Thai$$105Sun-Thu 17:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 17:00-23:00
Ban Thai has cooked from a tiny Laugavegur room in Reykjavik for over two decades, repeatedly named Iceland's best Thai, with hot curries and big portions.
Signature: Curries, Pad thai
Order: A proper Thai curry, ordered as spicy as you can stand.
Tip: Small and popular, so reserve or get takeaway. Voted Iceland's best Thai by local press for years.
Thai$$101
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.
Vietnamese$$101Daily 11:00-22:00
Mama Kitchen on Laugavegur cooks the Vietnamese classics in generous bowls, a fragrant pho and crisp spring rolls that draw a loyal crowd to the main.
Signature: Pho, Spring rolls
Order: A bowl of beef pho, or the spring rolls if you want something light alongside.
Tip: Open every day from 11:00-22:00. Portions are large for the price, value beats the downtown average.
Sandwich$$101Mon-Thu 10:00-02:00; Fri-Sun 10:00-05:30
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.
Icelandic Gastropub$$$101Daily 11:30-23:00
Saeta Svinid, the Sweet Pig, on Hafnarstraeti is a casual Reykjavik gastropub of burgers, lamb and small plates at fair prices, with a long daily happy hour.
Signature: Burgers, Icelandic small plates
Order: A juicy lamb or beef burger, or a couple of the Icelandic small plates.
Tip: Happy hour runs 15:00-18:00 daily, and karaoke and bingo nights keep it lively.
Icelandic-european$$$101Mon-Thu 11:30-23:00; Fri 11:30-00:00; Sat 12:00-00:00; Sun 12:00-23:30
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.