Kopar Fine Dining Dinner and Northern Lights Cruise from Reykjavik

Good food makes aurora hunting easier. This Reykjavik evening pairs a six-course dinner at Kopar in the Old Harbour with a Northern Lights cruise, giving you a polished meal and a chance to see Iceland’s sky without arranging two separate activities. I especially like Kopar’s creative Icelandic menu and the easy one-minute walk from the restaurant to the boat check-in.

I also like that warm coveralls are supplied on the cruise, since a calm harbor can still feel brutally cold at night. The main drawback is simple: the Northern Lights are never guaranteed, and a boat trip can feel long when clouds cover the sky. You should also confirm your restaurant reservation yourself after booking, rather than assume the package has done it for you.

Key points to know before booking

• Dinner comes first: You begin at Kopar, Geirsgata 3, with a six-course Adventure Menu.
• The boat office is nearby: Special Tours checks you in at Geirsgata 11, about a one-minute walk from Kopar.
• The food earns the strongest praise: The lobster soup, seafood, lamb, duck, and desserts have been particular favorites.
• The cruise is cold but prepared: Warm coveralls are provided, though you still need warm clothing underneath.
• A second chance may be offered: If the lights fail to appear, Special Tours has offered a free return cruise in many cases, but this should not be treated as a guaranteed part of every booking.
• Timing matters: The package costs $204.24 per person and takes about five hours, with drinks at Kopar charged separately.

Starting the evening at Kopar in Reykjavik’s Old Harbour

Kopar is a strong place to begin an Icelandic evening. It sits at Geirsgata 3 beside the Old Harbour, where large windows give some tables a fine view across the water. If the view matters to you, request a window table when you confirm the reservation. Several diners found the harbor setting added a romantic touch, especially for a birthday or special occasion.

The meal is a six-course tasting menu called the Adventure Menu. It is not a quick restaurant dinner. Plan on spending about three hours at the table, and do not schedule anything immediately after the cruise.

The menu has included dishes such as rock lobster soup, smoked Arctic char, goose, lightly salted cod, lamb, duck, and chocolate-based desserts. Exact dishes can change, but the pattern is clear: this is a chance to try Icelandic ingredients in a more polished setting than a casual café.

The portions are also more generous than the phrase tasting menu might suggest. You may be full before the last course arrives. One useful strategy is to eat lightly earlier in the day, especially if you want to finish every course.

What the six-course meal is like

The strongest part of this package is usually the dinner. Kopar’s kitchen takes familiar Icelandic ingredients and presents them in a more adventurous way, so you get variety without ordering a full meal from several different restaurants.

Seafood has received especially strong praise. Lobster soup, salmon, cod, Arctic char, and ling have all appeared in versions of the menu. One menu included lightly salted cod with squash purée, quinoa salad, and mandarin sauce. Another included smoked Arctic char and cod. These dishes give you a useful introduction to Icelandic cooking without requiring you to order something unfamiliar as your only main course.

The meat courses can be just as satisfying. Lamb with truffle mashed potatoes, duck breast, goose, pork belly, and reindeer have appeared on different versions of the menu. The best meals seem to balance tender meat with sauces, purées, and small side elements rather than simply placing a large steak in front of you.

Dessert is not an afterthought. Past menus have included chocolate brownie, caramel cake, skyr desserts, cheesecake, sorbet, and crème brûlée. Icelandic skyr appears in several forms, often with fruit or a sharp sorbet to keep the meal from becoming too heavy.

That said, the experience is not perfectly consistent. A few dishes have drawn criticism for being too salty, not crisp enough, or unevenly cooked. One group had to send back fatty, undercooked lamb and eventually left before the replacement arrived because the boat departure was approaching. That is a useful warning: tell your server early that you have a fixed cruise check-in time.

Vegetarian and vegan diners have also found suitable choices, but you should communicate dietary needs when booking or confirming. The menu is fixed, so do not assume you can freely replace every course at the table.

The one-minute walk to Special Tours

After dinner, you walk to the Special Tours ticket office at Geirsgata 11. The distance is about one minute, which is a major advantage in Reykjavik’s cold, windy evening weather. You do not need a taxi or a complicated transfer between the meal and the harbor.

This simple connection is one of the package’s best practical features. You can take your time at dinner, but you still need to watch the clock. The boat check-in is not something to treat casually. A slow meal, a delayed replacement dish, or a long drink order can leave you rushing out of the restaurant.

Confirm both details before the evening begins:

• Your dinner reservation at Kopar
• The exact boat check-in time

The package instructions specifically ask you to contact [email protected] to confirm the dinner reservation. Do this after booking. One serious complaint came from a person who assumed the restaurant reservation had already been handled and only discovered the problem after calling.

Your booking email may contain timing details that are not displayed as clearly in the mobile app. Keep the email available on your phone, or write down the dinner and boat times.

Setting out on the Northern Lights cruise

The cruise is listed at about two and a half hours, although the total boat portion may be described as two hours in some scheduling information. It is a proper evening outing, not a quick spin around the harbor.

The boat provides indoor space, onboard commentary, and video. You can step outside when the sky looks promising, then return indoors to warm up. Drinks and refreshments may be available for purchase onboard, but they are not part of the package price.

Warm coveralls are supplied. Wear warm layers underneath anyway. The sea air can cut through ordinary clothing, and one person described the cruise as the coldest part of the night despite the supplied suits. Check that your size is available before heading outside, and bring a hat, gloves, and sturdy footwear.

The cruise does not necessarily travel far into the open ocean. In some conditions, it stays fairly close to the harbor. This can disappoint people who expect a long voyage away from Reykjavik’s lights, but the decision also helps limit rough water and seasickness. Going farther out does not guarantee an aurora, and a choppy sea can ruin an otherwise pleasant evening.

The boat can hold many more people than the dinner portion. The package itself has a maximum of six participants, while the cruise may be shared with a much larger group. One account described roughly 75 people onboard. Expect a small, personal dinner followed by a more public boat excursion.

Your chances of seeing the Northern Lights

Aurora watching is a waiting game, not a theater performance. You need darkness, clear enough skies, and solar activity at the same time. A cloudy night can produce no result even when the forecast looked hopeful earlier.

The boat crew uses onboard commentary and video to explain what you are looking for. That helps, but no guide can manufacture clear skies. Some outings have produced a strong display soon after leaving port. Others have ended with no lights at all because of cloud, rain, weak activity, or a bright moon.

If the lights do not appear, ask the crew about a return trip before leaving the boat. Special Tours has offered a free second chance in many cases, and several people made good use of it on another night. This is one reason to book the package early in your Iceland stay rather than on your final evening.

A free retry is helpful, but it can be hard to fit into a short visit. You may need an open evening later in your schedule, and poor weather could affect the second attempt as well.

The experience can also be enjoyable without an aurora. You get a night view of Reykjavik from the water, a comfortable boat, and a guided search under Icelandic darkness. Still, if seeing the lights is your main reason for booking, keep your expectations realistic and leave room for another attempt.

Is $204.24 a fair price?

At $204.24 per person, this is not a budget dinner or a cheap boat ride. It can be good value if you already want a special meal and a Northern Lights excursion, since the package combines both and removes the need to coordinate separate bookings.

The dinner alone is the part that makes the price easier to accept. A six-course meal in Reykjavik is expensive by ordinary standards, and drinks are extra at Kopar. Add the cruise, warm coveralls, commentary, and the convenience of leaving from the Old Harbour, and the price becomes more reasonable for a special night.

You should not book it just to save money on an aurora tour. If you care mainly about the sky, a simpler cruise or land-based excursion may suit you better. This package makes the most sense for someone who wants a memorable meal first and considers the Northern Lights an exciting bonus.

The menu is also substantial. You are paying for a full evening, not a small plate before a boat departure. If you prefer casual food, flexible timing, or a quick dinner, you may find the arrangement too formal and too long.

Who will enjoy this Reykjavik evening most?

I would recommend this experience to couples, food-focused visitors, and anyone celebrating a birthday or anniversary. The harbor view, attentive service, and carefully presented menu give the evening a special-occasion feel.

It also works well for a small group that wants a simple plan. You eat at one restaurant, walk a minute, and board the boat. There is no need to organize a separate taxi across town or work out the harbor location yourself.

Families can enjoy it too, especially if everyone is open to unfamiliar dishes. The vegan and non-vegan diners who shared a table found workable choices, but children who dislike set menus may struggle with six courses.

You should think twice if you dislike cold weather, have limited mobility for moving around a boat, or need strict control over your meal timing. Most people can participate, service animals are allowed, and public transportation is nearby, but the late evening and outdoor deck require preparation.

Smart ways to improve the experience

Confirm the dinner reservation immediately after booking. This is the most important practical step.

Ask for a window table at Kopar if you want the harbor view. You may also catch a glimpse of the sky while dining, although the boat remains the better place to search.

Wear warm layers even though coveralls are supplied. Add gloves and a hat, and do not rely on the suit alone.

Keep your schedule flexible for a second cruise. If you are visiting for several nights, book this early in your stay so a retry remains possible.

Tell the restaurant about the fixed departure time. If a course is delayed or needs replacing, the staff needs to know how much time remains.

Finally, save the confirmation email. It may contain the clearest dinner and boat instructions, including details that are easy to miss in the app.

Should you book the Kopar dinner and cruise?

Book it if you want the food to be worthwhile even when the sky fails. Kopar receives the warmest praise for its flavors, service, generous portions, and Old Harbour setting. The cruise adds a pleasant sense of possibility, and the chance of a free retry can rescue a cloudy first attempt.

Skip it if seeing the Northern Lights is your only priority, or if you want a low-cost, short excursion. The boat can be cold, the aurora may not appear, and the fixed dinner timing leaves little room for delay.

For most food lovers, this is a well-planned Reykjavik evening with one unavoidable gamble: the restaurant is under your control, but the sky is not.

FAQ

Where does the dinner begin?

The dinner begins at Kopar, located at Geirsgata 3 in Reykjavik’s Old Harbour.

How many courses are included?

The package includes Kopar’s six-course Adventure Menu.

Do I need to confirm my dinner reservation?

Yes. After booking, contact Special Tours at [email protected] to confirm your dinner reservation with Kopar.

Where do I check in for the cruise?

After dinner, walk to the Special Tours ticket office at Geirsgata 11. It is about one minute from Kopar.

How long is the Northern Lights cruise?

The included cruise is listed as approximately two and a half hours. Some schedule information describes the boat portion as two hours.

Are drinks included with dinner?

No. Drinks at Kopar are not included, but you can buy them separately.

Are warm clothes provided on the boat?

Warm coveralls are provided for use during the cruise. You should still dress warmly because it can be very cold.

What happens if bad weather cancels the cruise?

If poor weather causes the experience to be canceled, you may be offered another date or a full refund. If the lights do not appear, Special Tours has also offered free return trips in many cases, subject to availability and the operator’s arrangements.