Tapas Barinn is a tapas restaurant in 101, Reykjavik.
Tapas Barinn on Vesturgata has run Spanish-style tapas on Icelandic ingredients since 2000, best known for its multi-course Icelandic Gourmet Feast.
Signature dishes: Icelandic Gourmet Feast, Tapas
Must order: The Icelandic Gourmet Feast, a tasting run through local fish, lamb and skyr.
Tip: The Gourmet Feast even includes adventurous bites like puffin and minke for the curious. Dinner only.
Address: Vesturgata 3b, 101 Reykjavik
Hornid opened in 1979 as Iceland's first Italian restaurant and still works a yellow corner house on Hafnarstraeti, making Reykjavik pizza and pasta to order.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Fresh pasta
Order: A 12-inch pizza made to order, or the daily fresh pasta.
Tip: Family-run for over forty years and open all day from 11:00. A dependable break from fish and lamb.
Skreid on Laugavegur is a Basque tapas room from the Sagardi Group, a small Reykjavik counter pouring natural wine alongside pintxos and bacalao a few steps off the main shopping street.
Signature: Manchego with honey and walnuts, Salted bacalao
Order: Manchego with honey, salted bacalao and a few small plates to share, with a Basque txakoli pour.
Tip: From the brothers behind Spain's Sagardi Group. Tapas-and-wine pace, evenings only into late.
Mat Bar on Hverfisgata is a chef-driven Reykjavik kitchen blending Icelandic produce with Italian sensibility, a thirty-seat room of small sharing plates that the Grapevine ranks high.
Signature: Sharing-plate tasting menu, Pasta of the day
Order: The three-course or five-course Best of Matbar sharing menu, or the pasta of the day.
Tip: Seven-time Best of Reykjavik medal winner. Open kitchen, intimate room, book ahead.
Forrettabarinn, the Starters Bar, on Nylendugata builds a meal entirely from small plates, a relaxed Reykjavik room near the harbour made for grazing.
Signature: Starters and small plates, Mussels
Order: Pick four or five starters across fish, meat and veg to make a meal.
Tip: Down in the old west-end harbour streets, away from the Laugavegur crush. Good shared-plate value.
Sushi Social on Thingholtsstraeti blends sushi with a South American grill, a dim Reykjavik basement pouring cocktails alongside Nikkei-style rolls.
Signature: Nikkei sushi, South American grill
Order: A mixed sushi selection, then something off the South American grill.
Tip: Dinner only from 17:00, with a strong happy hour early on. Book for weekends, it fills up.
Hornid opened in 1979 as Iceland's first Italian restaurant and still works a yellow corner house on Hafnarstraeti, making Reykjavik pizza and pasta to order.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Fresh pasta
Order: A 12-inch pizza made to order, or the daily fresh pasta.
Tip: Family-run for over forty years and open all day from 11:00. A dependable break from fish and lamb.
Skreid on Laugavegur is a Basque tapas room from the Sagardi Group, a small Reykjavik counter pouring natural wine alongside pintxos and bacalao a few steps off the main shopping street.
Signature: Manchego with honey and walnuts, Salted bacalao
Order: Manchego with honey, salted bacalao and a few small plates to share, with a Basque txakoli pour.
Tip: From the brothers behind Spain's Sagardi Group. Tapas-and-wine pace, evenings only into late.
Mat Bar on Hverfisgata is a chef-driven Reykjavik kitchen blending Icelandic produce with Italian sensibility, a thirty-seat room of small sharing plates that the Grapevine ranks high.
Signature: Sharing-plate tasting menu, Pasta of the day
Order: The three-course or five-course Best of Matbar sharing menu, or the pasta of the day.
Tip: Seven-time Best of Reykjavik medal winner. Open kitchen, intimate room, book ahead.
Forrettabarinn, the Starters Bar, on Nylendugata builds a meal entirely from small plates, a relaxed Reykjavik room near the harbour made for grazing.
Signature: Starters and small plates, Mussels
Order: Pick four or five starters across fish, meat and veg to make a meal.
Tip: Down in the old west-end harbour streets, away from the Laugavegur crush. Good shared-plate value.
Kopar sits over the water at the Old Harbour on Geirsgata, a Reykjavik seafood room that leans on local langoustine and cod with vegan plates too.
Signature: Langoustine, Cod
Order: The langoustine, or the signature cod with whatever is in season.
Tip: Ask for a window table over the harbour. Lunch is the cheaper way into the same kitchen.
Sushi Social on Thingholtsstraeti blends sushi with a South American grill, a dim Reykjavik basement pouring cocktails alongside Nikkei-style rolls.
Signature: Nikkei sushi, South American grill
Order: A mixed sushi selection, then something off the South American grill.
Tip: Dinner only from 17:00, with a strong happy hour early on. Book for weekends, it fills up.
