Reykjavík Grapevine - nov 2019, Qupperneq 25

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Best Sports Bar
American Bar
& English Pub
Joint Winners
American Bar, Austurstræti 8-10
With screens as far as the eye can see,
a long bar that goes on for days, all
the burgers and snacks of your junk
food dreams, a dedicated big-screen
viewing room in the back, and a “sun”
terrace to smoke on at half time, Amer-
ican Bar is the perfect place to watch
the big game. Whether it’s boxing, NFL
or Premier League, they always have a
wide range of screenings. Grab yourself
a brewski and prepare to shout at
the screen in some kind of vicarious
catharsis of random victory or loss.
English Pub, Austurstræti 18
Iceland’s main spectator sport of choice
is the English Premier League, and
there’s nowhere better to settle down
for a day of matches than the English
Pub. With a dark wooden Anglo-kitsch
interior, a long bar with plenty of staff,
and loads of comfortable seating, it’s
hard to glance anywhere without your
eye alighting on a screen. Football-lov-
ing tourists gather here to shout at the
screen and berate Gylfi Sigurðsson’s lat-
est penalty miss, so it’s the closest you’ll
get a true football pub atmosphere, too.
Runner Up
Lebowski Bar
Laugavegur 20a
Another big huge place with lots of
screens showing lots of games, this
fully carpeted bar honouring The Dude
is another nice laid-back place to just
zone out with some good sports. Unpre-
tentious and even graced with its own
mascot, Púki the cat, who drinks virgin
White Russians in the window.
Previous Winners
2018: American Bar
2017: Lebowski Bar
2016: American Bar
2013-5: Bjarni Fel
Best Craft Bar
Skúli Craft Bar
Fógetagarður
This cosy drinking hole has a great
selection of local and guest craft
brews, with the option of a flight of
beers for the indecisive or curious. Set
on a ground floor with giant windows
around most of the bar, one may prefer
the open feeling or feel a bit exposed,
but it’s a lovely place. “The staff are real
beer nerds,” said the panel. “There are
board games, good snacks and food
vans out back. It has that dude energy,
but it’s perfect for a quiet drink.”
Runners Up
Brewdog
Frakkastígur 8
The Brewdog empire's Iceland outpost
is an instant hit. “Sure, it’s a chain, but
they have a really good beer selection,”
said the panel. “The menu is great, and
the staff are friendly and accommo-
dating. They have both Brewdog and
Icelandic beers, and Wings Wednesday.”
Session Bar
First Floor, Bankastræti 14
Session Bar is a minimalist craft-beer-
focused drinking den housed in a
former hair salon in the heart of down-
town. 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.
Previous Winners
2018: Mikkeller & Friends (RIP)
2017: Microbar
2016: Mikkeller & Friends (RIP)
Best Wine Bar
Port 9
Veghúsastígur 9
Cosy and tucked away with a secretive
vibe, Port 9 is a hidden gem with an
extensive wine list. From the house
selections, to the by-the-bottle list, to
the endless handwritten book of rare
and fine wines, there can be only one
winner here. “You can barely find it,”
said the panel. “It’s intimate, and the
customers have gone out of their way
to end up there.” It’s not too stuffy or
formal though: “I’ve been there in my
pyjamas and nobody said anything,”
said one panellist. “It’s also the only
place in Reykjavík for that special
Tinder date.”
Runners Up
Klaustur
Kirkjutorg
Since the “KlausturFökk” scandal, when
drunk MPs were recorded having a
horribly sexist conversation, this cosy
establishment has seen an unexpected
bounce in popularity. “For wine and
secrets go to Klaustur,” laughed the
panel. “Drink your Pinot Noir in silence
at Iceland’s current most infamous bar.”
Newcomer
Vínstúkan Tíu sopar
Laugavegur 27
Aiming to fill the market for wine bars in
Reykjavík, Vínstúkan Tíu Sopar features
natural wines from small producers at
affordable prices. While “Vínstúkan” is
an old Icelandic term for wine bar, “Tíu
Sopar” is a play-on-words for ten sips,
riffing on the bar’s location in the spot
that was once the Tíu Dropar café.
Previous Winners
2018: Port 9
2017: Microbar
2016: Mikkeller & Friends (RIP)
2015: Skúli Craft Bar
Best Place For Cocktails
Apótek
Austurstræti 16
Apótek is a beautifully decorated
restaurant in the heart of downtown.
It’s actually styled as a pharmacy,
hence the name Apótek. They refer to
their bartenders as pharmacists and
offer a great selection of cocktails,
or as they call them 'painkillers',
'stimulants' and 'tranquillizers'. The
restaurant is famous for its exquisite
menu, wide selection of wine and
beautifully crafted desserts. However,
their cocktails are also otherworldly. Try
the Stranger Tides, a blended malt with
amaro and lime served with a bouquet
of mint, for a singular experience.
Runners Up
VEÐUR
Klapparstígur 33
If you don’t want bitters made out of
Californian dandelions or rose-petal
sprayed ice in your espresso martini,
this much-loved relative newcomer does
the classics just how you like them. “The
barmen here are great,” said the panel.
“It’s the classics done to perfection.”
Miami
Hverfisgata 33
Miami’s cocktail menu takes your fa-
vourite classics and mixes them up into
complex 21st century drinks. With a focus
on sustainability and a strict adherence
to the bar’s gorgeous 1980s Miami Vice
aesthetic, their selection is a standout
in the thriving Reykjavík cocktail scene.
They've also, and we're not joking, got
cuba libres on draft.
Previous Winners
2018: Hverfisgata 12 (RIP)
2015-6: Apótek
2014: Slippbarinn
2013: Borg, Hotel Borg