Toma-toe Curlin' Lunch at an Icelandic Greenhouse
Our airbnb in Reykholt, Iceland
Just when I was over the sub par cuisine in Iceland, a tomato soup lunch happened in a tiny, Icelandic village. Located minutes away from our airbnb in Reykholt is the Friðheimar tomato greenhouse. Despite Iceland's long, dark winters, the greenhouse manages to grow tomatoes all year long (cool, right?). Serving some of the most delicious tomato inspired dishes from tomato soup, to pizza, and to Bloody Marys—lunch at Friðheimar was our favorite meal during our trip!
Friðheimar is owned and run by a family from the Netherlands. Combined with their love for horticulture and horses, they founded the space. Friðheimar is not only known for its delicious restaurant, but is also known for its greenhouse, farm, equestrian centre, and shop.
Once you enter the greenhouse, you'll notice the humid, subtropical air and the buzzing bees. It's almost 20 degrees warmer than it is outside so it's a nice break from the cold, but before you know it you'll be sweating and peeling your layers off!
Okay back to the FOOD. After spending several nights in Reykjavik, I was finally wowed by a meal. The highlight of the restaurant is the daily lunch buffet serving unlimited tomato soup and freshly baked breads. Not only did we go for the lunch buffet, we also split a few of the main courses such as the pizza and ravioli. All the dishes were wonderful, but my favorite was the tomato soup that made my heart skip a beat.
Alongside our dishes, we sipped away on some Bloody Marys and "Happy Marys". I'm not a fan of Bloody Marys but I was at Friðheimar—they were freshly made and weren't watered down like ones at overrated NYC brunch spots. "Happy Marys" were a nice twist to the typical Bloody Mary—they're made with Friðheimar's green tomatoes + lime, honey, ginger, sparkling water, and Hendrick's gin. They also serve desserts such as tomato ice cream which we heard is great, but unfortunately we were too full to order dessert (Jess regrets it till this day for not ordering the ice cream).
After lunch we made our way to the horse stable to pet the beautiful Icelandic horses. Icelandic horses are considered to be the world's purest horse breed. They were brought in by Viking ships to serve as the sole transportation over Iceland's rough terrain. Icelandic horses are pretty much import models and Iceland's best import yet—they're gorgeous!
Gulfoss Waterfall on the Golden Circle
To be safe, we recommend making reservations in advance. So plan accordingly! Friðheimar is a great place to eat before or after you make your rounds on the famous Golden Circle. Trust us on this, it's toma-toe curlin' good!
Lunch Buffet: 1,900 Icelandic Krona
(about $17)
Open every day from 12PM-4PM
