Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.11.2018, Side 38

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eykjavík G
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aves Special 20
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Bastard Brew & Food
Vegamótastígur 4
This brand new downtown
drinking hole is something of a
beer and bar-food palace. It’s an
English pub style environment,
without the sense of history—
everything from the tables to the
plush leather seating are cata-
logue-fresh—but with eleven
beers on tap, a great happy hour,
night time DJs and the phenom-
enally good ‘Fat Bastard’ burger
on offer, it’s already a firm fa-
vourite. JR
Skelfiskmarkaðurinn
Klapparstígur 28-30
This new seafood restaurant sits
in the square that was formerly
the “Heart Garden,” on the site
where the infamous Sirkus night-
club once stood. It’s very much
“new Reykjavík,” with plush
seating, lots of gold, marble and
leather, several bars and dining
rooms, and an open-plan kitch-
en serving fresh seafood and
juicy steaks. They have the first
ever Icelandic oysters—firm and
small, farmed up in the north—
and the “fruits de mer” shellfish
trays are super fresh. JR
Fischer
Fischersund
The “Sigur Rós shop” is a fas-
cinating, one-off project run by
Jónsi and his family and friends.
More art installation than regular
store, it’s an aesthetic, sensu-
al environment with a special-
ly made soothing soundtrack,
sweet scents floating in the air,
and a natural, earthy colour pal-
ette. They sell a range of amaz-
ing things, from hand-picked
herbal tea, to artworks, records,
posters, custom-made herbal
scents and more. It’ll chill you
right out. JR
Le Kock 2.0
Tryggvagata 14
Lauded burger joint Le Kock
invades 101 with a downtown
location. In the ground floor of a
new hotel, it’s a large space with
three components: the Le Kock
diner serving burgers, fish and
chips, and comfort food favour-
ites; a cocktail bar called Tail;
and a second branch of Deig, Le
Kock’s sister bakery. The music
policy can be shaky—unless you
like Status Quo—but the all-day
happy hour has 1,500 ISK cock-
tails and 800 ISK beers. JR
Session Bar
Bankastræti 14, First Floor
We’re currently experiencing
an explosion of new drinking
holes in 101. One of the new-
est is Session Bar, a minimalist
craft-beer-focused drinking den
housed in a former hair salon in
the heart of downtown. There
are sixteen beers on tap, both
Icelandic and international, and
they have a focus on keeping the
prices affordable, in contrast to
Reykjavík’s generally pricey craft
bars. JR
Miami
Hverfisgata 33
One of Reyjavík’s new out-and-
proud theme bar takes on the
Magic City of the ‘80s. With a
sharp aesthetic that’s miles
ahead of any other joint in town,
Miami serves up pure vice with a
splash of cosmopolitanism and a
dedicated ping-pong room in the
basement. It’s pricey, but it has
a good happy hour, the cocktail
menu was crafted by mixolo-
gy veterans, and the wine and
champagne list is well-curated.
You’ll feel just like you’re in ‘Scar-
face,’ minus the massacres and
mountains of cocaine. HJC
Grandi Mathöll
Grandagarður 16
Reykjavík food halls are, as it
turns out, just like London bus-
es: you wait around for one, and
then two come along at once.
Just as we’re getting used to the
presence of the resoundingly
successful Hlemmur Mathöll,
up pops the city’s second street
food palace in the Grandi har-
bour area. It has an immediately
comfortable feel, with various
stools, benches and couches
scattered through the space.
There are nine concessions and
a bustling, social feel as people
meander between the vendors,
who shout out names as their
orders are ready. Our tip: the
chicken thigh soup from Víetnam
or some salmon and bubbly from
LAX. JR
Flavours Of
The Month
The freshest places
in 101 Reykjavík
Words: John Rogers & Hannah Jane Cohen
Photos: Art Bicnick, Timothée Lambrecq, Julie Rowland
Whether you're fresh off the plane, or just looking for some new spots to
check out alongside your old favourite haunts, here are a few notable
shops, bars and restaurants that have sprung up since Airwaves 2017.