Friðheimar tomato farm

About Friðheimar

Friðheimar grows tomatoes all year in geothermally heated greenhouses, using pure spring water and biological pest control instead of chemical sprays. In the dark winter months the plants grow under electric lights, which is how an Icelandic farm can pick fresh tomatoes in January. The restaurant sits inside one of the greenhouses, so you eat lunch surrounded by the plants that produced the food on your plate.

The farm is run by an Icelandic family who also breed Icelandic horses, and alongside the restaurant there is a small shop selling tomato-based products and, for those who book ahead, a horse show introducing the breed's distinctive gaits. It is one of the more unusual stops on the Golden Circle: part greenhouse, part restaurant, part working farm.

Most people come here as part of the Golden Circle, between Þingvellir National Park, Geysir and Gullfoss. It is an easy and relaxed stop for families: the greenhouse is warm and bright whatever the weather, the food is simple, and children can see where it comes from and meet the horses.

Quick facts

A family farm with tomatoes and horses

Friðheimar is run by Knútur Rafn Ármann and his wife Helena Hermundardóttir, who took over the farm in 1995 and raised their five children here. He trained in agriculture and she in horticulture, and the idea was to combine the two: horses and greenhouses on the same farm.

The family opened the greenhouses to visitors step by step, first with horse shows and later with the restaurant among the tomato plants. Friðheimar has been certified by Vakinn, the quality and environmental scheme for Icelandic tourism, and the farm makes a point of running the business in a sustainable way, with geothermal heat, green electricity and bees to pollinate the plants.

How to get to Friðheimar

Restaurant, greenhouse and horse show

Friðheimar is a restaurant, a working greenhouse and a horse farm in one. Lunch and the horse show usually need booking ahead.

Best time to visit Friðheimar

Safety and practical tips

• Book lunch ahead, especially in summer and around midday, since the restaurant is small and popular with tour groups.
• Arrive slightly before or after the busiest lunch window (around midday) if you want a quieter visit.
• The tomato soup with fresh bread is the dish most people come for; it is served with unlimited refills.
• If you want to see the horse show, book it separately and in advance by email, as it does not run every day.
• Bring the children. The horses are calm and used to people, and the greenhouse is an easy place for a break on a long day in the car.
• Do not confuse this Reykholt with the one in Borgarfjörður, West Iceland. Friðheimar is in Reykholt on Route 35, between Selfoss and Geysir.

Facilities and accessibility

Restaurant, small farm shop, toilets and a bar are all on site. Fuel and further services are available in nearby Reykholt and Laugarvatn.

On the map

Nearby places worth a stop

GeysirErupting hot spring area, about 20 km awayGullfossTwo-step waterfall, about 30 km awayLaugarás LagoonGeothermal bathing spot nearbyKerið craterRed crater with a blue-green lakeSecret LagoonOld geothermal pool in FlúðirHrunalaugSmall natural hot spring near FlúðirÞingvellir National ParkThe rift valley and old parliament site on the Golden CircleFaxiWide waterfall on the Tungufljót river, a short drive away

Where to stay near Friðheimar

Most visitors see Friðheimar as a lunch stop on a Golden Circle day trip from Reykjavík, though guesthouses and hotels around Reykholt and Flúðir are within a short drive if you want to stay overnight in the area.

Friðheimar FAQ