Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.11.2018, Blaðsíða 40

The R
eykjavík G
rapevine
Iceland A
irw
aves Special 20
18
40 DINING
Best Brunch
Cafe Paris
Austurstræti 14
Cafe Paris’s European style brunch
with a few American classics thrown
in, make for a must-do weekend
activity. Near perfect eggs florentine,
top-notch fried chicken with waffles,
and a hulking stack of pancakes, some
bubbly, and the quintessential brunch
experience is complete. Take your time
at brunch here: relax, sit back, and sip
on an ice-cold Bellini.
Best Goddamn Restaurant
Mat Bar
Hverfisgata 26
In a stylish dining room with an open
kitchen, Mat Bar churns out seasonal,
unconventional, delicious food, from
Icelandic monkfish livers to grilled,
stuffed squid, a stellar hand-stretched
mozzarella with pickled tomatoes,
rosemary-dusted lamb chops, and
fantastic cocktails. They raise the bar
for vegetarian dishes too.
Best Late-Night Bite
Mandi
Veltusund 3b
“It should make your hands dirty. You
should need like 5 napkins at least,”
said the panel. And that’s what you’ll get
at Mandi. Their quesadilla-like arais ma-
ria is thin flatbread stuffed with ground
lamb and spices, grilled and served like
a Syrian calzone. The guys behind the
counter are forever smiling, the food
is cheap, the crowd is bustling, and
it hits all the bases for being a sweet
post-party snack spot like no other.
DRINKING
Best Goddamn Bar
Kaffibarinn
Bergstaðastræti 1
KB is the hands-down winner here. Many
bars come and go and redecorate and
rename and put on bells and whistles,
but Kaffibarinn has stayed the course
for the better part of two decades—
because it’s just a really good, reliable
place. “They have great drink selection,
you can dance or sit and talk if you
want, and the DJs are on point,” said
one panellist. The finest point of the
place is perhaps the colourful staff,
who always seem like a little family.
TL;DR: Kaffibarinn is fucking awesome.
Best Place To End The Night
Prikið
Bankastræti 12
Prikið is the bar version of that “I’m
going to bed early tonight vs. me at
3 a.m.” meme. Show up at 10 p.m. and
it’s Rancho Relaxo. Get there at 2 a.m.
and it’s House Party. “It has a very
specific atmosphere,” said one panellist
referring to its young, raucous, hip-hop-
centric vibes. Fun, fresh music, crazy
dance floor, good basic drinks, cute
fun people, lovely staff, and never a dull
moment. There will be a line outside, but
it's worth it.
SHOPPING
Best Place For Local Fashion
KIOSK
Ingólfstræti 6
This is the eighth time in a row that
KIOSK is chosen as best local boutique,
and for a good reason. KIOSK is a collec-
tive run by four independent Icelandic
designers who often take turns working
at the counter. The designers play
with different ideas and materials, so
you can find heavy knits next to the
smoothest of silks, while bold, clashing
prints coexist with more subtle, mono-
chromatic pieces. If you’re looking for
one-of-a-kind investment, there’s no
better place to be.
Best Wool Sweater Shop
Handprjónasam-
bandið
Skólavörðustígur28
Handprjónasambandið’s high shelves
are packed with sweaters and woollen
garments of all shapes, sizes and
colours. They’re all handmade and of
outstanding quality. If you need help
with sizes, ask one of the ladies and
they’ll welcome you with a smile. “This is
why I go there: if you want quality, this
is where you’ll find it,” said the panel. It'll
stay with you for years, as long as you
don't put it in the washing machine.
ACTIVITIES
Best Pool
Sundhöllin
Barónsstígur 45a
101’s iconic swimming palace Sundhöl-
lin is back, and better than ever. There’s
a new outdoor pool, a new reception
area, refreshed changing facilities,
and a corridor-like hot pot with lots of
space for chilling and chatting. “I used
to trek from 101 to Vesturbærlaug, but
the renovations put Sundhöllin on top,”
said the panel. “The changing rooms
are beautiful—like Wes Anderson meets
M. C. Escher..”
Best Gallery
i8
Tryggvagata 16
i8 wins best art gallery in 2018 for the
fifth time. The reasoning is simple:
they show amazing art, all the time.
Their roster includes many of Iceland’s
foremost contemporary artists. “Con-
temporary art takes itself very seriously
sometimes, but i8 doesn’t—in the best
possible way.”
Best Place To See The Aurora
Grótta
Seltjarnarnes
The tip of the Reykjavík peninsula has
an iconic lighthouse perched right on
the end, reachable at low tide via a
pedestrian causeway. There’s also a na-
ture reserve, a walking path, and little
else, meaning light pollution is low. “You
can get there by bus,” said the panel.
“You might see those kids out there
selling kleinur and cocoa—so you can
have an authentic child entrepreneur/
child labour experience, too.”
Best Of
Reykjavík
Airwaves Edition
As you make your way around town, you
might notice our Best of Reykjavík mag-
azine in the bars, cafés and shops. It’s
stuffed with the best things to do and
see in our fair capital. We thought you might find our panels’ picks
in these categories particularly useful during Airwaves.