Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.06.2022, Blaðsíða 4

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2022
4
OUR STORES IN REYKJAVÍK: FARMERS & FRIENDS
Best of Reykjavík:
+ Great falafel and where to find them P:20
+ Post-COVID recovery—the new hot spots in town P:22
+ Happy Hours: the cheapest way to drink
in Iceland (yes, there is a way) P:29
+ Wondering where to get that morin-khurr you’ve
been dreaming of? We got you covered P:33
+ Self-guided street art: basically the only free
activity in Reykjavík P:39
DINING 8
DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE 24
SHOPPING 30
ACTIVITIES 36
BEST OF REY-
KJAVIK 2022
Summer 2022 Edition by
Hafnarstræti 15, 101 Reykjavík
www.grapevine.is
grapevine@grapevine.is
Published by Fröken ehf.
Printed by Ísafold
Member of the Icelandic
Travel Industry Association
www.saf.is
PUBLISHER
Hilmar Steinn
Grétarsson
hilmar@grapevine.is
+354 540 3601
publisher@grapevine.is
BEST OF EDITOR
Valur Grettisson
Valur@grapevine.is
Josie Anne Gaitens
josie@grapevine.is
GRAPEVINE EDITOR
IN CHIEF
Valur Grettisson
valur@grapevine.is
PHOTO EDITOR & LAYOUT
Art Bicnick
art@grapevine.is
BEST OF DINING
COMPILED BY
Shruthi Basappa
BEST OF DRINKING &
NIGHTLIFE COMPILED BY
Hannah Jane Cohen
BEST OF SHOPPING
COMPILED BY
Hannah Jane Cohen
BEST OF ACTIVITIES
COMPILED BY
Valur Grettisson
PROOFREADING
Catharine Fulton
Josie Anne Gaitens
COVER ART
Gabriel Bachmann,
based on original BoR
concept by Siggi Odds
FACT CHECKING
Valur Grettisson
Josie Anne Gaitens
EDITORIAL
+354 540 3600
editor@grapevine.is
ADVERTISING
+354 540 3604
+354 540 3610
ads@grapevine.is
CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Joana Fontinha
SALES DIRECTORS
Aðalsteinn Jörundsson
adalsteinn@grapevine.is
Helgi Þór Harðarson
helgi@grapevine.is
DISTRIBUTION
distribution@grapevine.is
PANELS
DINING
Anna Margrét Björnsson
Josie Anne Gaitens
Ragnheiður Axel
Elizabeth Lay
DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE
Alexander Le Sage de
Fontenay
Álfgrímur Aðalsteinsson
Góa Briem
Ragnar Egilsson
SHOPPING
Álfrún Pálsdóttir
Dóra Júlia Agnarsdóttir
Sindri Snær Einarsson
ACTIVITIES
Greipur Gíslason
Hilmar Grétarsson
Best of Reykjavík
by The Reykjavík
Grapevine is published
by Fröken ltd. Nothing
in this magazine may
be reproduced in whole
or in part without the
written permission of
the publishers. The
Best of Reykjavík is
distributed around
Reykjavík.
No articles in the
Reykjavík Grapevine
are paid-for articles.
The opinions expressed
are the writers’ own, not
the advertisers’.
Unexplored Post COVID-City
Oh my, what a ride the last two years
have been. And what's more, we haven’t
even grasped the full scope of changes
we have incurred. The first thing we
have noticed is that people are always
confusing years; we still talk about 2021
like 2022 never came. But, thanks to the
never-ending march of time, 2022 final-
ly arrived, and what’s more, it brought
our beloved freedom back.
Now, Icelanders believe we have
beaten the virus—or at least we deeply
hope so. We no longer have any restric-
tions in the country and the science
seems to indicate that we have gained
that longed for herd immunity. But it
doesn’t mean that everything is over
yet. Some of us will still need to wear
those dreadful masks on flights and so
on. But it’s not that much of a burden.
We can once again meet at a concert,
sweat together and have an unexpect-
ed coughing spell in a line. It could be
worse.
With this fresh freedom in mind,
we have worked hard to put together
a brand new Best of Reykjavík so you
can find out where to go to eat, drink,
have fun and just enjoy yourself. The
good news is that Iceland feels ready
for a similar tourist boom as before
COVID-19. Even better, travellers who
make it here will not only enjoy a slower
tourist season in Iceland, like it was at
the beginning of the boom, but also
better restaurants than ever, and the
biggest variety of activities we’ve ever
had.
The COVID-19 era resulted in an un-
expected blossoming for restaurants
and bars. New ones are popping up
everywhere and even for a local, the
scenery feels very unexplored. This is
the moment to rediscover Reykjavík,
or just fall in love with a new city. Reyk-
javík has everything from a bustling city
vibe to the closeness of a village, with
a unique atmosphere that you will not
find in many other places in Europe.
Icelanders are still crawling out of
their hibernation after the virus, still
kind of confusing 2022 for 2021—and
trying to forget 2020 altogether. But
we are getting up to speed, and we have
never been as optimistic, joyful (as joy-
ful an Icelander can be, that is) and just
overall ready for a summer of explora-
tion.
Valur Grettisson
Editor-In-Chief
AN INTRODUCTION