Ísafjörður is not a big town. It only has about 2.600 inhabitants. The town is the ‘capital’ of Westfjords, the wonderful and rugged region in the northwest of Iceland. Ísafjörður is beautiful, and it has a surprisingly good selection of restaurants and bars. I love the harbor there, it is in the town center, and full of fishing boats to explore.
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Is Tjöruhúsið the best restaurant in Iceland?
Ísafjörður has what is probably the best restaurant in Iceland. I am, of course, talking about the wonderful Tjöruhúsið. It is a fish restaurant that serves a very generous buffet of fried fish. Be hungry when you visit and expect very ample portions! I hate over-designed restaurants with fancy food, high price, and small portions. The Tjöruhúsið is the cure for all that nonsense. It is just so honest and wholesome. Tjöruhúsið is in one of the oldest houses in town, just near the harbor.
Drink up at Dokkan
Dokkan brewery has its home at Ísafjörður. They make great craft beers, and their bar is a haven for beer connoisseurs. If you don’t make it to Ísafjörður, don’t worry, you can pick up their beers at the alcohol stores in Reykjavik and around the country. My favorite beer from Dokkan is Dynjandi, named after the spectacular Dynjandi waterfall in the Westfjords.
The perfect place for a brunch
I also recommend the Heimabyggð afé for their excellent atmosphere, great pastry, coffee, and sandwiches. I love having brunch there.
Running away from arctic terns
One more thing I like about Ísafjörður. It is perfect for running, I was able to run around the town, and it was almost exactly 10 kilometers or 6.2 miles. A run-around Ísafjörður is an ideal cure if you have sampled all the beers at Dokkan Brewery. That is my experience anyway. Just watch out for angry arctic terns that want to peck your head off. They hate everybody and everything with passion. They don’t even care that you love their hometown.
Fill up at Ísafjörður
The town has low-cost supermarkets, at least by Icelandic standards These are the supermarket Bónus, and Netto. It also has a well-stocked liquor store (alcohol is only sold in state-run stores). To save on gas, you can fill up at self-service service gas stations such as the ÓB and Orkan.
Find hotels in Ísafjörður
