Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.01.2008, Page 24

Located on the corner of Laugavegur
and Vitastígur, this hip clothing wonder-
land sells trendy designer wear for both
sexes. Shoppers can purchase everything
here, from funky street wear and elegant
dresses to limited-edition shoes and
jewellery from major fashion labels such
as Vivienne Westwood, Umbro, Cheap
Monday and Marc by Marc Jacobs.
Laugavegur 63b
Loosely translated as ‘Happy Smiling
Headwear’, the shop’s owners have
designed whacky hats and headwear
since 1994 and stock a good selection
of warm handmade products for women
and children at the downtown store.
Check out the elf hats if you want to
look different.
Skólavörðustígur 18
The large tourist shop The Viking sells all
sorts of souvenirs and smart gift items to
bring back home. The selection includes
postcards, outdoor clothing, teddy bears,
maps, books, woollen sweaters and plas-
tic Viking helmets as well as Viking stat-
ues and shot glasses.
Hafnarstræti 3
The geothermal seawater spa The Blue
Lagoon is a world famous healing spot
as the water is rich with silica and sul-
phur, which are extremely good for the
skin. The natural skincare products made
from the healing minerals are sold at the
downtown Blue Lagoon shop.
Laugavegur 15
Kisan sells goods that you’re unlikely to
find elsewhere in Reykjavík. The selection
is a mix of interesting items from around
the world, such as high-street brands,
children’s clothing, household items, sta-
tionary, toys, DVDs and even books on
Japanese street fashion.
Laugavegur 7
Cintamani stocks quality Icelandic out-
door-gear and travel equipment, guaran-
teed to keep the whole family nice and
warm in any type of weather. Here you’ll
find almost everything needed for your
trip across the country and beyond, and
you can book an adventure excursion on
the spot.
Laugavegur 11
The downtown outlet store for the
Álafoss factory – the famous makers
of traditional Icelandic wool sweaters.
Here one can also find woollen mittens,
gloves, caps, scarves and blankets as well
as other woollen goods.
Laugavegur 1
The Handknitting Association of Iceland’s
official store, Handprjónasambandið, sells
wool products of uncompromising qual-
ity. The store features pullover sweaters,
cardigans and other wool accessories.
They also sell yarn and the association
hosts knitting nights at Iðu Húsið
Lækjargata 2a
The designer shop The Naked Ape offers
an amazing variety of colourful street-
clothing, including hand-printed hooded
sweatshirts, T-shirts and leggings. Inside
you’ll also find a good selection of Ice-
landic music, books on art, accessories
and international designer wear.
Bankastræti 14
Sisters Bára and Hrafnhildur ‘Raven’
Hólmgeirsdóttir are internationally ac-
claimed designers and stylists and their
label, Aftur, can be found in fashion
capitals across the world. Aftur’s unique
collection is available at their shop and
studio with the same name on the sec-
ond floor of Laugavegur 23, open from
12–6 pm.
Laugavegur 23
The Kraum Iceland Design store features
the best from the latest trends in Icelan-
dic design. Kraum sells unique, Icelandic
takes on everyday items like stationary,
wooden children’s toys, plastic zip-lock-
able handbags and raincoats, and wool-
len and other clothing and jewellery.
Aðalstræti 10
A trip to the downtown indoor flea
market Kolaportið is always a fun way
to spend a Saturday afternoon. Endless
stalls offering all kinds of second-hand
goods, candy and even fermented shark.
If ready to take the time, you can find
some great bargains. Only open on
weekends.
Tryggvagata 19
If you like trendy party-types who dance
like crazy to a lively mix of music where
glamour is all that counts on the spa-
cious dance floor, stylish Óliver is the
nightclub for you. For all the others who
hate that kind of a party, the good air-
conditioning, fine food and excellent
brunch served during the day make
Óliver a recommended choice for mid-
priced meals.
Laugavegur 20a
Glaumbar follows in the American sports
bar tradition as it boasts a humun-
gous satellite television that broadcasts
matches from across the globe. This
is the place to be on the night of any
big game. Glaumbar is also notorious in
town for its late closing hours and loud
music.
Tryggvagata 12
With its basement location, Kofi Tómasar
Frænda (Uncle Tom’s Cabin) has the feel
of a tucked-away alley café in London.
During the day, the café has a relaxed
feel with easy access to Laugavegur and
Skólavörðustigur. At night, it becomes a
happening and diverse bar.
Laugavegur 2
In recent years, Nasa has been building
its reputation on live music acts. The
majority of Iceland’s more established
bands have performed at Nasa as well
as a variety of international acts. Being
one of the bigger concert venues in the
city, there’s always something going on
during weekends, and the acts are as di-
verse as the crowd they attract.
Thorvaldsenstræti 2
Ölstofan has been attracting a clientele
of late twenties and up who come for
a drink and stay for the company, since
blasting DJs have been replaced by nice
background music to go with the drink.
Better show up early on weekends be-
fore the regular clientele comes rushing
in as its popularity makes it hard if im-
possible to find a table.
Vegamótastígur 4
A roomy gay/straight friendly bar, the
stylish Q-bar is a welcome addition to
the downtown nightlife. Some of the
greatest DJs in town regularly play there
which makes for a great vibe and crazi-
ness on the dance floor. Weekends are
especially lively.
Ingólfsstræti 3
At Boston, the casual atmosphere, styl-
ish interiors, low-volume music and
nice crowd create a laid-back vibe on
any given day, ideal for early drinks and
chitchats. The comfy two-floor bar pro-
vides plenty of seats and recently started
serving great traditional Icelandic dishes
to hungry regulars – try the ‘kjötsúpa’
(meat soup) and ‘plokkfiskur’ (fish and
potato dish).
Laugavegur 28b
Also known as Gaukur á stöng, this is the
oldest standing bar in Iceland. Gauku-
rinn is considered to be one of the row-
diest rock clubs in Reykjavik. This is the
place to enjoy live music from upcoming
bands (at a high volume) and some of
the cheapest beer prices in town.
Tryggvagata 22
By day, B5 is a chic little bistro with good
food and a prime location on Laugavegur
for people watching. By night, B5 is one
of the most stylised bars in town, with
a “whiskey room” resembling a bucca-
neer’s jail, and another room reminiscent
of a high-class Manhattan bar.
Bankastræti 5
Stocking many hip fashion labels such as
Diesel, DKNY, Lloyd, and Paul Smith, Gal-
leri Sautján is a unisex store with every-
thing from casual business wear to eve-
ning outfits. On the second floor is Eva,
stocking fashion labels for women who
want to look smart and professional.
Laugavegur 91
A favourite among fashionistas with
money to burn, fashion boutique Trilo-
gia prides itself on stocking a fine selec-
tion of stylish designs where casual yet
elegant daywear is mixed with feminine
and fashionable evening dresses. The
shop stocks brands such as Alexander
McQueen, Chloe, Robert Cary Williams,
Antipodium, Erotokritos and Pepa De-
light.
Laugavegur 7
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Hafnarstræti
Renowned for its greasy sandwiches,
Nonnabiti, or Nonni as the locals call it, is
one of the more popular junk food plac-
es around, offering a large selection of
take-out or dine-in subs, sandwiches and
burgers with a nice dash of the unique
Nonni-sauce. If you have a late-night
craving there’s no need to worry, Nonni
is open longer than most other places.
Hafnarstræti 11
This small pizza place isn’t only cheap but
offers the largest slices of pizza you’ll get
downtown. Charging only 400 ISK per
slice, not to mention the special lunch
offer where a 10” pizza with three top-
pings of your choice and a can of Coke
costs only 800 ISK, Pizza King is a local
favourite. Staying open all night until 6
on Friday and Saturday nights doesn’t
hurt either.
Hlöllabátar sandwich bar sits in the
middle of Ingólfstorg square – the per-
fect stop off for a late night snack, or a
light lunch, if you are so inclined. Select
your toppings from assorted vegetables
and stir fried meat and enjoy the guilty
pleasure that is a greasy sandwich with
a cold soda.
Ingólfstorg
Elegantly designed and decorated, res-
taurant Domo is a hit among those with
a demanding palate. Boasting an Asian/
French menu, excellent sushi and an ex-
tensive wine list, this place offers highly
dependable fine dining. The Domo bar
downstairs plays host to numerous jazz
concerts each month.
Þingholtsstræti 5
What makes American Style burgers dis-
tinct from all the other ones in the city
is the size, the soft bun and the amount
of fresh veggies in the toppings. Grab a
seat in one of the booths with your bbq
heavy special with bacon and cheese,
fries and a soda and you won’t get hun-
gry for hours.
Tryggvagata 26
Hafnarstræti 18
Shalimar prides itself on being the north-
ernmost Indian restaurant in the world.
The daily special, a sample of two dish-
es, goes for around 1000 ISK. But we
recommend the chicken tikka masala,
known to be highly addictive.
Austurstræti 4
Located down by the old harbour, Sjá-
varbarinn offers plain and fresh fish, the
way Icelanders have been consuming
it for centuries, at a competitive price.
Sjávarbarinn’s main feature is an all-you-
can-eat buffet, filled with assorted fish
dishes and other creatures from the sea.
Grandagarður 9
An upscale restaurant with an adventur-
ous menu. The restaurant’s staff will hap-
pily prepare special dishes for both chil-
dren and vegetarians upon request. For
a light lunch downtown, certain dishes
from the starters menu can be ordered
at a very reasonable price in the lounge
bar.
Pósthússtræti 2
O Sushi is located on the second floor
of Iða bookstore downtown. Also called
The Train, it serves traditional sushi dish-
es and Japanese cuisine on a traditional
Japanese fast-food conveyor belt, which
runs alongside the whole seating section
and creates a buffet-like atmosphere.
Lækjargata 2a
For those with a bit of money and time
on their hands, the evening is well spent
at Tapas, where you can while away the
evening having course after course of
miniature dishes served in an authen-
tic Spanish style. There’s also a lounge
in case you don’t feel like getting up
straight away afterwards.
Vesturgata 3b
Tveir Fiskar is predominantly a seafood
restaurant, although land-based animals
also appear on the menu. At lunchtime,
you can have a three-course meal for
2300 ISK, which is pretty reasonable.
As an extra bonus, the chef has been
awarded the Medal of the Order of the
White Rose by the President of Finland.
Geirsgata 9
Serving real Icelandic home-style food,
this is essentially a quality fast-food res-
taurant. Here you can taste traditional
fast-foods such as hamburgers, pizza
and deep fried chicken and fish, along
with some traditional Icelandic delicacies
such as Svið, or sheep’s head.
Vatnsmýravegur 10
Although a little pricey for a take-away,
charging around 1600 ISK for the main
courses, the food is well worth that extra
spending once in a while. Serving typi-
cal Indian dishes, the menu is a treasure
chest for those with a penchant for spicy
food. There are also a few tables inside
for those who choose to dine in.
Hverfisgata 64A
Kaffibarinn is a popular coffee place on
weekdays, especially among students
and downtown workers who like to en-
joy a beer after a busy day. On weekends,
it becomes a very lively destination as its
two floors fill up with late-night souls.
With DJs playing live sets from Wednes-
day to Saturday the party doesn’t start
winding down until early morning.
Bergstaðastræti 1
At Bar 11, DJs call the tunes every week-
end, emphasizing old rock’n’roll classics,
chart-toppers and sing-along hits. The
packed dance floor tends to turn into a
war zone at weekends when it’s impos-
sible to have a private chat – an appeal-
ing experience if you join in the fun.
Laugavegur 11
This two-floor café/pub has been part of
Reykjavík’s bar scene for decades. With a
large and fairly cheap bistro menu, Prikið
attracts a mix of university students with
their laptops and devoted elderly regu-
lars during the day while the younger
clientele fills up the space during the
evening, especially on weekends when
the music is mostly dedicated to hip-hop
and R&B.
Bankastræti 12
This stylish two-floor bar and concert ven-
ue presents a diverse range of concerts
by local and international acts at least
four times a week. The venue features
established bands and young and emerg-
ing musicians. It can accommodate 300
people and has enough seats for weary
concertgoers to rest between sets. Open
until way past late on weekends.
Hafnarstræti 1-3
Næsti Bar can be a godsend on those
nights when queues seem to snake
down all of Laugavegur, no seats are
available anywhere and you just want to
chat with some friends over a beer. Fre-
quented by the literary and acting elite,
those folk usually don’t mind if you pop
in for a quick beer and make use of some
of the (usually) available tables, so long
as you don’t sing.
Ingólfsstræti 1a
The quintessential rock-pub, Dillon fea-
tures moderately priced drinks, a dark
and cosy mood and some pretty good
music (especially when local favourite
DJ Andrea Jóns mans the decks). The
tattooed, beer-lovin’ types who hang
out there on school nights are joined by
legions of parka-clad students during
weekends, creating a party atmosphere
that’s always fun.

Laugavegur 30
Cintamani stocks quality Icelandic outdoor-
gear and travel equipment, guaranteed to
keep the whole family nice and warm in
any type of weather. Here you’ll find almost
everything needed for your trip across the
country and beyond, and you can book an
adventure excursion on the spot.
Laugavegur 11, 101 Reykjavík
There’s a good reason why there’s always
a queue in front of Bæjarins Bestu, no
matter the weather or time of day. Se-
lected the best hot-dog stand in Europe
by The Guardian – something locals real-
ized decades ago – it has been serving
people “ein með öllu” downtown since
1935, making it the oldest fast-food
place in the country.
Tryggvagata
RESTAURANT
Press reviews:
.. Probably the best
addition to Icelandic
restaurant landscape
.. Great food,
something new in
Iceland, like never
seen before
Fine dining Indian
cusine, hard to beat
anywhere!!
Frakkastigur 12,
tel: 551-7722
open 17 til late
www.indianmango.is