Dinner at North in Akureyri – A Cozy, Unforgettable Tasting Experience
Dining at North in Akureyri is like stepping into someone’s beautifully warm and welcoming home — which is exactly what head chef Rafn intends. “You should feel like you’re coming to my house for dinner,” he told us. And honestly, that is precisely how the evening felt.
Opened in 2022 and tucked away on Hafnarstræti, North is an intimate restaurant with only 19 seats, creating a wonderfully cozy, almost secret atmosphere. With just two chefs in the kitchen, the restaurant serves a set tasting menu, allowing the team to focus entirely on craftsmanship and quality. Every detail is intentional, and everything — absolutely everything — is made with care.
From the moment we arrived, the experience felt personal, relaxed, and beautifully curated.
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A parade of small bites to begin
The evening started with four playful and delicious small bites.
We were served beetroot with crowberries and whey, a surprisingly delicate and bright combination. Then came Christmas herring topped with seaweed, fennel, and dill — wonderfully nostalgic, yet refreshingly modern.
Next was a bite of lamb tenderloin with skessujurt, accompanied by a deeply reduced lamb broth that felt almost magical in its intensity. By this point we were already sighing happily, fully aware that the night was going to be something extraordinary.
Six courses of Icelandic ingredients at their best
North’s tasting menu highlights local ingredients with honesty and finesse. Among the dishes were:
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Steamed bread, soft and comforting
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Arctic char, perfectly cooked and elegantly seasoned
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Smoked haddock, rich, silky, and deeply flavorful
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Barley-mushroom “otto”, earthy and satisfying
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Pork cheeks, tender and beautifully balanced
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Beef sirloin, cooked to perfection
Every course includes the origin of the ingredients, reinforcing how rooted the menu is in the landscapes and producers of North Iceland. You can also choose a drink pairing, which complements the menu wonderfully.
A warm, effortless service
Chefs Rafn and Jón took care of us the entire evening — cooking, serving, chatting, and creating a relaxed, home-like atmosphere. Their hospitality feels genuine, not rehearsed. Even though the experience is refined, nothing is stiff or formal.
One of the guests described North as “a special-occasion home kitchen,” and that phrase captures it perfectly.
A restaurant that stays with you
North is the kind of place that lingers in your memory long after you’ve left.
It’s intimate, heartfelt, beautifully executed, and unlike anything else in Akureyri. This is a restaurant that understands not just food, but feeling — and that is what makes the experience truly magical.
If you’re visiting Akureyri and want a meal that is warm, thoughtful, and genuinely special, North is absolutely worth seeking out.
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