Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.09.2018, Page 52

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2018
52
NEW IN TOWN
Flavour Of The
Month
What’s new to eat in Reykjavík City?
Words: John Rogers & Björn Teitsson
Photos: Timothée Lambrecq & Art Bicnick
Reykjavík is a fast-changing
city, with fresh options for
shopping, drinking and dining
popping up constantly. To help
you keep track, here’s a sum-
mary of some recently-opened
new arrivals that have caught
our attention this year.
Grandi Mathöll
Grandagarður 16
Reykjavík food halls are, as it
turns out, like London buses:
you wait for one, then two show
up at once. Grandi Mathöll’s nine
concessions are housed in bars,
food trucks and wooden stands,
with a variety of seating options,
and there’s a bustling, social feel
as people meander between the
vendors, who shout out names as
their orders are ready. Our initial
favourites are the Lax fish-and-
bubbly menu, and the Vietnamese
chicken leg soup.
Fisherman
Hagamelur 67
This fishmonger and café is the
Reykjavík branch of an enterprise
that began in the Westfjords vil-
lage of Suðureyri. You can pick
up some fresh fish to cook at
home with fancy seafood prod-
ucts such as dried seaweed or
cod and monkfish livers, or they
can cook it for you to take away.
You can also dine in the crisply
designed café, with a menu that
includes fish and chips with vari-
ous sauces, plokkfiskur, a salmon
burger, fish soup, and more. The
portions are generous, and the
price is right—stop by on your
next trip to Vesturbæjarlaug.
Egill Jacobsen
Austurstræti 9
In the prime location that former-
ly housed the Laundromat Café
is Egill Jacobsen. Here you can
have a hearty, decadent breakfast
or brunch until 4pm every day,
including fancy oatmeal, various
configurations off eggs, bacon,
toast and avocado, and vegan or
build-your-own-brunch options.
There are various soups, salads
and burgers, an Icelandic snack
plate, a dinner menu that starts
at 4pm, and a 2-for-1 happy hour
from 3pm-7pm daily.
Gott Reykjavík
Hafnarstræti 17
Gott is a delightful recent addi-
tion to the Reykjavík restaurant
scene, with a long history—their
first location in the Vestman-
naeyjar archipelago opened in
2013. The new place sticks to a
winning formula: comfort food,
with a homemade and healthy
feel, using quality ingredients,
and with everything made from
scratch.
Reykjavík Street Dog
Skólavörðustígur 40
It’s a bit of a mystery why the
humble hot dog is the national
junk-food favourite of Iceland.
But, well, Bill Clinton himself
once said the Icelandic pylsur was
“the best hot dog of his life.” And
“BILL CLINTON NEVER LIES,” as
a walking tour guide exclaims dai-
ly outside our office window, to
uniformly sad laughter. Anyway,
you can try out the classic “einn
með öllu” (one with everything)
at this smart new hot dog joint,
handily placed right by Hall-
grimskírkja.
Hannesarholt
Grundarstígur 10
The historic Hannesarholt culture
building has gotten a new lease
of life. Formerly a quiet coffee
spot, it reopened on June 1st as
a restaurant focusing on locally
sourced produce. It’s a concise
selection: we tried the juicy, crisp
salmon with wholesome beets
and quinoa. Vegans can rejoice
too: there’s always one option on
the menu. If you’re looking for a
secluded lunch spot where you
can hear yourself think, this is the
place; by night, it hosts concerts
and varied cultural events.
Lækjarbrekka is a classic Icelandic restaurant,
operated since 1981 and situated in the heart of
Reykjavík in one of the oldest and most iconic
buildings in the city.
Our specialty is Scandinavian cuisine and we strive
to create delicious meals from the best possible
ingredients and to provide first-class service.
Table reservations
Tel: +354 551 4430
website www.laekjarbrekka.is
ALL THE ICELANDIC BEERS ICELANDIC CUISINE WITH
A TWIST+IN ONE AWESOME PLACE
Grandi Mathöll in all its glory
...því okkur er ekki sama Laugarásvegi 1, 104 Reykjavik, skubb.is
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