast highlands are the classic places to get caught out.
What to keep in the car
- A soft cooler bag for skyr, cheese, smoked fish and drinks
- Bread that keeps: Icelandic rye bread and rye flatbread last for days
- Sliced smoked lamb or cheese for sandwiches
- Dried fish: no fridge needed, never crushes, almost pure protein
- Chocolate, nuts and dried fruit
- A thermos for coffee or tea at cold viewpoints
- Refillable water bottles: tap water is excellent everywhere
Gas station food: what's worth it
Icelandic gas stations, run by chains like N1, Olís and Orkan, double as roadside diners. Many have a grill, and the food is better than you'd expect:
- Hot dogs: Order one "with everything." It's a genuinely great road snack.
- Burgers and fries: Filling and reliable at bigger stations.
- Soup: Often lamb or vegetable soup with bread, ideal on a cold day.
- Coffee and pastries: A cardamom twist doughnut and a coffee make a perfect driving break.
- Snacks: Most stations stock dried fish, along with Icelandic chocolate and licorice.
It's not cheap, but at the right moment a hot dog at a remote gas station is one of the great Iceland experiences.
A fuel tip that affects your food stops
Many Icelandic gas pumps are self-service and ask for a card PIN. Some U.S. credit cards don't have one, and pumps can reject them. The common workaround is a prepaid fuel card, bought inside a gas station during opening hours. Having one also takes the stress out of late-evening drives when everything is closed.
Food stops worth planning around
- Hot dogs in Reykjavík: Start or finish the loop at a hot dog stand downtown.
- Langoustine in Höfn: The southeast fishing town is famous for it. Plan a dinner there.
- Lamb soup anywhere in the countryside: Small cafés in farm country often make it from local lamb.
- Geothermal greenhouses: Near the Golden Circle, a few greenhouse restaurants serve dishes made with tomatoes grown on site.
- Small-town bakeries: A fresh cinnamon roll and coffee is a good reason to stop.
Safety: never stop on the road
You'll be tempted to pull over for a photo or a snack break at a spectacular view. Don't stop on the road or the narrow shoulder. Wait for a marked pull-out or parking area. Roads are narrow, and stopped cars cause real accidents every year.
The best co-pilot snack
On long empty stretches, the snack that makes the most sense is the one Icelanders have kept in their cars and boats for generations: dried fish. No crumbs, no melting and plenty of protein to get you to the next town.
When you're home and miss it, HardFish has you covered: Icelandic cod with nothing added but salt, about 84% protein, launching in the U.S. soon. Join the founding list to be first in line.