Efstidalur II: The perfect farm destination in Iceland's Golden Circle
Ice Cream, Horse-Back Riding, Hamburgers, & the Complete Farm-To-Table Experience In Southern Iceland
Efstidalur II is run by four siblings and their families who are the 7th generation living on the property. Their families have lived there since around 1750 and are dairy farmers first and foremost, but since tourism picked up in the area, they also opened a restaurant and cafe in 2013. All their products are made there on site from their milk, and you can even see their cows in person.
This quaint little farm is definitely worth a stop, even if you only have a half hour to spare!
*Just be sure to check their hours of operation here first, since it is a family-owned operation.
The scenic drive there down the long road is one thing, but the heavenly smells and friendly smiles once there are another. There’s plenty to see, and you might even get lucky and see their farmhands working with the cows or calves.
Decadent, Organic Ice Cream
Efstidalur II is perhaps most popular for their organic, home-made ice cream of all flavors. Trust us: it’s worth every penny and is creamier and more decadent than most ice creams you’ve likely tried!
Their ice cream flavors include black licorice (very common and popular in Iceland, though not the same as the American black licorice flavor), Oreo, mint, Amaretto, Jardaberja (or strawberry), mango, coconut, double chocolate, and much more! And the serving sizes weren’t scanty by any measure of the word.
Take our advice: be brave and try something you wouldn’t otherwise try! After all, you’re in Iceland for goodness’ sake.
Food Options
The restaurant served all local vegetables and meat from right there on the farm. Their hamburger dishes came with a wide variety of toppings, including eggs, peanut butter, and melted feta cheese.
Luke got the Icelander’s Burger with cheese, egg, bacon, red onion, and bernaise sauce, which was 2750 ISK or roughly $22.25. I got the amazing soup buffet, which was 2200 ISK or roughly $17.75.
Considering Iceland is expensive already, getting an all-you-can-eat buffet for this price was a great deal. With that came freshly baked bread and artisan butters, including chili butter, garlic butter, and home-style butter.
They also served fillet of lamb, pan-fried trout, and horse burgers – just to name a few options. Beer was also on the menu, as was all kinds of tea.
Horseback Riding and Accommodations
Though we didn’t have time for horse-back riding and didn’t stay in their hotel, the glimpse we caught of the place looked very quaint and cozy. The laid-back, rustic countryside atmosphere was ideal. We wished we would have known about the hotel sooner (in all honestly, we only learned of the place the day before when a local we met told us we had to make time for a quick stop) because we 100% would have stayed there.
After talking to a few tourists looking wind-blown, jovial, and smiling while coming back from horse riding, they recommended the experience wholeheartedly and encouraged even the most timid riders to try out the Icelandic horses. Known for their friendly temperament and comfy “5th gear,” “flying trolt” riding style, the experience is unlike any other horse. Read more about our experience with Icelandic horses here.
Keep your eye out for their friendly dog who roams the farm and can often be found taking naps by the parking lot. *Please don’t feed him, though, as the owners don’t want him getting overweight.
Have you been to Efstidalur II? If so, what did you think of it? Comment below and share your recommendations!
