Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.04.2017, Blaðsíða 28

Best Of Reykjavík
For your mind, your body and your wallet
SELECTION
FROM BEST OF
REYKJAVÍK
2017
Best Veggie Burger
Bike Cave
Einarsnes 36
Bike Cave is the café you need to
know about—relaxed, not New
Nordic, in a suburban neigh-
bourhood close to the domestic
airport, with a resident Sphinx
cat. It’s been described as the
best place to get a “messy vegan
burger.” With a choice of two
veggie patties (black bean and
chilli or potato rosti) we were
already feeling spoilt when they
also turned up with their “lux-
ury vegan burger”—soy gran-
ule patties with a hint of pea-
nut butter, sweet mustard and
onions. This one comes pretty
darn close to the mouthfeel of a
meat burger. But the best part
still remains that all of this
tasty fare will set you back 895-
1195 ISK, sans fries.
Best Place to Start the Night
KEX Hostel
Skúlagata 28
KEX Hostel is a great place to
kick off an evening. It’s a hostel
bar, but it kind of transcends that
description, with an amazing sea
view over Faxaflóí and Mount
Esja, beautiful decor, spacious
tables, and a large wraparound
bar with stools to perch on.
It’s especially fun if they’ve got
a live show booked—they’re al-
most always free, with great local
and visiting bands. KEX just has
a cool atmosphere, with the bo-
nus of great food and a good beer
selection (now improved with a
happy hour). It can get crowded
with the after-work crowd, so
get there early to find a seat.
28The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 05 — 2017
How To Soup In
Reykjavík City
Soup: not just a way of screwing you out of a meal

Words: Hannah Jane Cohen, Rex Beckett & John Rogers
Photos: Art Bicnick
It’s spring in Iceland, but don’t let
that fool you. It’s still freezing on
some days. Walk out into a bright
sunny morning leaving your hat
and scarf at home, and you might
regret it later. But don’t worry—if
you find yourself in an unexpected
spring snowstorm, just go for some
soup. Steaming, hot, delicious
soup. We at Grapevine—we love
soup. Here’s our guide. To soup.
Laundromat is a popular down-
town spot that has a few standout
menu items, and their fish soup is
one of them. With a slightly spicy
tomato base, it comes in a gener-
ously sized bowl, always piping
hot, and served with dense, seed-
packed rye bread and also a few
slices of fresh fluffy white loaf.
But the best thing is the seafood:
plenty of scallops, huge chunks
of flaky salmon, and countless
prawns. Perfect comfort food.
Matarkjallarinn is one of Reykja-
vík’s high-end restaurants. It’s
rated #2 on TripAdvisor and you’d
be hard-pressed to find an item
on the menu that isn’t tip-top.
Their fisherman’s fish soup is a
standout, worlds away from any
other fish soup in Reykjavík. The
oily broth is incredibly rich—so
full-flavoured that that you might
genuinely feel full only halfway
through the bowl. In terms of the
seafood, the haddock and scallops
are butter-soft. Go in for a light
but filling lunch. At only 1990 ISK,
you won’t regret it.
Gló is a health-food chain res-
taurant in Reykjavík, emphasis
on the vegetarian, vegan and raw
food, and always good for a quick
bite. Their soups change daily or
weekly but are always tasty. These
soups are light—not stews or over-
whelming—but are often spiced
with interesting ingredients that
set them apart from your basic to-
mato or mushroom. You can get as
many bowls as you want, which is
great if you’re really hungry, and
they’re also served with a few piec-
es of fresh grainy bread. Yummy.
Along with its cosy Icelandic
grandmother décor, decadent
cakes, tasty coffees and refreshing
brews, Stofan serves up one mean-
ass bowl of soup and bread for
the sweet price of 1590 ISK. Their
homemade-the-same-day soups
change all the time. They’re often
vegan and always super delicious.
Whether it’s a light bite you’re go-
ing for or something to warm your
bones from the Icelandic weather,
their lovely broths and bisques
will satisfy your tummy.
Sægreifinn is one of the oldest
restaurants in Reykjavík that spe-
cialises in seafood. Some might
say this classic spot isn’t the same
since the titular Sea Baron passed
away a few years ago, but his legacy
is one of the tastiest lobster soups
in town. The rich, buttery broth
alone will awaken your tastebuds,
and when those chunks of lan-
goustine hit your tongue, forget
about it. It’s a must-have for a visit
to town, or just a pick-me-up when
you’re feeling down.
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