Pylsa is the Icelandic word for hot dog, and it's widely considered the country's most iconic fast food, some Icelanders would even call it a national dish. If you're planning a self-drive trip around Iceland, you'll see pylsa stands at nearly every petrol station, harbour, and town square along the way, and it's worth knowing what makes this one different before you order.
Short answer: Pylsa is an Icelandic-style hot dog made primarily from lamb (often blended with beef or pork), served in a bun with a distinct set of toppings: sweet ketchup, mild brown mustard, remoulade, and both raw and crispy fried onions. Ordering it "with everything" (eina með öllu) gets you the full traditional combination. It's sold everywhere from Reykjavik food stalls to N1 and Olís petrol stations along the Ring Road, and it's inexpensive relative to most restaurant meals in Iceland.
What makes an Icelandic hot dog different from a regular hot dog?
The main difference is the sausage itself. Icelandic pylsur are traditionally made with lamb, sometimes blended with beef and pork, which gives them a slightly gamier, more distinct flavor than the all-beef or all-pork hot dogs common in the US or UK. Iceland's lamb comes from sheep that graze freely on wild highland vegetation for much of the year, which locals will happily tell you affects the taste.
The second difference is the topping system. It isn't just ketchup and mustard squeezed on top, there's a specific order and a specific set of condiments that Icelanders consider non-negotiable for the "proper" version.
What goes on a pylsa? Sauces and toppings explained
A traditional pylsa is built with three sauces and two onion toppings, and the onions always go underneath the sausage, not on top. Ordering "eina með öllu" ("one with everything") gets you the full classic version described below.
| Topping | What it is | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet Icelandic ketchup | Lighter, sweeter, and less deep-red than typical ketchup | On top or under the sausage |
| Brown mustard (pylsusinnep) | Milder than yellow or Dijon mustard, brown in color | On top or under the sausage |
| Remoulade | A mayonnaise-based sauce similar to a Nordic tartar sauce | On top or under the sausage |
| Raw onion | Fresh chopped white onion | Always underneath the sausage |
| Crispy fried onion (crispy onion) | Deep-fried, crunchy onion bits | Always underneath the sausage |
There's no rule against customizing this. Plenty of visitors and locals alike order theirs with just ketchup and fried onion, or skip the remoulade entirely. But if you want the reference version that most Icelanders grew up with, "one with everything" is the phrase to know.
Why are hot dogs so popular in Iceland?
History, ingredients, and a conservative food culture explain pylsa's popularity in Iceland. It predates hamburgers, pizza, and most other imported fast food in Iceland by decades, which gave it a long head start as the default quick meal.
Iceland also has roughly four times as many sheep as people, so lamb has always been an abundant, affordable, and culturally central ingredient, not an exotic add-on. Icelanders tend to be loyal to familiar, locally rooted foods, and pylsa fits that pattern: it's homegrown, inexpensive, and tied to a specific taste that doesn't really exist anywhere else. That combination is a large part of why it's held onto its spot as the country's go-to fast food for generations, rather than being displaced by newer options.
Where can you get a pylsa on a self-drive trip?
You don't need to seek out a specific restaurant, pylsa is sold at petrol stations, grill houses, food stands, and swimming pool snack bars across the whole country, which makes it a genuinely convenient stop on a road trip. N1 and Olís stations, common refueling points along the Ring Road, almost always have a hot dog machine or grill at the counter.
In Reykjavik, the best-known stand is Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, a small kiosk in the city centre that has been serving hot dogs for decades and regularly draws a queue. If you're driving into Reykjavik and stopping in the centre, it's worth checking our parking guide for Reykjavik before you go looking for a space nearby, since the area around the harbour and old town runs on a paid zone system.
Outside the capital, pylsa stands turn up in places you wouldn't expect, a fishing village harbour, a highland service hut, a supermarket deli counter, which is part of what makes it such a practical stop on a longer driving itinerary. Picking up your car with online check-in at Keflavik Airport and heading straight out means your first proper Icelandic meal could easily be a pylsa at the first petrol stop outside the airport.
Are there regional variations of the Icelandic hot dog?
Yes, some towns add extra toppings, though the classic "one with everything" combination remains standard nationwide. In places like Akureyri and Keflavik, you'll sometimes find pickles, red cabbage, or cocktail sauce offered alongside the traditional toppings. These aren't replacements for the classic version, just extra options some vendors have introduced over the years.
If you're curious about food traditions beyond the hot dog, our Icelandic culture guide covers more of what shapes the country's everyday food habits.
What should you drink with a pylsa?
There's no single "correct" pairing, but a few drinks are strongly associated with pylsa in Iceland. Coca-Cola is the most common choice, and milk is a surprisingly popular pairing for locals. For a more distinctly Icelandic combination, try Appelsín (an orange soft drink) or Malt (a sweet, malty non-alcoholic drink), the two are often mixed together around Christmas but are enjoyed separately with hot dogs year-round.
Is pylsa the only Icelandic food worth trying?
No, pylsa is the most accessible and fastest option, but it's not the only local dish worth building into a road trip. Lamb soup (kjötsúpa) and lobster soup are both widely available and considered national comfort foods, and fish and chips or a lamb burger are common alternatives if you want something more substantial than a hot dog. None of these require advance booking, so they slot easily into a self-drive itinerary between stops.
The takeaway for self-drive travellers
Pylsa isn't a novelty food built for tourists, it's genuinely what Icelanders reach for as their everyday fast food, which is exactly why it's worth trying rather than skipping. It's quick, inexpensive relative to most meals out, and available at nearly every fuel stop, so it fits naturally into a driving itinerary without needing a special detour. Whether you're picking up your car and heading straight out with online check-in, choosing the right vehicle for your route from our range of cars, or stopping in Reykjavik before a longer trip, a pylsa "with everything" is a low-effort way to try something distinctly Icelandic along the way.
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