Reykjavík Grapevine - jul. 2021, Síða 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. Chikin
Ingólfsstræti 2
This ain’t your mama's KFC. No,
Chikin—Reykjavík’s first dedicated
h ot c hic ke n a n d ba o jo int —
manages to be at once both totally
sophisticated foodie cuisine and
also food that’ll definitely fill the
hole in your soul you usually quench
with a spicy Twister. So grab some
chicken with pickled daikon, shiitake
mushrooms, miso mayo and lots of
other delicacies.
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. Kaffi Laugalækur
Laugarnesvegur 74a
For many a young parent, the cafe
stop at the end of a long stroll is
the proverbial pot of gold. Kaffi
Lækur is especially popular with
new parents, with a special kids’
corner for crawlers and drawers.
The generously topped chicken
and pesto ‘litla gula hænan’ and the
‘shawaramabake’ are our top lunch
picks. Also, if you're keto, don't miss
'em,
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. Snaps
"órsgata 1
Year after year, regardless of how
many restaurants open and close,
Snaps remains a timeless classic.
Be it lunch, date-night dinner, lazy
weekend brunches or a boisterous
Christmas work party, Snaps is the
perfect venue for a boatload of
memories. Steady standbys include
the deeply savoury onion soup (with
a union of its own we suspect),
the house-made fries with crispy
rosemary that begs to be a meal on
its own, and a textbook creme brulee
topped with an envious snap.
7. Hlemmur Mathöll
Hlemmur
Once a bus station and now a bustling
food hall—we love a repurposed
space. Hlemmur Mathöll is a classic
in the Reykjavík dining scene, with
everything from Vietnamese street
food to delicious gelato to old
school Italian pizza present. Yum.
8. Dragon Dim Sum
Bergsta!astræti 4
For those of us longing for dim sum
in Reykjavík, cravings have often
had to be satisfied with daydreams
of visits past to dim sum houses of
Chinatowns abroad. But then Dragon
Dim Sum arrived with their fare, which
is the perfect marriage between
Icelandic ingredients and labouring
of Asian dim sum passion. Don't miss
their bao or shao mai, and don't
worry, their carrot vegan dumplings
are also sublime.
9. Lamb Street Food
Grandagar!ur 7
Pure Icelandic lamb with a middle
eastern twist—that’s what you’ll get
at this juicy local eatery where pure
kebab is served up with no processed
meat. For all you vegans though,
never fear, the fresh made salads
and hummus are equally wowing. This
ain’t your regular kebab spot.
10. Laundromat
Austurstræti 9
Have you ever wanted to have lunch
and do your laundry in a public place?
You’re in luck. The Laundromat Cafe
on Austurstræti is open (again) for
business. Whether you want brunch,
a sandwich, or a burger, they have
a quality selection of food made to
order. Their brunch ain't nothing to
scoff at either,
11. Nauthóll
Nauthólsvegur 106
Just behind the University of
Reykjavík overlooking the Nauthólsvík
geothermal beach is Nauthóll, the
definition of a hidden summertime
gem. The restaurant is one of those
places that downtown Reykjavík rats
might call “too far away,” but with
the advent of public scooters, you
can arrive there in style in but 15
minutes. Without hyperbole, there
probably isn’t a better outdoor view
in the city than this place—and their
Scandinavian fare is good too.
Drinking
12. Priki!
Bankastræti 12
Priki! is the bar version of the “I’m
going to bed early tonight vs. me at
3 a.m.” meme. At 22:00 you’ll have a
bunch of regulars relaxing at the bar
sipping brews, but arrive at 3:00 and
it’s Project X. Their outdoor smoking
area should be applauded too. Hang
out long enough and you’ll be sure
to buddy up and find an afterparty.
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. Ve!ur
Klapparstígur 33
This charming, low-key, hole-in-the-
wall serves up some great cocktails
and a dedicated crowd that has
grabbed the heart of the Grapevine,
even though we are a magazine and
not humans. If you feel fine relaxing
and chatting, it’s still a nice and
sophisticated bar, but they've also
got an edge. Sometimes they play
punk music. \m/
16. Íslenski Barinn
Ingólfsstræti 1a
Of the many nation-themed drinking
establishments in Reykjavík, The
Icelandic Bar is the only one that is
also a restaurant. Go there at night
and maybe you'll meet an elf or Björk
or something—that's all people know
about Iceland anyway.
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
cultural scene. Takk fyrir.
The Map
Strætó
The o!cial Icelandic
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VÍNSTÚKAN
Wine bar

& food
Laugavegur 60A, 101 Reykjavík
himalayanspiceiceland.com
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