All about the langoustine

The town Höfn in the Vatnajökull Region, known as The Lobster Capital of Iceland is famous for its lobster, or more accurately langoustine. Langoustine is served in most restaurants in the region and they also offer fresh locally grown vegetables, farm fresh ice cream and meat products.

In Höfn, several restaurants serve various lobster dishes among other dishes. Down by the harbor are the restaurants Pakkhús, Humarhöfnin, Íshúsið Pizzeria and the diner Hafnarbúðin. From these restaurants, you can get a glimpse of the activity around the harbor and sometimes see the boats sail in with the fresh catch of the day.

WHAT’S COOKING IN THOSE HISTORIC HOUSES?

Some of the restaurants, such as Humarhöfnin and Pakkhús, are in historic buildings that once had other purposes. Humarhöfnin was owned by the Farmers’ Co-op and served as a department store until 1963 and Pakkhús, mainly built from scrap wood of other houses, was a warehouse. The stamps on the walls are original.

Íshúsið Pizzeria stands on the same spot as the old Icehouse did at the beginning of the 19th century, but then it was used to store big ice cubes that were transferred from a local glacier lagoon in trucks to cool the fish by the harbor to keep it fresh.

Pakkhús Restaurant emphasizes cooking with fresh, local ingredients. You’ll find unique plates like smoked lamb and goose and Icelandic Skyr Volcano dessert on the menu, but the most popular dish is the grilled langoustines closely followed by the fillet of lamb and Skyr Volcano.

At Humarhöfnin you can experience the unique taste of the local Icelandic langoustine in a charming setting. Their most popular dishes are a grand mix of whole langoustine and addi tional tails grilled with butter, parsley and garlic.

Íshúsið Pizzeria emphasizes thin stone baked pizzas along with a varied selection of other dishes, using high-quality local ingredients, such as the famous local langoustine. The signature dish of the restaurant is the Lobster Festival Pizza. Their unique blonde pizza con - sists of a garlic oil base, mozzarella cheese, langoustine (local lobster), cherry tomatoes, grilled artichokes and pesto on top—a must try when in Höfn.

Hafnarbúðin is a lively diner by the harbor in Höfn, an authentic place where you can stop and have a chat while you enjoy a lobster baguette, fish and chips or a good burger. You can also order takeout. Fast service, reasonable prices and simple good food are what Hafnarbúðin stands for. Their Lobster Baguette is always on top of the list. Nothing beats local langoustine on sourdough bread with vegetables and a homemade garlic dressing. Simple, fresh and tasty.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE

A bit from the harbor is Z-Bistro. The Z in the name comes from old car plates in the area when they all used to start with the letter Z. Z-Bistro offers a diverse menu both fish and meat and their lobster (of course langoustine) salad is terrific.

By the main road, you can find Kaffi Hornið (the coffee corner), where you can enjoy homemade bread and a salad bar at lunch among other tasty items. Kaffi Hornið emphasizes local ingredients like lamb and langoustine. Their langoustine sandwich with fried tails, vegetables and garlic sauce is well worth a taste.

Finally, there’s Hótel Höfn – Ósinn, founded by two local families in 1966. From the top floor, there’s a beauti ful glacier view that goes well with their lobster laden selection of lobst er tails, lobster as a starter, lobster pasta, lobster soup, lobster spring rolls, lobster pizza and much more. The most popular dish is the Lobster Feast, a combination of three different types of lobster (yes, we’re still talking langoustine). You get a homemade lobster soup, a homemade lobster spring roll and garlic roasted lobster tails.

It’s no wonder Höfn is called The Lob ster Capital of Iceland. Although lobster, aka langoustine, is the main ingredient at Höfn’s restaurants, meat lovers and vegetarians can also find something they’ll like on their menus. If you are visiting Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, we surely recommend a drive to Höfn to dine in one of their terrific restaurants.

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