Thirty years of the same blue doors, the same faithful sourcing from India, and the same proof that great Indian cooking needs no latitude exception. The subcontinent has always felt at home on Hverfisgata.
9
Food
8
Ambience
9
Value
About Austur-Indíafjelagið
The East India Company — as the name translates — has occupied the same address on Hverfisgata since its founding in 1994. Thirty years is a long tenure for any restaurant; for an Indian restaurant operating at this level, in a country where Indian food should theoretically have no natural advantage, it is extraordinary. And yet Austur-Indíafjelagið has not only survived three decades but deepened its reputation through them.
The philosophy is elegant in its simplicity: source Iceland's finest ingredients and apply the authentic spice traditions of the subcontinent, with spices sourced directly from India rather than compromised through European supply chains. The result is Indian food that is genuinely Indian — not the diluted, crowd-pleasing adaptation that characterises the cuisine internationally — while carrying a subtle flavour signature that could only come from Arctic fish, Icelandic lamb, and highland herbs.
The signature blue doors mark one of Reykjavik's most recognisable restaurant entrances. Inside, the atmosphere is warm and hospitable without being overdressed — a competent kitchen has no need to compensate through décor. The thali offering is celebrated: an array of small plates that function as a tour through the kitchen's range, from slow-cooked curries to expertly seasoned vegetable preparations, with breads that justify their own visit.
The 30th anniversary menu, offered through late 2024, illustrated exactly why this restaurant has endured: confidence in its identity, respect for its ingredients, and the kind of institutional cooking knowledge that can only accumulate across decades. The regulars who have been coming since the mid-1990s are still coming. The tourists who discover it on their first Reykjavik trip become part of the same tradition.
The Occasion Fit
Perfect for Solo Dining
Austur-Indíafjelagið has always welcomed the solo diner with the warmth of a place that understands eating alone is a choice, not a failure. The bar seating provides a vantage point over the dining room; the staff have three decades of practice at making solitary guests feel part of the room's rhythm without forcing interaction. Order the thali — it is designed for one and arrives in a way that makes the table feel full rather than sparse. The spice levels can be calibrated to personal preference without judgment. Bring a book or don't. The kitchen will take care of everything else.
The Experience
Austur-Indíafjelagið is one of those restaurants where the first visit feels like catching up with something you didn't know you'd been missing. The aromas hit before you're fully inside — turmeric, cumin, coriander, and something deeper that speaks to a genuine spice pantry. The kitchen operates with the economy of long practice: there is no waste here, no performance, only the quiet confidence of people who know what they're doing and have been doing it for thirty years.
Reservations are recommended, particularly on weekend evenings — the dining room fills early and the crowd skews toward a mix of Reykjavik regulars and in-the-know visitors. The service operates at a pace suited to the cuisine: unhurried, warm, willing to guide the unfamiliar through the menu with genuine knowledge rather than rehearsed enthusiasm.
Located on Hverfisgata — the same street as Dill — Austur-Indíafjelagið sits in Reykjavik's most interesting dining corridor. A pre-dinner walk along this stretch reveals the city's culinary ambition. After dinner, the walk toward Laugavegur provides the evening's continuation. The blue doors are unmistakable; no navigation required.
