Friðheimar is a family-run tomato farm and greenhouse restaurant located on Iceland's Golden Circle route in the village of Reykholt, South Iceland. The farm grows tomatoes year-round inside large heated greenhouses, using Iceland's geothermal energy to maintain warm, growing conditions despite the harsh climate outside. Visitors can tour the greenhouses and eat lunch directly inside them, surrounded by rows of live tomato plants.
The name Friðheimar translates to "peaceful world" in Icelandic.
What makes Friðheimar unusual is the combination of things it offers in one place: a working commercial tomato farm that supplies supermarkets and restaurants across Iceland, a greenhouse restaurant where almost every dish on the menu is tomato-based, an Icelandic horse breeding program, summer horse shows, a shop selling farm-made products, and a wine bar and bistro.
It is one of the most visited stops on the Golden Circle and one of the few agricultural attractions in Iceland that has become a major tourist destination in its own right.
Geothermal horticulture at Friðheimar dates back to 1946. The land changed hands several times before Knútur Rafn Ármann and his wife Helena Hermundardóttir bought the farm in 1995. Knútur is an agronomist and Helena a horticulturalist — they set out to combine their expertise into a single sustainable operation.
After purchasing the farm, they built a 1,174 m² greenhouse and began breeding Icelandic horses. By 2002, they had installed artificial lighting to extend growing seasons and started producing tomatoes year-round. A second greenhouse followed shortly after.
Between 2007 and 2013, they added an equestrian center with a stable for 20 horses, an outdoor arena seating 120 guests, and launched a tourist horse show. Greenhouse visits opened to the public around the same time.
From 2013, the restaurant became one of the most popular lunch stops on the Golden Circle. The farm now employs over 60 people and has expanded to include a wine bar and bistro. In 2025, strawberries were introduced as a second crop — the first addition beyond tomatoes in the farm's history.
The farm remains family-run. Knútur and Helena's five children — Dóróthea, Karítas, Matthías Jens, Arnaldur, and Tómas Ingi — all work in the business.
Friðheimar is located in the village of Reykholt, in the Bláskógabyggð municipality of South Iceland. Reykholt is a small settlement of around 100 people with a cluster of geothermal greenhouses and hot springs, situated not far from Skálholt, Geysir, and Gullfoss.
Address: Friðheimar, Reykholt, Bláskógabyggð, 806 Selfoss, Iceland
Coordinates: 64.1784° N, 20.4478° W
Search "Friðheimar" on Google Maps for direct navigation. The farm is signposted from the main road, though the sign can be easy to miss — watch carefully when driving on Route 35.
Phone: +354 486 8894 Email: info@fridheimar.is
Friðheimar is approximately 96 km (60 miles) from Reykjavík — about a 1 hour 30 minute drive under normal conditions.
Route from Reykjavík: Take Route 1 (Ring Road) east toward Selfoss. Continue past Selfoss onto Route 35 (Biskupstungnabraut) north. Follow Route 35 north past Kerið crater and continue toward Reykholt. Friðheimar is on Route 35, clearly within the Reykholt village area.
Most Golden Circle tours from Reykjavík include Friðheimar as a stop, particularly those offering a lunch package. It is a popular mid-day break on full-day Golden Circle tours. Tours include hotel pickup, a guide, and transport between the sights. Lunch at Friðheimar is sometimes included in the tour price and sometimes an optional add-on — check before booking.
Friðheimar sits directly on Route 35 — the main road connecting the Golden Circle sites — and is widely considered part of the extended Golden Circle experience. It is not one of the three classic Golden Circle stops (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss), but it is one of the most commonly added stops on Golden Circle itineraries and is positioned conveniently between Geysir and Kerið crater.
Many tour operators now advertise their Golden Circle itineraries specifically as including Friðheimar, and the farm is frequently described as the best lunch stop on the route.
Friðheimar is open every day of the year. The greenhouse restaurant operates lunch service only, so plan your visit around midday. The shop and bar open earlier and close later, giving visitors more flexibility for a quick browse and purchase outside of meal hours.
Booking a table is strongly recommended, especially in peak summer months (June–August) and on weekends year-round. Walk-ins are possible but tables fill quickly. Book online through the Friðheimar website or via dineout.is.
There is no separate entrance fee to visit Friðheimar. Entry to the greenhouse area is free. You pay only for what you eat and drink in the restaurant or buy in the shop.
Parking at Friðheimar is free. There is a dedicated car park on-site with space for both private cars and tour coaches.
Growing tomatoes in Iceland is not straightforward. The country has long, dark winters with very limited sunlight and cold temperatures — conditions that would normally make tomato farming impossible. Friðheimar solves this through a combination of geothermal energy, artificial lighting, and modern greenhouse technology.
The greenhouses are heated using natural geothermal water sourced from a borehole approximately 200 meters from the greenhouses. The water flows from the ground at approximately 95°C (203°F) and is piped through the greenhouses to maintain a consistent warm temperature year-round.
This means the inside of the greenhouses stays at Mediterranean growing temperatures even when it is -10°C (14°F) outside.
Iceland's abundant and inexpensive geothermal energy is what makes this operation economically viable. In most other countries with a similar climate, heating greenhouses at this scale would be prohibitively expensive.
Tomatoes are approximately 90% water, so irrigation is essential. The cold water used for irrigation comes from natural springs in Fljótsbotnar — the same spring water that feeds local taps and is served to restaurant guests. The cold water comes from the same geothermal source that heats the greenhouses, though at a cooler point in the system.
During Iceland's dark winter months, natural sunlight alone is insufficient for tomato growth. Friðheimar uses specialized artificial lighting to supplement daylight and replicate the light conditions tomatoes need to grow continuously. This allows year-round production regardless of the season outside.
Friðheimar does not use chemical pesticides. Instead, pests are controlled biologically — by introducing natural predators into the greenhouse that feed on insects harmful to the tomato plants.
Small green flies that prey on common tomato crop pests are one method used. Bumblebees are also kept inside the greenhouses specifically to pollinate the tomato flowers naturally, replacing the need for manual or chemical pollination.
The restaurant at Friðheimar is set up inside the working greenhouse. Diners sit at tables surrounded by rows of living tomato plants on all sides, with the vines growing above and beside them. Natural light comes through the glass ceiling during the day, and the air carries the warm scent of ripening tomatoes.
The menu is built almost entirely around tomatoes, featuring dishes made from the farm's own produce.
Tomato soup is the signature dish. It is served buffet-style — unlimited portions — alongside fresh homemade bread, sour cream, and cucumber salsa. It is the most ordered item in the restaurant and what most visitors come specifically to eat.
Other dishes on the menu include:
Drinks are also tomato-themed where possible. Options include:
Coffee and tea are included with any meal.
The menu caters to vegetarians well. Gluten-free bread options are available. Vegan options exist but are limited — check with staff on arrival.
Prices are considered reasonable by Iceland standards. A meal for two with drinks typically runs around $50–80 USD.
In addition to the main greenhouse restaurant, Friðheimar operates a Winebar & Bistro in a separate building on the property — a refurbished old greenhouse. It is open daily from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM (kitchen closes at 8:00 PM), making it available in the evenings when the main restaurant is closed. The bistro offers wine, cocktails, and food in a more relaxed, evening-friendly setting.
The on-site shop sells a range of products made from the farm's own tomatoes and cucumbers. Products include:
The shop is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily — earlier and later than the restaurant — making it accessible even for visitors who don't stay for a meal. Products make popular food souvenirs and are available to take home or ship.
Horse breeding and training have been part of Friðheimar since 1995, when the owners first acquired horses alongside the greenhouse operation. Today, there are approximately 40 horses on the farm.
The breeding focus is on Icelandic horses — a breed brought to Iceland by the first Scandinavian settlers around 900 AD. Icelandic horses are distinct from most other breeds in several ways. They are smaller and sturdier than typical riding horses, known for their gentle temperament, intelligence, and social nature.
Most critically, they have five gaits rather than the four gaits (walk, trot, canter, gallop) that most horse breeds possess. The fifth gait, unique to Icelandic horses, is called the tölt — a smooth, four-beat running walk that is comfortable for the rider and distinctive enough that Icelandic horses are highly sought after internationally for dressage and show work.
Friðheimar currently has two to three award-winning breeding mares on the farm and breeds only with award-winning stallions. The horses are trained with an emphasis on a smooth tölt, good foot lift, and a willing, good-natured temperament.
From May 1 through September 30, Friðheimar runs a horse show called "A Meeting with the Icelandic Horse." The show covers the history of the Icelandic horse breed, demonstrates all five gaits including the tölt, and concludes with an opportunity for visitors to meet the horses and their trainers.
The show is conducted in 14 languages, making it accessible to international visitors regardless of native language.
Outside of the summer show season, the stables are open for visits year-round. Visitors can see the horses and the facilities at any time.
The horse show must be booked in advance and is a separate booking from the restaurant reservation.
Greenhouse visits for pre-booked groups are available year-round. A guided tour of the greenhouse includes a short informational talk on the growing process — how geothermal energy is used, how the plants are managed through the dark winter months, how pests are controlled biologically, and the scale of the operation. After the tour, visitors are invited to the restaurant to taste the produce.
Individual visitors (not in a group) typically see the greenhouse as part of the dining experience — the restaurant is set inside the greenhouse itself, so guests see the plants and operation during their meal.
11:30 - 04:00 pm
Friðheimar is a family-run tomato farm and greenhouse restaurant located on Iceland's Golden Circle route in the village of Reykholt, South Iceland. The farm grows tomatoes year-round inside large heated greenhouses, using Iceland's geothermal energy to maintain warm, growing conditions despite the harsh climate outside. Visitors can tour the greenhouses and eat lunch directly inside them, surrounded by rows of live tomato plants.
The name Friðheimar translates to "peaceful world" in Icelandic.
What makes Friðheimar unusual is the combination of things it offers in one place: a working commercial tomato farm that supplies supermarkets and restaurants across Iceland, a greenhouse restaurant where almost every dish on the menu is tomato-based, an Icelandic horse breeding program, summer horse shows, a shop selling farm-made products, and a wine bar and bistro.
It is one of the most visited stops on the Golden Circle and one of the few agricultural attractions in Iceland that has become a major tourist destination in its own right.
Geothermal horticulture at Friðheimar dates back to 1946. The land changed hands several times before Knútur Rafn Ármann and his wife Helena Hermundardóttir bought the farm in 1995. Knútur is an agronomist and Helena a horticulturalist — they set out to combine their expertise into a single sustainable operation.
After purchasing the farm, they built a 1,174 m² greenhouse and began breeding Icelandic horses. By 2002, they had installed artificial lighting to extend growing seasons and started producing tomatoes year-round. A second greenhouse followed shortly after.
Between 2007 and 2013, they added an equestrian center with a stable for 20 horses, an outdoor arena seating 120 guests, and launched a tourist horse show. Greenhouse visits opened to the public around the same time.
From 2013, the restaurant became one of the most popular lunch stops on the Golden Circle. The farm now employs over 60 people and has expanded to include a wine bar and bistro. In 2025, strawberries were introduced as a second crop — the first addition beyond tomatoes in the farm's history.
The farm remains family-run. Knútur and Helena's five children — Dóróthea, Karítas, Matthías Jens, Arnaldur, and Tómas Ingi — all work in the business.
Friðheimar is located in the village of Reykholt, in the Bláskógabyggð municipality of South Iceland. Reykholt is a small settlement of around 100 people with a cluster of geothermal greenhouses and hot springs, situated not far from Skálholt, Geysir, and Gullfoss.
Address: Friðheimar, Reykholt, Bláskógabyggð, 806 Selfoss, Iceland
Coordinates: 64.1784° N, 20.4478° W
Search "Friðheimar" on Google Maps for direct navigation. The farm is signposted from the main road, though the sign can be easy to miss — watch carefully when driving on Route 35.
Phone: +354 486 8894 Email: info@fridheimar.is
Friðheimar is approximately 96 km (60 miles) from Reykjavík — about a 1 hour 30 minute drive under normal conditions.
Route from Reykjavík: Take Route 1 (Ring Road) east toward Selfoss. Continue past Selfoss onto Route 35 (Biskupstungnabraut) north. Follow Route 35 north past Kerið crater and continue toward Reykholt. Friðheimar is on Route 35, clearly within the Reykholt village area.
Most Golden Circle tours from Reykjavík include Friðheimar as a stop, particularly those offering a lunch package. It is a popular mid-day break on full-day Golden Circle tours. Tours include hotel pickup, a guide, and transport between the sights. Lunch at Friðheimar is sometimes included in the tour price and sometimes an optional add-on — check before booking.
Friðheimar sits directly on Route 35 — the main road connecting the Golden Circle sites — and is widely considered part of the extended Golden Circle experience. It is not one of the three classic Golden Circle stops (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss), but it is one of the most commonly added stops on Golden Circle itineraries and is positioned conveniently between Geysir and Kerið crater.
Many tour operators now advertise their Golden Circle itineraries specifically as including Friðheimar, and the farm is frequently described as the best lunch stop on the route.
Friðheimar is open every day of the year. The greenhouse restaurant operates lunch service only, so plan your visit around midday. The shop and bar open earlier and close later, giving visitors more flexibility for a quick browse and purchase outside of meal hours.
Booking a table is strongly recommended, especially in peak summer months (June–August) and on weekends year-round. Walk-ins are possible but tables fill quickly. Book online through the Friðheimar website or via dineout.is.
There is no separate entrance fee to visit Friðheimar. Entry to the greenhouse area is free. You pay only for what you eat and drink in the restaurant or buy in the shop.
Parking at Friðheimar is free. There is a dedicated car park on-site with space for both private cars and tour coaches.
Growing tomatoes in Iceland is not straightforward. The country has long, dark winters with very limited sunlight and cold temperatures — conditions that would normally make tomato farming impossible. Friðheimar solves this through a combination of geothermal energy, artificial lighting, and modern greenhouse technology.
The greenhouses are heated using natural geothermal water sourced from a borehole approximately 200 meters from the greenhouses. The water flows from the ground at approximately 95°C (203°F) and is piped through the greenhouses to maintain a consistent warm temperature year-round.
This means the inside of the greenhouses stays at Mediterranean growing temperatures even when it is -10°C (14°F) outside.
Iceland's abundant and inexpensive geothermal energy is what makes this operation economically viable. In most other countries with a similar climate, heating greenhouses at this scale would be prohibitively expensive.
Tomatoes are approximately 90% water, so irrigation is essential. The cold water used for irrigation comes from natural springs in Fljótsbotnar — the same spring water that feeds local taps and is served to restaurant guests. The cold water comes from the same geothermal source that heats the greenhouses, though at a cooler point in the system.
During Iceland's dark winter months, natural sunlight alone is insufficient for tomato growth. Friðheimar uses specialized artificial lighting to supplement daylight and replicate the light conditions tomatoes need to grow continuously. This allows year-round production regardless of the season outside.
Friðheimar does not use chemical pesticides. Instead, pests are controlled biologically — by introducing natural predators into the greenhouse that feed on insects harmful to the tomato plants.
Small green flies that prey on common tomato crop pests are one method used. Bumblebees are also kept inside the greenhouses specifically to pollinate the tomato flowers naturally, replacing the need for manual or chemical pollination.
The restaurant at Friðheimar is set up inside the working greenhouse. Diners sit at tables surrounded by rows of living tomato plants on all sides, with the vines growing above and beside them. Natural light comes through the glass ceiling during the day, and the air carries the warm scent of ripening tomatoes.
The menu is built almost entirely around tomatoes, featuring dishes made from the farm's own produce.
Tomato soup is the signature dish. It is served buffet-style — unlimited portions — alongside fresh homemade bread, sour cream, and cucumber salsa. It is the most ordered item in the restaurant and what most visitors come specifically to eat.
Other dishes on the menu include:
Drinks are also tomato-themed where possible. Options include:
Coffee and tea are included with any meal.
The menu caters to vegetarians well. Gluten-free bread options are available. Vegan options exist but are limited — check with staff on arrival.
Prices are considered reasonable by Iceland standards. A meal for two with drinks typically runs around $50–80 USD.
In addition to the main greenhouse restaurant, Friðheimar operates a Winebar & Bistro in a separate building on the property — a refurbished old greenhouse. It is open daily from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM (kitchen closes at 8:00 PM), making it available in the evenings when the main restaurant is closed. The bistro offers wine, cocktails, and food in a more relaxed, evening-friendly setting.
The on-site shop sells a range of products made from the farm's own tomatoes and cucumbers. Products include:
The shop is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily — earlier and later than the restaurant — making it accessible even for visitors who don't stay for a meal. Products make popular food souvenirs and are available to take home or ship.
Horse breeding and training have been part of Friðheimar since 1995, when the owners first acquired horses alongside the greenhouse operation. Today, there are approximately 40 horses on the farm.
The breeding focus is on Icelandic horses — a breed brought to Iceland by the first Scandinavian settlers around 900 AD. Icelandic horses are distinct from most other breeds in several ways. They are smaller and sturdier than typical riding horses, known for their gentle temperament, intelligence, and social nature.
Most critically, they have five gaits rather than the four gaits (walk, trot, canter, gallop) that most horse breeds possess. The fifth gait, unique to Icelandic horses, is called the tölt — a smooth, four-beat running walk that is comfortable for the rider and distinctive enough that Icelandic horses are highly sought after internationally for dressage and show work.
Friðheimar currently has two to three award-winning breeding mares on the farm and breeds only with award-winning stallions. The horses are trained with an emphasis on a smooth tölt, good foot lift, and a willing, good-natured temperament.
From May 1 through September 30, Friðheimar runs a horse show called "A Meeting with the Icelandic Horse." The show covers the history of the Icelandic horse breed, demonstrates all five gaits including the tölt, and concludes with an opportunity for visitors to meet the horses and their trainers.
The show is conducted in 14 languages, making it accessible to international visitors regardless of native language.
Outside of the summer show season, the stables are open for visits year-round. Visitors can see the horses and the facilities at any time.
The horse show must be booked in advance and is a separate booking from the restaurant reservation.
Greenhouse visits for pre-booked groups are available year-round. A guided tour of the greenhouse includes a short informational talk on the growing process — how geothermal energy is used, how the plants are managed through the dark winter months, how pests are controlled biologically, and the scale of the operation. After the tour, visitors are invited to the restaurant to taste the produce.
Individual visitors (not in a group) typically see the greenhouse as part of the dining experience — the restaurant is set inside the greenhouse itself, so guests see the plants and operation during their meal.
Have a property here, list it with us.
List your property with us +Yes, Friðheimar offers guided tours where visitors can learn about greenhouse operations, the use of geothermal energy, and the different varieties of tomatoes grown on-site.
While walk-ins are welcome, making a reservation is recommended, especially if you plan to dine at the restaurant or participate in a guided tour, as the farm can get quite busy.
The farm offers a variety of products made from their tomatoes, including sauces, chutneys, and jams, as well as fresh tomatoes and other related items.
Friðheimar is located about an hour and a half drive from Reykjavik, along the Golden Circle route, making it a convenient stop for exploring nearby attractions like Geysir and Gullfoss.
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