Reykjavík Grapevine - aug 2021, Qupperneq 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. Blackbox Pizza
Borgartún 26
Blackbox is a solid competitor for
best pizza pie in the city. Thin crust,
inventive toppings , deliver y—
what else could you ask for? We'd
particularly recommend the Parma
Rucola, which serves up all the parma
ham goodness you could wish for.
For those journeying outside the city,
they've also got a location in Akureyri.
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. Hosiló
Hverfisgata 12
A newcomer on the block who has
certainly made a big stir! Hosiló is
a small spot—seating around 30
patrons at full capcity—that offers
an eclectic rotating menu of local
fresh food. The offerings feature
meals from around the world, from
French cuisine to Northern Africa
goodness, and much more.
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. Brau" & Co
Frakkastígur 16
First off—don't miss Brau" & Co's
pretzel croissants unless you
really don't want to have a spiritual
experience. We also swear by their
“snu"ur”—cinnamon bread rolls
smothered with a sugary glaze.
They take it a step further and stuff
the classics with blueberries and
whatnot, eliciting inappropriate
satisfied moans. Get there early to
snatch a warm one.
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 crème brûlée
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. Röntgen
Hverfisgata 12
If the cancellation of l iterally
e v e r y t h i n g i s d a m p i n g y o u r
glamorous rock and roll style,
Röntgen at Hverfisgata 12 will cure
what ails you. This place—a relative
newcomer—is already a stalwart
in the bar scene, with a stellar
atmosphere, great drinks and a
lineup of the best DJs in Iceland.
Just remember to raise a glass to
the good doctor Wilhelm Röntgen
(who discovered x-rays) while
sipping your tipple.
14. Húrra
Tryggvagata 22
Húrra is BACK! ARE YOU SERIOUS? YES,
WE ARE! After a despairing absense
from the local scene, the beloved
favourite has returned with a
vengence. Seriously—in the few
weeks they've been open, the bar/
venue has already had shows from
heavyweights like Skrattar, Skóffin
and Mannveira. Stop by for vibes,
alochol and other fun things like
that you know. Also, their bathroom
renovation is pretty crazy.
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
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VÍNSTÚKAN
Wine bar

& food
Laugavegur 60A, 101 Reykjavík
himalayanspiceiceland.com
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