Reykjavík Grapevine - 08.02.2008, Síða 27

Jón Sæmundur Auðarson’s new fashion
shop Dead is tucked away in a Laugav-
egur alley. The artist and designer sells
clothing labels such as April 77, Pleasure
Principle and Licentious and of course
his own rock’n’roll trademark, Dead.
His collection includes hand-printed T-
shirts, jackets, ties and bags, all bearing
the notorious Dead skull.
Laugavegur 29
Green Apple’s sign reads “aromather-
apy, massage oil, bath oil, romance.”
The tiny shop combines massage and
other relaxation products with organic
products such as whole grain pasta
and chocolate muesli, environmentally
friendly cleaning products and a wide
range of herbal teas. Green Apple also
stocks a wide range of herbal packs for
relaxation and to relieve pain
Laugavegur 20
A co-op gallery/gift shop owned and
operated by ten women artists and de-
signers, known for their unusual choices
of materials, Kirsuberjatréð is the per-
fect little gift shop. The selection ranges
from clothes, baskets, ceramics, copper
sculptures, fish skin items, paper crafts,
contemporary jewellery, felt articles,
and various other items.
Vesturgata 4
Buying jeans used to be a simple task.
With the ever-growing selection, suc-
cessful jeans hunting can take days. The
task did not get any easier with the re-
cent addition of a store from the indus-
try powerhouse G-Star Raw. This Dutch
brand features an edgy collection, with
distinctive styles and innovative wash-
ings.
Laugavegur 86
Skífan stocks a wide selection of CDs,
DVDs and computer games as well as
some Icelandic films with English sub-
titles. Here you’ll find all types of music
from pop and rock to classical, jazz and
folk. Skífan operates three outlets in
Reykjavík and the one on Laugavegur is
open daily to 10 pm.
Laugavegur 26
This one-of-a-kind fashion shop boasts
a nice selection of cutting-edge design-
er clothing for both sexes. You will find
labels such as the Japanese designer
brand Undercover, Geoffrey Small,
ThreeAsFour, menswear line from Num-
ber N(i)ne and Belgian designer Ann
Demeulemeester.
Laugavegur 7
Located in a basement by Ingólfs-
torg, former pro skater Mike Carroll’s
skateboard shop Underground is aptly
named. The shop offers all manner of
skating gear, be it clothing or boards,
from leading brand names such as DC,
Circa and others. There is a wide array
of T-shirts, shoes, and other skating ac-
cessories available.
Veltusund 1
The Handknitting Association of Ice-
land’s official store, Handprjónasam-
bandið, sells wool products of uncom-
promising quality. 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
Watchmaker Gilbert Guðjónsson has
sold high quality handmade watches
and clocks on Laugavegur for over 40
years. Recently, Gilbert designed his
own line of wristwatches that have
been extremely popular. Gilbert has a
reputation for fine craftsmanship, so
expect a quality production.
Laugavegur 62
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 respectable Finnish designer brand
Marimekko has found its spot on Lau-
gavegur. The Marimekko concept store
stocks a wide selection of the colour-
fully printed designer products includ-
ing household items and interior deco-
rations, bags, bed linen, towels and the
popular Fatboy beanbag.
Laugavegur 56
Belleville is stuffed with trendy street-
wear designs for fashion-conscious
shoppers. Limited-edition sneakers,
skateboards and funky Japanese Be@
rbrick bear-shaped figurines line the
shelves. The store also stocks a new
jewellery collection from Atelier 11,
fashion magazines, books and DVDs on
street-culture and graffiti art as well as
some rare skate-videos.
Laugavegur 55
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 hu-
mungous satellite television that broad-
casts matches from across the globe.
This is the place to be on the night of
any big game. Glaumbar is also notori-
ous in town for its late closing hours and
loud music.
Tryggvagata 12
With its basement location, Kofi Tó-
masar 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 Laugav-
egur 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
diverse as the crowd they attract.
Thorvaldsenstræti 2
On a sunny day, Café París is one of the
busiest outside cafés in the city centre,
featuring fine food and attentive ser-
vice. The stylish interiors, relaxing music
and friendly evening atmosphere make
it a cosy inside bar as well. DJs play soul
and funk on weekends.
Austurstræti 14
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 chit-
chats. The comfy two-floor bar provides
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. Gau-
kurinn is considered to be one of the
rowdiest rock clubs in Reykjavik. This is
the place to enjoy live music from up-
coming 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 Laugav-
egur for people watching. By night, B5
is one of the most stylised bars in town,
with a “whiskey room” resembling a
buccaneer’s jail, and another room rem-
iniscent of a high-class Manhattan bar.
Bankastræti 5
Stocking many hip fashion labels such
as Diesel, DKNY, Lloyd, and Paul Smith,
Galleri Sautján is a unisex store with ev-
erything from casual business wear to
evening outfits. On the second floor is
Eva, stocking fashion labels for women
who want to look smart and profes-
sional.
Laugavegur 91
Forynja stocks colourful children’s
clothes as well as fashionable dresses,
pillows, jewellery and cool gift items
by up-and-coming local artists. Eye-
catching designer wear and interior
decorations can also be found. Forynja’s
own collection features hand-printed
patterns on everything from T-shirts,
sweaters and dresses to pillows and bed
linen.
Skólavörðustígur 22a
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Hafnarstræti
One of the more exciting fine-dining res-
taurants in the centre, Fiskmarkaðurinn
is run and co-owned by members of the
national team of chefs. Great thought
has been put into every detail to guar-
antee a laid-back evening. The Japanese
fusion menu features classic sushi and
sashimi and exotic meat, veggie and fish
dishes.
Aðalstræti 12
Roomy restaurant Grillhúsið has served
juicy burgers, steaks, fish dishes and
sandwiches to hungry regulars at the
same downtown location since 1994.
The daily lunch offer features traditional
reasonably priced home-style food and
the special children’s menu offers nu-
merous options.
This small antique-style coffeehouse
in a Hverfisgata basement is legendary
for its early opening hours, amazing
breakfast and strong coffee that will
easily wake you up in the morning. We
especially recommend The Truck, an
American style breakfast consisting of
eggs, bacon, pancakes, fried potatoes,
tomatoes, syrup and toast. The bagels
are also excellent.
Hverfisgata 16a
This organic, free-trade café prides itself
on being a non-profit company and a
dedicated venue for the hardcore and
culture scene, hosting concerts, lectures
and poetry nights. Serving delicious
soups and vegetarian dishes as well as
organic tea, coffee and cake, this is the
place to visit for a reasonably priced and
healthy lunch.
Laugavegur 21
Mokka has been attracting coffee-thirsty
regulars since 1958, making it the oldest
café in the city centre and the founder of
a very rich coffee culture in the country.
Its old interiors full of character makes
the visit both relaxing and comfortable
and a great place to linger on a Sunday
afternoon. Mokka’s regular art exhibits
are always worth a look too.
Skólavörðustígur 3a
Tryggvagata 20
Located inside the City Hall with a great
view over the pond, this coffeehouse
has a good selection of cakes and pas-
tries for people wanting to relax after a
stroll in the centre. A large topographic
model of Iceland and regular art exhib-
its add to the pleasure.
Tjarnargata 11
When walking up Skólavörðustígur, you
can’t miss café Babalú, a lovely destina-
tion in its own right which has to be
ranked among the cosiest places for
a coffee and cake. With nice old sofas
and bookshelves, you can’t help feel-
ing you’re at your grandma’s place. We
could sit there all day, every day, if only
our daily chores didn’t drag us away
again.
Skólavörðustígur 22a
Bistro-bar and restaurant Geysir is lo-
cated in the old and dignified Geysir
building by the corner of Aðalstræti and
Vesturgata. Combining bright, stylish in-
teriors with a casual vibe, this is always
a nice place to grab a bite. The menu
offers a diverse selection of bistro-style
dishes for a reasonable price.
Aðalstræti 2
A cosy second-floor café offering lunch
snacks and cappuccinos every day of
the week. The appeal lies partly in the
café’s famous Súpa í brauði (“Soup in
bread”), but also in the romantic atmo-
sphere created by candlelight on every
table and easy-listening background
music.
Laugavegur 54
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
Grapevine’s favourite pizzeria in Reyk-
javík, Eldsmiðjan’s fire-baked pizzas
have built a bigger fan base than most
other restaurants in the city. El Pollo
Loco and the Eldsmiðjan special come
highly recommended. You can either
eat on the spot or grab a bite to go.
Bragagata 38a
The Italian coffee chain found its spot
in the heart of Reykjavík, with its win-
dows facing the Lækjartorg Square. Se-
gafredo serves lunch snacks like paninis
and strong espressos for coffee lovers,
whether you need to grab a coffee and
sandwich on the way to work or want to
enjoy your drink on the spot.
By Lækjartorg
At Kaffitár, making coffee is a way of
celebrating life. Offering all sorts of deli-
cacies to go with your morning fuel and
a nice selection for those with a sweeter
tooth, it’s an excellent choice for eat in
or take away. Their special coffee blends
are well worth that little extra change. If
you like the blend, buy a bag of beans
to take home.
Bankastræti 8
Kaffibarinn is a popular coffee place on
weekdays, especially among students
and downtown workers who like to
enjoy a beer after a busy day. On week-
ends, it becomes a very lively destina-
tion as its two floors fill up with late-
night souls. With DJs playing live sets
from Wednesday to Saturday the party
doesn’t start winding down until early
morning.
Bergstaðastræti 1
Barinn is quite a popular hangout
among Reykjavík party scenesters.
Its three floors and equally many bars
become quite crowded on weekends
where its mix of dancing downstairs
and chatting upstairs makes for a good
night out. Though mostly a DJ bar, Bar-
inn occasionally hosts live gigs and is
always a fun party place.
Laugavegur 22
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 regulars during the day while the
younger clientele fills up the space dur-
ing 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
venue presents a diverse range of con-
certs by local and international acts.
The venue features established bands
and young and emerging 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
Nothing really beats the impressive
menu at Vegamót with its tasty, not too
pricey dishes served until 10 pm. Wheth-
er it’s the fish of the day, sandwiches or
pasta dishes that attract, its two floors
are usually packed during lunch and din-
ner hours every day of the week. When
the kitchen closes, Vegamót becomes a
popular hangout, turning into a lively
nightclub on weekends.
Vegamótastígur 4
A spacious neutral place with no spe-
cial type of clientele, Hressó is a place
where the menu spans a variety of lunch
dishes during the day and troubadours
and tab-beer are the order of the night.
It becomes a somewhat basic club dur-
ing weekends notable for its size and
amount of seats.

Austurstræti 20
Located inside the City Hall with a great
view over the pond, this coffeehouse has
a good selection of cakes and pastries for
people wanting to relax after a stroll in
the centre. A large topographic model of
Iceland and regular art exhibits add to the
pleasure.
Tjarnargata 11, 101 Reykjavík
There’s a good reason why there’s al-
ways a queue in front of Bæjarins Bestu,
no matter the weather or time of day.
Selected the best hot-dog stand in Eu-
rope by The Guardian – something lo-
cals realized decades ago – it has been
serving people “ein með öllu” down-
town since 1935, making it the oldest
fast-food place in the country.
Tryggvagata