Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.06.2022, Blaðsíða 25

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Best Sports Bar
American Bar
Austurstræti 8
For the fifth—yes, FIFTH—year in a row,
American Bar is the champion of our
sports bar category. For those appre-
hensive about entering a place called
“American Bar”, trust us: this place
is more “Let’s take shots to Lynard
Skynard!” than “Let’s go Brandon!” It’s a
friendly place with big screens, a nice
selection of beer and—get this—wings!
Pro-tip: Don’t be that guy who fights
about “soccer” vs. “football”. We all
know it’s ridiculous.
Runners-Up
English Pub
Austurstræti 12
If it’s football you’re hankering for, go
to those that know it best: the English.
This pub serves up a dark, wooden
Anglo-kitsch interior, a long bar with
plenty of staff and loads of comfortable
seating, and—best of all—a plethora
of screens. Make sure to yell loudly
and berate players when they miss the
penalty—you wanted an authentic pub
experience, right?
Lebowski Bar
Laugavegur 20a
Honour “The Dude” at this laid-back, un-
pretentious locale that offers the best
of both worlds during sports games.
Some people will get rowdy; others will
stay chill, so you’re certain to find your
crowd while savouring a great burger.
If you’re feeling fancy, order a White
Russian.
Previous Winners
2021: American Bar
2020: American Bar
2019: American Bar / English Pub
Best Craft Bar
Session Craft Bar
Bankastræti 14
Where the tourist stream of
Skólavörðustígur flows into the tourist
river of Laugavegur, you’ll find a haven
for fans of craft beer. With its minimal
appearance, stainless steel bar backed
with dozens of taps and fridges full of
beers canned and bottled, Session is a
place that, while cosy enough, is made
for serious craft heads. Whether you’re
hankering for a lip-puckering gose, or
an IPA packed with more flowers than a
funeral, Session has got your back.
Runners-Up
Skúli Craft Bar
Aðalstræti 9
Reykjavík is overflowing with great
beer but Skúli was at the forefront of
the craft bar wave in Iceland and the
place and its friendly staff—consisting
of side-hustling but talented rock
musicians—will always have a place
in our beer-soaked hearts. If you are
looking for a versatile cornucopia of
different styles of beers from different
breweries, both domestic and “útlensk”,
check it out.
BrewDog
Frakkastígur 8
While BrewDog is an imported concept
and does rely heavily on the Brewdog
line of beers, they have always made
space for every madcap ultra-micro-
brewer in the local scene and also
bring in a lot of wild brews from around
the globe. Consistently popular, this
place also benefits from having a very
solid kitchen with lots of salty treats to
fuel the thirst. Now go fetch!
Previous Winners
2021: Session Craft Bar
2020: BrewDog
2019: Mikkeller & Friends (RIP)
Best Wine Bar
Vínstúkan Tíu Sopar
Laugavegur 27
Every oenophile—wine connoisseur, for
the uninitiated—knows that to truly
appreciate wine, it’s imperative to find
a cosy, inviting environment. Vínstúkan
Tíu Sopar has perfected this. “Vínstúkan
Tíu Sopar has basically made me a wine
person. The bartenders know what to
recommend, how to talk to people of
all levels of wine knowledge, and they
are also just so friendly! I always feel
like they’re drinking with me,” one panel
member laughed. (Note: They are not).
Runners-Up
Bodega
Týsgata 8
Bodega made its stamp on the wine
scene quickly, and did so during the
time where the-thing–that-must-not-
be-mentioned was raging. With a clear
nod (more like a headslam) in the
direction of Barcelona wine bar culture,
you’d be forgiven for, on a sunny day,
thinking you were sitting by a plaza in
Eixample, sucking an olive with your
organic, free-range, cruelty-free rioja.
The selection runs from natural to
regular (subnatural?) Mediterranean
wines, from Northern-Italy to Spain’s
Atlantic coast.
Mikki Refur
Hverfisgata 18
Mikki Refur has been around for less
than two years, but it’s already ce-
mented itself as a consistent pinnacle
of wine curation in the city. With an
imported selection of natural wines,
the place manages to wow both winos
and non-winos alike. Not an easy task
and one that should be applauded.
Previous Winners
2021: Vínstúkan Tíu Sopar
2020: Port 9
2019: Port 9
Best Place For Cocktails
Joint Winners
Jungle
Austurstræti 9
Jungle is backed by a who’s-who of
Icelandic cocktail maestros who part-
nered together to open a bar entirely
focused on cocktails. They found the
perfect fit for it on the second floor
of the 1920s building at Austurstræti
9, with its lush leather chairs and con-
siderable ceiling height. This has been
decked with tropical arrangements
so the end result falls (somehow)
comfortably between a tiki lounge and
a prohibition speakeasy.
Veður
Klapparstígur 33
We’ll let you in on the Icelandic pun in the
name. The name means “weather” and
“Veðurbarinn” could either mean “weath-
er-beaten” or “the weather bar”. Anyone
who has visited Iceland outside of the
four months of sunshine, knows that you
need a spot to dip into for an expertly
made classic cocktail and a bartender
who knows your name. Veður is a new-ish
bar but there’s something about it which
makes you feel like it’s always been there.
Runners-Up
Apótek
Austurstræti 16
Apótek is a spacious, upscale restaurant
whose cocktail creations have picked up
a bundle of local awards. The building’s
pharmacological past lives on in its
name—Apótek means pharmacy—and
the cocktail list, which is divided up into
categories like “painkillers” or “stimu-
lants,” exemplifies this. We’d recommend
the Black Death Negroni and the Stranger
Tides.
Previous Winners
2021: Jungle Cocktail Bar
2020: Miami
2019: Systir