Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.06.2017, Síða 34

Best Of Reykjavík
For your mind, your body and your wallet
34The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 09 — 2017
Outdoor Drinking
Where to seize the opportunity for a moment in
the sun

Words: Hannah Jane Cohen & John Rogers
Photos: Art Bicnick
The weather in Iceland can change
drastically from day to day, and
from moment to moment, so you
have to grab any opportunity that
presents itself to drink a beer in
the sun. Pro-tip: even if the city
is in the midst of a sweltering
15-degree heatwave, it’ll probably
still get chilly later on, so don’t let
Iceland’s summer impersonation
fool you—throw a scarf in your bag
before heading out to one of these
sunny day drinking holes we’ve
selected for you.
Loft
Bankastræti 7a
Loft stands many heads and shoul-
ders above most of the al fresco
drinking spots in Reykjavík, not
least because it’s on the roof the
Loft hostel and has a balcony that
looks over downtown. They have a
good happy hour and a decent beer
selection, making it the perfect
place to drop by and catch some
late afternoon sun. Be warned, it’s
a very popular after-work choice,
so arrive early to get a table.
Café Paris
Austurstræti 14
Café Paris recently underwent a
renovation that put it back on our
radar. Headed up by an an experi-
enced chef who formerly worked
at Snaps, they now offer an all-day
brunch with perfect poached eggs,
table service, a good drinks menu,
and a large outdoor seating area
that catches the sun into the early
evening. If the tables are all taken,
try Nóra Magasin, just across the
street.
Boston
Laugavegur 28a
Boston is a fading party spot, but
one thing they have going for them
is a large balcony area with lots of
sofas and plenty of table space.
It ’s covered over,
and there are patio
heaters, so it’s still
cosy when the night
descends. There are often DJs and
bands later on in the evening, and
the beer selection is decent, so it’s
a good option on a summer’s day.
Sky Bar
Ingólfsstræti 1
Located atop a downtown Center
Hotel, Sky Bar is a glass box that
overlooks Harpa and Esja. There’s
a spacious balcony, and if there’s
one of those glorious eternal
Reykjavík sunsets, the pink light
streams through the room. It’s
mostly frequented by hotel guests,
but it’s one of the best views in
town.
Kaffibrennslan
Laugavegur 21
This busy spot is on Laugavegur,
right in the heart of downtown,
with outdoor tables an arm’s
length from the teeming street
life. There’s a good happy hour,
and the rest of Reykjavík’s night-
life is right on your doorstep, so
it’s a good jumping-off point for a
summer night out.
The Pedersen Suite
Ingólfsstræti 2A
The Pedersen Suite is a rooftop
bar located on the
top of the cavernous
Gamla Bíó theatre.
It has loads of seat-
ing with soft furniture to luxuri-
ate on, a view across the harbour,
cocktails, and all the sun could
you could wish for. The regular
crowd is made up of loud startup
types and businesspeople, but if
you find a good niche, maybe you
can ignore them.
SELECTION
FROM BEST OF
REYKJAVÍK
2017
Best Indian Restaurant
Austur
Indíafjelagið
Hverfisgata 56
Still going strong twenty years
on, Austur-Indíafelagið is an
institution in its own right.
It has been consistently dish-
ing out quality Indian fare
without compromising on au-
thenticity. Its small rotational
menu with regional dishes is
perfect if you are celebrating a
birthday, a promotion or woo-
ing your partner. Word to the
wise? Make a meal of the deli-
cate salmon pollichathu, kozhi
mappas and kulchas and share
it family-style. Keep your eyes
peeled for the vegetarian and
vegan dishes as well. Call ahead
to make reservations.
Best place to watch sports
over a beer
Lebowski Bar
Laugavegur 20a
Like the Icelandic football team,
rising to unlikely and trium-
phant near-glory at Euro 2016,
Lebowski Bar boldly takes the
gold for the first time in this
category. This giant diner-like
theme bar is smack in the cen-
tre of town, and takes the prize
for its particularly fantastic
coverage of the aforementioned
sport, as well as the last Olym-
pics. It regularly shows mul-
tiple sporting events on screens
spread throughout its two lev-
els. It’s got all the beers and
drinks you need to celebrate
wins or mourn losses, plus tasty
burgers and shakes. Gooooal!
gpv.is/bestof
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Pedersen suite during
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