Ban Thai is a thai restaurant in 105, Reykjavik.
Ban Thai has cooked from a tiny Laugavegur room in Reykjavik for over two decades, repeatedly named Iceland's best Thai, with hot curries and big portions.
Signature dishes: Curries, Pad thai
Must order: A proper Thai curry, ordered as spicy as you can stand.
Tip: Small and popular, so reserve or get takeaway. Voted Iceland's best Thai by local press for years.
Address: Laugavegur 130, 105 Reykjavik
Krua Thai on Skolavordustigur is a casual Thai kitchen in central Reykjavik with generous plates and strong takeaway deals, a dependable budget option.
Signature: Pad thai, Green curry
Order: The pad thai, or a green curry with rice for the better value.
Tip: Takeaway is the cheaper way to order. Open through the day and into the evening.
Mama Kitchen on Laugavegur cooks the Vietnamese classics in generous bowls, a fragrant pho and crisp spring rolls that draw a loyal crowd to the main shopping street in Reykjavik.
Signature: Pho, Spring rolls
Order: A bowl of beef pho, or the spring rolls if you want something light alongside.
Tip: Open every day from 11:00 to 22:00. Portions are large for the price, value beats the downtown average.
Hlollabatar has built hot Icelandic-style subs since 1986, a local sandwich chain whose loaded baguettes are a Reykjavik late-night and lunch standby.
Signature: Hot subs
Order: A loaded hot sub; the New York filling is the house favourite.
Tip: Branches dot the city and some open late. The original recipe has barely changed since the 1980s.
Saeta Svinid, the Sweet Pig, on Hafnarstraeti is a casual Reykjavik gastropub of burgers, lamb and small plates at fair prices, with a long daily happy hour.
Signature: Burgers, Icelandic small plates
Order: A juicy lamb or beef burger, or a couple of the Icelandic small plates.
Tip: Happy hour runs 15:00 to 18:00 daily, and karaoke and bingo nights keep it lively.
Apotek on Austurstraeti pairs an all-day Icelandic-European menu with one of downtown Reykjavik's best happy hours, set in the old first-pharmacy building.
Signature: Argentine-grill plates
Order: Small plates off the Argentine grill, ideally during happy hour.
Tip: Open from 11:30 for lunch, with a long bar that fills early for the discounted hour.
Grandi Matholl on Grandagardur is a 2018 food hall in an old fish factory at the Old Harbour in Reykjavik, with seven counters of Icelandic seafood and global street food.
Signature: Mixed plates from multiple counters, Fresh seafood
Order: Sample plates across several counters, with seafood from Frystihusid for the local catch.
Tip: Casual harbour-side eating with industrial windows over the fishing fleet. Open daily 11:00 to 21:00.
