Friðheimar

Have you ever had lunch in a tomato greenhouse?
Well, you can, in Iceland of all places.

You wouldn’t think Iceland would be well known for its vegetables and fruit produce, given the harsh climate and lack of sunlight especially during winter. However, there is one thing Iceland has that most other countries don’t and that is an abundance of geothermal energy. This can be used to power greenhouses such as the one at Friðheimar and it’s how Iceland manages to grow things locally.

The restaurant is conveniently placed within the very popular Golden Circle, and so it would make for an ideal lunch break while touring the area. It’s a unique restaurant experience, allowing you to enjoy a fresh tomato-themed lunch while surrounded by tomato plants. It doesn’t get more local than this!

The place is open all year round between 12:00 - 16:00, and the lunch buffet is very popular. This consists of - you guessed it - unlimited servings of tomato soup. This comes with freshly made variaties of bread served with butter and sour cream, with the option to add other extras. There is also an a la carte menu of dishes, all of which will contain tomato. They also have tomato-based desserts, such as tomato and apple pie, tomato ice cream and tomato cheesecake. The beer, the cocktails, the coffee - they all have tomato in them! I forgot to mention if you don’t like tomatoes, this is not the place for you.

The price for the soup buffet is around 2,300 ISK (~£13) per person, which is a good price for an all-you-can-eat in Iceland, with the added experience of the unique location. And the soup is really tasty!

Find out more on their website.

The restaurant is very popular with tour groups, so make sure to book in advance! It’s likely you won’t get a table if you just show up on the day.

We spent the night at Guesthouse Fagrilundur right next to Friðheimar and can recommend it!