Sushi on the Go | Finding Good Food on the Move in Iceland

2026-01-26 - 14:26

This article is brought to you in partnership with Tokyo Sushi. Let’s face facts. There is a certain romance to travelling in Iceland. (And no, we don’t just mean witnessing the unique beauty of its landscapes...) It’s the feeling of movement itself, that transitory experience of drifting between places that feel unconnected until you stand there yourself and realise they belong together. It’s enough to make your problems feel smaller, quieter, and pushed to the back of your mind. However, one trouble we can never truly escape from is hunger. Photo: Tokyo Sushi No matter how far your mind has wandered, how completely you’ve slipped out of the noise of everyday life, your stomach has a way of pulling you firmly back. Well, wouldn’t you know it, but this is where one of Iceland’s most respected and enjoyed providers of delicious food enters the story. We talk, of course, about Tokyo Sushi. Now, Tokyo Sushi is not just a restaurant, nor a mere brand of fine Asia-inspired cuisine. More often than not, in fact, it’s a travelling companion. Since 2011, they have been quietly perfecting something far more useful for Iceland’s visitors than the typical white-tablecloth experience: exceptionally good food that moves when you do. Sushi On-The-Move Photo: Tokyo Sushi From City Streets to Open Roads Think about it for more than a few moments and you’ll realise that sushi, at its heart, is the perfect travel food. It was designed to be portable, practical, and nourishing; a way to carry fresh fish safely from one place to another. In Iceland, where static ceremony often gives way to adventure, that original intention suddenly makes perfect sense. Tokyo Sushi’s menu feels purpose-built for modern tourists: compact rolls in neat boxes, complete with light but satisfying combinations that don’t demand a formal stop or a long sit-down meal. You can eat sushi sitting at the edge of a glacier lagoon, in a parked car while the wind howls outside, or on a rock above a crashing North Atlantic wave. And somehow, it still feels elegant and satisfying, granted that the weather behaves and you don’t struggle too much with the concept of using chopsticks. Photo: Tokyo Sushi Most great Icelandic journeys begin in Reykjavík. (Alright, strictly speaking, they begin in the arrivals hall of Keflavik International Airport, but who’s being pedantic?) Actually, most consider their trip to have truly begun once they’ve satiated the hunger pangs that follow international travel. Thankfully, Tokyo Sushi can be found in Keflavík town, mere minutes from the airport, as well as such locations as Glæsibær, Kringlan shopping mall, and Nýbýlavegur in Kópavogur. There are even smaller Litla Tokyo outlets inside Krónan supermarkets, found in Keflavík and the Capital Region. In other words, wherever you find yourself in modern-day Iceland, sushi is never far away. You can pick up a neatly packed box before leaving the city and not think about food again for the next four hours. When you do, you’ll find clean, precise, delectable flavours that somehow make a windswept car park feel like a respectable dining venue. Why Iceland Makes Better Sushi Than You’d Expect Photo: Tokyo Sushi A sensible person might ask: Why sushi in Iceland? The answer is far more obvious than you might think. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Iceland’s waters are clean, cold, and unpolluted enough to make other countries quietly embarrassed about their seafood. Tokyo Sushi uses only the very best Icelandic salmon, raised by local producers, to ensure both exceptional sushi quality and a sustainable approach to their craft. That matters, not just ethically, but practically: The flavour is clean, not oily. The texture is firm but delicate. The freshness is unmistakable and the balance is precise, yet never overpowering One bite is enough to understand that this sushi relies on no heavy sauces for its effect. It holds its own, even when consumed at a scenic layby along Route 01, and somehow still carries the feeling of a small, undeserved luxury. Rolling in Style Photo: Tokyo Sushi Tokyo Sushi has never pretended to be precious. The menu is adventurous, playful, and gloriously unafraid of indulgence. This is sushi designed by people who understand that sometimes, after hours driving atop gravel roads, what you want is warmth, crunch, and a little drama. The Volcano Roll is the obvious example. It’s deep-fried, stuffed with avocado and shrimp, and crowned with masago, spicy mayo, unagi sauce, and a flicker of chilli heat. Altogether, it’s bold enough to be memorable, even when eaten in a fogged-up vehicle watching steam rise off a geothermal field, or the misty plumes of a roaring waterfall. Given the dramatic beauty of Iceland’s natural scenery, it truly is saying something when sushi can provide you with a lasting impression. But Tokyo Sushi’s menu goes far, far beyond spectacle. For instance, there are crisp hosomaki, elegant maki, generous deluxe rolls, poke bowls, soups, stir-fried noodles, and donburi dishes that feel restorative after brisk walks in the cold wind or long days under the Midnight Sun. Eat Like a Local, Without Slowing Down Photo: Tokyo Sushi Here’s a truth about Iceland that you might not realise at first... especially if you spend a fair amount of your time scrolling through Instagram. Real life here does not pause for picturesque lunches. Like anywhere shaped by routine, Icelanders tend to eat quickly and efficiently, but that doesn’t mean they eat badly. Food here is built around movement, not the other way around. And, like all good providers of fulfilling meals, Tokyo Sushi understands this rhythm all too well. The packaging matters. The organisation matters. The way the rolls hold together matters. This is food that respects your day. You don’t need to dress up and you don’t need to plan your route around a table booking. You don’t even need to commit to a two-hour meal... not when the light is perfect at a waterfall two hours away. You simply eat better, more cleanly, more lightly, and keep moving. Reasonable, Reliable, Refreshingly Good Photo: Tokyo Sushi Now, you may have heard a few things about travel here that are not so appealing, mainly that Iceland—the country, not the UK supermarket—has a reputation for expensive food. And often, you’ll find that reputation is fair. Well, good news on that front, for Tokyo Sushi breaks that pattern. Its pricing is reasonable, predictable, and fair. Come time to pay the bill, you won’t feel punished for the mere crime of being hungry, nor for ordering more than one thing. Behind this is a team that understands two things very clearly: Tourists should eat well Locals should be able to afford where they dine With three main dine-in locations and eight takeaway points inside Krónan, Tokyo Sushi feels integrated into daily Icelandic life rather than designed only for visitors. For our money, that authenticity matters when you’re far from home. Sushi, Whatever the Weather Photo: Tokyo Sushi Now, onto another delicate matter... Iceland is not famous for gentle weather. In fact, it is famous for wind that feels personal in its vindictiveness, rain that hits horizontally, and snowflakes that arrive unannounced and in great supply. And yet, despite the harshness of the environment, there are still ways to get your hands on some Tokyo Sushi. While you can order from the restaurant directly for pickup, another option is to order through known delivery platforms like Aha or Wolt. That way, carefully wrapped rolls can arrive at your doorstep, regardless of what the weather has planned. There is something deeply reassuring about opening your door to a delivery driver who has fought the storm so you can eat warm rice, fresh fish, and perfect nori. Final Thoughts While it may be a restaurant, spanning multiple locations around the country, Tokyo Sushi does not look to be seen as just another destination. It doesn’t need reservation lists or dress codes. It doesn’t insist on stillness. It travels when you do. It adapts when plans change. It tastes just as good eaten on a rock as it does at a table. So next time you think about sushi, picture it not atop a conveyor belt or restaurant table, but as a quiet companion on long drives, long walks, missed turn-offs. Something to be eaten while enjoying unexpected viewpoints, and appreciating the small victories that come with navigating a wild and weathered country. And when you plan your next Icelandic adventure, don’t think only about where you’ll stay or what you’ll see. Think about the incredible sushi you’ll eat while on the way. Photo: Tokyo Sushi