Reykjavík Grapevine - Jun 2021, Page 16

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Get the bigger, more detailed version of The Reykjavík Grapevine
City Map at your nearest hotel or guesthouse, with selections from our
Best-Of awards, vital info, downtown bus stops and a wider view of the city.
Downtown &
Harbour District
Dining
1. Mandi Pizza
Hafnarstræti 9
Mandi Pizza is the answer to the
question: what can I eat if I’ve had
Mandi shawarma six days in a row,
and I want something different? Try
the kebab pizza, and make sure to
cover it in sauce. And don't worry—
they also got their famous hummus
on stock so you can pick some up to
quench your post-pizza health kick.
2. Eriksson Brasserie
Laugavegur 77
It’s hard to categorise Eiriksson with
its Italian-French leaning menu. The
interiors and menu whisper nouveau
r iche indulgence , the ‘ fancy ’
ingredients are a giveaway. But all
these reservations aside, they dish
out a mean veal, good steaks and a
smattering of pasta and pizzas.
3. Horni!
Hafnarstræti 15
Appropriately named “The Corner”
from its position on the street, this
Reykjavík institution is one of the
oldest dining establishments in
the city. Opened in 1979, the family
business has been serving fantastic
Italian fare in a remarkably unique
atmosphere. It is truly a stand-alone
restaurant in town and hands down
one of the best.
4. I"A Zimsen
Vesturgata 2a
This peaceful spot is equal parts
café and bookstore, so you can get
a coffee and a snack while you leaf
through your purchases. Everything
in there is interesting, and if the
magazines fail, people-watching
never does.
5. Sandholt
Laugavegur 36
Well-known for its sourdough bread,
Sandholt has consistently delivered
great baked goods s ince its
inception. The laminated pastries are
hands down the best in Iceland; try
the buttery croissants or seasonal
Danish pastries, locally known as
“vinarbrau! ” with rhubarb and
raspberries, or the classic, vanilla
custard.
6. Sumac Grill + Drinks
Laugavegur 28
S uma c ’s v ib rancy se e ps into
everything—the food, ambience,
service and its mix of diners across
age groups. By focusing on flavour
profiles unique to the cuisines, it is a
successful transplant from Beirut to
Reykjavík. For an indulgent spread,
we recommend getting all the dips
and a few flatbreads.
7. Borg29
Borgartún 29
Wait—a NEW food hall? Hurray! Yup,
Borgartún now has its own haunt,
and you can bet that we've already
tried it all . Our favourites so far
include Pronto Pasta. We've been
saying for years that Reykjavík
needed a good ole' quick pasta
stop and now we're there. We're
also obsessed with Hipstur, which
serves up that kind of healthy food
that feels so unhealthy, which is very
much the vibe at the Grapevine.
8. Makake
Grandagar!ur 101
Named after the hot tub loving
m e d it a t i ve m o n key s , M a ka ke
throws down the gauntlet for casual
Asian dining. They've got dimsum
brunches, pop-ups with guest chefs,
and vegan tasting menus in addition
to their staple fare of a selection
of dumplings, small plates like the
braised pork belly, an interesting
assortment of vegetable-forward
plates and desserts like mochi and
anko.
9. Chickpea
Hallveigarstígur 1
Tucked in next to downtown’s
Kronan supermarket lies Chickpea,
a new bijoux vegetarian eatery. The
restaurant is based around falafel,
which is delicious, bringing to mind
the fresh bites you’d find on the
carts of the Middle East—and the
salad is equally as visceral. Many of
the ingredients are locally sourced
and seriously—try the kim chi. It's a
family secret and positively to die for.
10. Búllan
Geirsgata 1
An oldie but a goodie, Búllan slings
a solid burger that seals Iceland’s
reputation as a worthy burger
destination. It was the winner of our
Best Of Reykjavík 2020 Best Burger
award and man, does it deserve that.
Go for a nice greasy hangover meal
or go on a date—either will be, as
Chandler would say, perfection.
11. #rír Frakkar
Baldursgata 14
To get a sense of Icelandic food
culture from a time before it was
fashionably New Nordic, pay a visit
to "rír Frakkar. This restaurant has
not let anything sway them from
tradition—you’ll spot everything
from foal, to black bird, to cod
throats and plokkfiskur that are sure
to remain long in your memory. A visit
to this place underlines that good
old-fashioned Icelandic cooking can
be all kinds of memorable.
Drinking
12. KEX Hostel
Skúlagata 28
KEX is stronger than ever right now.
Out of the pandemic haze, they've
come out guns a'blazing with a
series of fantastic concerts and
events that shows they are one to
compete with for the cool artistic
crowd in Reykjavík. So if you're one
of those people who enjoys Joyce as
well as Cardi B, this is probably the
place you'll meet your like-minded
peeps. (JK, no one has really read
Joyce.)
13. Kaffibarinn
Bergsta!astræti 1
While many Reykjavík bars come
and go and redecorate and rename
and put on bells and whistles,
Kaffibarinn has stayed the course
for almost three decades—because
it’s just a really good, reliable place.
It plays host to Reykjavík’s artistic
intellectuals , creative talents ,
and, well , downtown characters
and consistently puts on a show.
Basically, you’ll never have a boring
night at KB. It’s no ordinary watering
hole.
14. Gaukurinn
Tryggvagata 22
With dim lights , leather sofas ,
and gender-neutral bathrooms,
Gaukurinn is the preferred hangout
for the unorthodox Reykvíkingar,
so if you’re looking for like-minded
peeps, here you go. The venue hosts
everything from metal to drag
extravaganzas, so you never really
know what you’re gonna get on any
given night. That said, you know it’ll
be something you can only get at
Gaukurinn.
15. Skúli Craft Bar
A!alstræti 9
For a quiet drink, the real beer nerds
hole up in Skúli. The cosy drinking
hole offers a great selection of local
and guest craft brews, with the
option of a flight of beers for the
indecisive or curious. Make sure to
stop by in the summer, they’ve also
got some great outdoor tables.
16. The Irishman
Klapparstígur 27
If your idea of fun involves pints of
Guinness and Kilkenny, have we got a
place for you! With a spacious wrap-
around bar and a great downtown
location, this one has a better vibe
than most; while it is undeniably
cheesy, like a tiny, cartoonishly
Dublin-themed Disney World located
on Klapparstígur. Most importantly—
they have KARAOKE ROOMS to rent! So
when you need to get drunk and sing
Aqua to your crush, there you go.
17. Mál og Menning
Laugavegur 18b
Wait, a new bar/music venue? Yup!
And you thought the pandemic had
destroyed all culture in this town.
But never fear—Bókabú!ir Máls og
Menningar is here. There's live music
most nights, from DJs to jazz, and
during the day, the legendary Bókin
is operating from the basement.
Seriously—we anticipate this place
will be a game-changer in the local
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VÍNSTÚKAN
Wine bar

& food
Laugavegur 60A, 101 Reykjavík
himalayanspiceiceland.com
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