Heppa Restaurant & Tap Room

Heppa Restaurant & Tap Room brings Hofn's two local specialties under one roof: langoustine from the town's fishing fleet and beer from Horn Brugghús, which brews at the back of the same building. Seventeen of those beers pour at the bar, and the kitchen builds its menu around the local catch, burgers, and pizzas.

Hofn sits on the Ring Road about 280 miles (455 kilometers) east of Reykjavik, between Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, an hour to the west, and the Eastfjords. Most guests therefore reach Heppa at the end of a long driving day, and the restaurant suits that moment.

Much of that comes down to the setting. The dining room faces the harbor, and the bar pours beer brewed a few steps away, so the evening can wind down without another drive. 

Heppa is also part of Guide to Iceland's VIP Club, so members pay 20% less for every Horn beer on tap.

From Fish Factory to Brewery Restaurant

Heppa began with a building rather than a menu. In May 2022, its owners bought an old fish factory on the harborfront and set about turning it into a place to eat and brew. The restaurant opened in 2023, and the brewery they had planned from the start followed once the tanks were in.

The conversion kept the best part of the old building, which is a long wall of windows facing the harbor. Diners now watch the fishing boats come and go from their tables, and on summer days the deck outside fills as soon as the sun is out.

Horn Brugghús Beers on Tap at Heppa

Horn Brugghús is Heppa's own brewery, and it works out of the same building, so the stainless tanks stand a few steps from the dining room and the beer reaches the taps without ever leaving the premises. Seventeen taps leave room for more than one style in an evening, which is how most guests end up working through the range.

That range starts with Horn & Son, a session IPA, and an East Coast IPA, the beers that pour all year. The most local of them is Horn Lobster, a stout brewed with langoustine that finishes on burnt caramel. A beer that could only have come from Hofn, it also earns a place among the top beers in Iceland.

Seasonal releases fill the rest of the taps, so the list changes through the year, and a QR code on the drinks menu shows what is pouring on the day. Anything you take a liking to can go home with you from the can shop.

Langoustine, Burgers, and Pizzas on the Heppa Menu

Hofn is known as the langoustine capital of Iceland, and the local catch is the main event on Heppa Restaurant's menu. The simplest way to try it is grilled on skewers with garlic butter and focaccia. The langoustine roll dresses it with avocado and chipotle mayo, while the Aragosta pizza pairs it with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh basil, so the same ingredient runs from starter to main.

The brewery shapes the rest of the menu too. The Brewmaster burger tops grilled beef with brisket slow-cooked in Horn beer, tomato relish, and jalapeños, and the vegan Assistant burger gets its crunch from beer-battered onion rings. Vegan cheese is available on every pizza, and the pizzas themselves join the menu after 6 PM.

Families get a separate menu for children aged 12 and under, and the desserts stay Icelandic with a skyr cheesecake and a rhubarb tart with bourbon vanilla sauce.

Heppa Location, Opening Hours, and Group Bookings

Heppa is located at Heppuvegur 6, 780 Hofn, on the harbor side of town. It is open every day from 12 PM to 9 PM, and in summer the kitchen keeps going later into the evening.

Groups of eight or more should book ahead by email or phone, and larger parties get their own arrangements. Groups of 16 or more order one set menu for the whole table, a private dining room seats up to 100, and any group can add a 30-minute brewery tour before the meal.

Show your Guide to Iceland VIP Club membership at the bar, and every Horn beer on tap costs 20% less.