Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.06.2014, Síða 28

Kaldi, Icelandic
microbrewery
Stella Artois
White- and red wine
Sparkling wine
Cocktail of the day
NEW BAR MENU
Bergstaðastræti 37
Tel: 552 5700
www.galleryrestaurant.is
gallery@holt.is
Selected drinks
at half price
Sólon Bistro
Bankastræti 7a
Sólon has undergone quite a
transformation in the last ten years. B5,
only two doors down, has replaced it as
the haven for fist-pumping real-estate
agents waiting in the VIP line, wearing
low-cut shirts and lower-cut skirts, trying
to sway to the hum of a Justin Timberlake
song. Gone are those heady days. Now,
Sólon closes at 1 am on weekends, and
the atmosphere is very subdued. It's a
coffee house, bar...but definitely not a
club.

950 1250 990

I detected a best of Elvis
compilation somewhere in the
background. Occasional live music.

Older (40+)
People passing by, people
wandering in, people nipping in out
of the rain, people who just want
a basic cup of coffee, people who
want a soup and a beer, people
who want to stretch their legs and
have a conversation, my mom,
tourists.
A lovely antique staircase, nice
high ceilings, plenty of tables
and space, great view for people
watching. The service was good
and they made a very good basic
margarita.
"Meet me up at...eh...I dunno...meet
me up at Sólon while we decide."
– RE
Stofan Café
Aðalstræti 7
Stofan offers a really relaxed
atmosphere, like a lived-in house with
well-worn furniture, wooden floors and
buzzing conversation in Icelandic and
English. We were there at 23:00, but it's
an equally good spot for a beer at four in
the afternoon.

950 1350 1250

Anything from GusGus to Miles
Davis and Nick Drake, mostly great
music chosen by the bartenders.

Young (20s - 30s)
Locals, the young set, hipsters,
tourists, people working on laptops
or reading books; all but the latter
are trying to reconnect to the shaky
wi-fi between sips.
For Stofan, the old-fashioned
atmosphere, good coffee and well-
stocked bar are key.
It's so comfortable it feels like
you're in your own living room. The
perfect place for an afternoon beer
or a late night drink. – AT
Stúdentakjallarinn
Sæmundargata 4
This student bar is one of Iceland’s
trendier lounge bars, with a variety of
colourful couches, seats and stools
arranged around tables. Be warned—
the cheap prices and proximity to the
university means the place is always
humming with activity, whether it is a
film screening, live broadcast of some
sporting event, a live performance, or
just another Friday. You won’t always get
your favourite table.

850 990 900

Unless something is being
screened or a band is playing, the
music consists of someone’s iPod
playlist being played quietly.

Young (20s - 30s)
Students, scholars, mindless
philosophers, the hip and smart
crowd, expats, locals
Stúdentakjallarinn is a not-for-
profit establishment and the prices
clearly reflect this. The place is
wheelchair accessible and the
attached kitchen makes wonderful
and affordable grub until late. And
there's a plant wall..
Packed during the day, packed in
the evening, making sure
everyone’s university experience
includes affordable drinks. – TGB
The Dubliner
Hafnarstræti 4
While The Dubliner was rather quiet
when we stopped by, the usually more
busy, particularly during Happy Hour.
As the name suggests, it's styled as an
Irish bar, with wood-panelled walls and
various tips of the hat to ol' Eire. As a
troubadour belted out the usual classic
rock hits, a couple played foosbal in the
corner.

1000 1400 1000

Troubadour music, mainly classic
rock standards. Sometimes the
troubadour will be good, more
often he'll be painfully average. In-
between, you'll hear rock and pop
music from a playlist.

Young (20s - 30s)
Locals, tourists, drinkers.
The place hosts a troubadour
every day. Other amenities include
a foosball table, a dartboard and
a TV. They sell pizzas during
daytime, and may even serve you
one at later hours if you ask nicely.
During Happy Hours, Tuborg goes
for 500 ISK, Gull for 750 ISK and
Guinness and Kilkenny for 900 ISK.
Wooden benches and tables in
the courtyard provide an outdoor
seating option.
A decent Irish bar. The dartboard,
foosball table and great Happpy
Hour prices definitely add to its
appeal. – ESV
The Laundromat Café
Austurstræti 9
Laid-back and easy going, Laundromat
is a funky, retro-looking kind of place
with a large square bar in the middle
of the room.The decor consists of retro
chandeliers, the walls covered in maps
from around the world and pictures of
actual New York laundromats. Aside from
coffee, beer and wine, Laundromat offers
typical diner food; sandwiches, burgers,
salads, fries, etc., at semi-reasonable
prices. Late evenings at Laundromat
are nice and relaxed, but in daytime it
gets very crowded and loud, so if you're
hungover or dealing with a headache it's
best avoided.

850 1400 1000

A varied mix of indie, jazz,
alternative, rock and easy listening.
Expect to hear Miles Davis, Joni
Mitchell, Bon Iver and Kings
At a given night, if you’ve not
secured a seat at Kaldi by ten you
probably won’t get one —the
bouncers (who seem at odds with
the IKEA-chic vibe, honestly) are
strict about maximum capacity rules
and customers tend to linger.