Austur-Indiafjelagid has cooked regional Indian food with Icelandic produce on Hverfisgata since 1994, the Grapevine's repeat pick for Reykjavik's best.
Signature: Tandoori salmon, Regional curries
Order: The tandoori salmon, the dish that bridges Icelandic fish and a Delhi tandoor.
Tip: Reykjavik's oldest Indian kitchen and a repeat Best of Reykjavik winner. Dinner only, book a table.
Skal, a former Hlemmur food-hall favourite now on Njalsgata, plates inventive Icelandic small plates and natural wine, a past Bib Gourmand in Reykjavik.
Signature: Seasonal small plates, Natural wine
Order: Order several small plates to share, and let the staff steer the natural-wine list.
Tip: Relocated from Hlemmur Mathöll after seven years; chef Thomas Lorentzen is now a partner here.
Snaps Bistro on Thorsgata is Reykjavik's enduring French-Danish bistro, a glassed-in room serving moules frites, onion soup and the day's fish to a crowd.
Signature: Moules frites, Fish of the day
Order: The moules frites, or the fish of the day off the chalkboard.
Tip: Brunch runs till 16:00 and the room fills fast at weekends. Walk-ins possible early; book for dinner.
Messinn on Laekjargata built its name on the fish pan, fresh catch fried in butter and served sizzling in a cast-iron skillet to half of Reykjavik.
Signature: Fish pan, Pan-fried Arctic char
Order: A fish pan, the cast-iron skillet of butter-fried catch with potatoes.
Tip: Lunch is the value sitting and the room is small, so arrive early or expect a wait at dinner.
Hosilo on Hverfisgata runs a weekly-changing globe-trotting menu of small plates, a Michelin Guide listed Reykjavik room for vegans and carnivores alike.
Signature: Lamb tartare, Butternut squash ravioli
Order: Whatever the rotating menu offers; the lamb tartare is a recurring standout.
Tip: The kitchen rewrites the menu every week, so no two visits match. Book ahead, the room is small.
ROK faces Hallgrimskirkja from a turf-roofed house on Frakkastigur, a Reykjavik small-plates kitchen built for sharing Icelandic ingredients at lunch.
Signature: Small plates, Mussels
Order: Build a meal from several small plates; the mussels and lamb are reliable.
Tip: The terrace under the church is the seat to ask for in summer. Open from 11:30 for lunch.
Sjavargrillid, the Seafood Grill, plates grilled Icelandic fish and langoustine on Skolavordustigur, a colourful Reykjavik room with full a la carte choice.
Signature: Grilled langoustine, Seafood skewers
Order: The grilled langoustine, or a mixed seafood skewer off the open grill.
Tip: A short walk down from Hallgrimskirkja. Good for a la carte when you want fish without a set menu.
Tapas Barinn on Vesturgata has run Spanish-style tapas on Icelandic ingredients since 2000, best known for its multi-course Icelandic Gourmet Feast.
Signature: Icelandic Gourmet Feast, Tapas
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kol on Skolavordustigur grills modern Icelandic plates over charcoal a minute from Hallgrimskirkja, a polished Reykjavik room best known for its steaks.
Signature: Grilled steaks, Charcoal-cooked fish
Order: A charcoal-grilled steak, or the catch cooked over the same coals.
Tip: The cocktail bar is a destination on its own. Lunch is the value sitting before the dinner rush.
Dill on Laugavegur was Iceland's first Michelin-starred restaurant and still leads its New Nordic cooking with a foraging-driven tasting menu in Reykjavik.
Signature: Dung-smoked trout, Skyr and sunchoke
Order: Whatever the set tasting menu serves; the kitchen smokes, ferments and forages its own larder.
Tip: Founded by Gunnar Karl Gislason, Dill holds a Michelin Green Star too. It books out weeks ahead, so reserve early and take the wine pairing.
Ox is an eleven-seat Michelin-starred counter hidden behind Sumac on Laugavegur, where chefs cook a long Icelandic tasting menu in front of you in Reykjavik.
Signature: Seasonal Icelandic tasting menu
Order: The single set menu is the only choice, and the langoustine and aged-fish courses are its peak.
Tip: Entry is through Sumac, the sister Levantine grill. Ox earned a Michelin Green Star in 2025. Two seatings a night, booked far ahead.
OTO on Hverfisgata is a Michelin Guide listed Italian-Japanese kitchen in Reykjavik, serving a kaiseki-shaped tasting menu that is a hard table to book.
Signature: Kaiseki-style tasting menu
Order: The chef's tasting menu, where the pasta and raw-fish courses bridge the two cuisines.
Tip: Open Wednesday to Saturday from 17:30. The room is small and loud; book ahead online.
Brut sits inside the Radisson Blu 1919 on Posthusstraeti in Reykjavik, a Michelin Guide listed seafood room where a former Dill cook keeps the fish simple.
Signature: Marinated scallops, Icelandic whelks
Order: The marinated scallops, and whatever fish was landed that morning.
Tip: Opened in 2021 in one of the city's grandest old buildings. Good wine list, lively at weekends.
Grillmarkadurinn, the Grill Market, works fire and smoke over Icelandic produce on Austurstraeti, a reliable Reykjavik room for lamb and aged beef.
Signature: Dry-aged rib eye, Salted cod with lobster
Order: The dry-aged rib eye, or the Trip to the Countryside tasting if you want range.
Tip: Adventurous diners can find reindeer and whale on the menu. Dinner only from 17:30.
Fish Market, Fiskmarkadurinn, gives Icelandic seafood a Japanese turn on Adalstraeti in Reykjavik, with a sushi counter and robata grill that made its name.
Signature: Sushi, Robata-grilled fish
Order: The sushi, or the tasting menu that runs the grill and raw-bar both.
Tip: The upstairs Uppi wine bar pours from the same kitchen if you want a lighter sitting. Dinner from 17:00.
Apotek Kitchen + Bar fills the old first-pharmacy building on Austurstraeti in Reykjavik, cooking Icelandic-European small plates and an open Argentine grill.
Signature: Argentine-grill plates, Small plates
Order: The shareable small plates and anything off the open Argentine grill.
Tip: The happy hour at the long bar is one of downtown's better deals. Open from 11:30 for lunch.
Sumac Grill + Drinks brings North African and Lebanese flavours to Icelandic produce on Laugavegur in Reykjavik, the sister venue that hides the Ox counter.
Signature: Mezze, Charcoal-grilled meats
Order: The mezze spread and the charcoal-grilled lamb; share across the table.
Tip: Sister to the Michelin-starred Ox, which sits behind it. Cocktails here are among the city's best.
2 Guys on Laugavegur has won the Grapevine's best Reykjavik burger several years running, a smashburger counter with a short menu and thin patties.
Signature: Smashburger
Order: The classic smashburger; add a second patty if you skipped lunch.
Tip: Grapevine best burger four years in a row. There is a second branch on Gnodarvogur if downtown is full.
Chuck Norris Grill on Laugavegur runs a Texas-Ranger-themed diner in central Reykjavik, open late for burgers, milkshakes and an all-day American breakfast.
Signature: Wabamm burger, Diner breakfast
Order: The Wabamm burger, stacked with caramelised onion and chilli mayo.
Tip: Open into the small hours, so it doubles as a late-night feed after the bars. Cash and card both fine.
Hradlestin on Hverfisgata makes Chennai-style dosas and Punjabi bhatura in Reykjavik, the Grapevine's pick for best brunch and a rare South Indian kitchen.
Signature: Masala dosa, Bhatura
Order: A crisp masala dosa, or the bhatura with kheema for something richer.
Tip: The fast-casual sibling of a longer-running Indian kitchen. Brunch is the meal worth booking.
BakaBaka on Bankastraeti is a 1834-house bakery by day and wood-fired sourdough pizzeria by night, central Reykjavik's busiest crossover room steps off.
Signature: Wood-fired sourdough pizza, Cardamom buns
Order: A wood-fired Bianca mushroom pizza in the evening, or a cardamom bun by day.
Tip: Cardamom buns by day, natural wine and sourdough pizza by night in one of central Reykjavik's oldest houses.
Public House on Laugavegur runs a Japanese-leaning gastropub of shareable small plates and cocktails, one of central Reykjavik's busier mid-range tables.
Signature: Bao buns, Japanese small plates
Order: A spread of bao and small plates, built to share across the table.
Tip: Happy hour at the bar is one of the better downtown deals. Loud and lively most nights.
Salka Valka on Skolavordustigur runs a relaxed, meat-free Reykjavik kitchen with a daily-changing half-vegan menu of soups, bagels and comfort plates below.
Signature: Soup of the day, Open bagel sandwiches
Order: Whatever soup is on the chalkboard, or an open bagel sandwich from the case.
Tip: Fully meat-free with vegan options every day. Counter service, no reservations needed.
Mandi on Ingolfstorg square serves halal shawarma, kebab and falafel from a fast counter in central Reykjavik, a reliable cheap feed in a pricey city.
Signature: Shawarma, Falafel wrap
Order: A chicken shawarma wrap, or the falafel plate for a meatless option.
Tip: Fully halal and open late around the square. Good value when the sit-down rooms feel out of budget.
Yuzu on Hverfisgata flips Asian-influenced burgers on house-baked buns, a small Reykjavik counter where Japanese-Nordic touches lift a fast-casual order.
Signature: Yuzu cheeseburger, Asian-spiced fries
Order: A signature cheeseburger with the spiced mayo.
Tip: Bun, patty and sauce all made in-house.
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.
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.
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 15:00-18:00 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.
Uppi sits above Fish Market on Adalstraeti, a casual Reykjavik wine bar running the same kitchen for sushi and small plates at a lighter price.
Signature: Sushi, Small plates
Order: A few sushi rolls with a glass of wine; the kitchen is the same as below.
Tip: The relaxed way into the Fish Market kitchen without the full tasting commitment. Good for a quick stop.
Reykjavik Roasters on Karastigur is the city's specialty-coffee anchor, a snug 1929 house roasting its own beans and pulling careful espresso.
Signature drink: Single-origin filter
Tip: The original branch behind Skolavordustigur. There are sibling cafes on Brautarholt and Freyjugata too.
Mokka Kaffi on Skolavordustigur has been Reykjavik's oldest cafe since 1958, run by one family and famous for waffles with rhubarb jam and hot chocolate.
Signature drink: Hot chocolate and waffles
Tip: Little has changed since the 1950s, down to the espresso machine. Cash-friendly, no laptops culture.
Cafe Babalu on Skolavordustigur is a quirky two-floor Reykjavik living room of board games and books, pouring coffee with sandwiches, crepes and soups.
Signature drink: Coffee and crepes
Tip: Vegan-friendly plates and a sunny upstairs balcony. A cosy stop on the climb to Hallgrimskirkja.
Grai Kotturinn, the Grey Cat, on Hverfisgata is a tiny basement Reykjavik brunch room famous for the Truck, a plate of pancakes, bacon, eggs and potatoes.
Signature drink: Coffee and pancakes
Order: The Truck, the cafe's signature pile of pancakes, bacon, eggs and potatoes.
Tip: Just a handful of tables, so expect a queue at weekends. Breakfast and lunch only.
Cafe Loki faces Hallgrimskirkja from Lokastigur, a Reykjavik cafe built on traditional Icelandic plates of dark rye bread, mashed fish and rye ice cream.
Signature drink: Coffee and rye bread plates
Order: The Icelandic plate of rye bread with mashed fish, then rye-bread ice cream.
Tip: One of the easiest places to try traditional Icelandic food without a sit-down dinner. Walk-in only.
Stofan Cafe sits on Ingolfstorg square on Vesturgata, a Reykjavik living-room cafe of worn armchairs, cake and coffee that suits a slow afternoon downtown.
Signature drink: Coffee and cake
Tip: The name means living room and the upstairs sofas earn it. Good for a long sit with cake and wifi.
Kaffibrennslan works a historic Laugavegur house as a Reykjavik cafe by day and a relaxed bar by night, pouring coffee, cake and Icelandic beer.
Signature drink: Coffee and beer
Tip: The street-watching window seats on Laugavegur are the prize. Happy hour bridges cafe and bar.
Sandholt on Laugavegur is a 1920 family bakery and cafe in Reykjavik, where the all-day sourdough breakfast and pastry counter draw a main-street crowd.
Signature drink: Coffee and sourdough breakfast
Order: The sourdough breakfast plate, or a croissant straight from the bakery counter.
Tip: The cafe shares the room with the bakery, so the pastries could not be fresher. Open from 07:00.
Kaffi O-le on Laugavegur is a relaxed main-street Reykjavik cafe pouring espresso and flat whites with cake, a dependable mid-shopping coffee stop downtown.
Signature drink: Flat white
Tip: Right on the Laugavegur shopping strip, so it fills with browsers. Good for a quick caffeine break.
Deig near the Old Harbour on Tryggvagata pairs coffee with doughnuts, bagels and bagel sandwiches, a casual Reykjavik counter sharing space with Le Kock.
Signature drink: Coffee and doughnuts
Order: A doughnut or a loaded bagel sandwich with a strong coffee.
Tip: Shares premises with Le Kock and the Tail cocktail bar, so it runs late some nights. Counter service.
Solon Bistro at the corner of Bankastraeti and Laugavegur is a downtown Reykjavik cafe-bistro of coffee, sandwiches and brunch, an all-day room at the heart.
Signature drink: Coffee and brunch
Tip: Brunch runs 11:00-16:00 daily. Cafe by day, bar later, a quick-stop central anchor.
Sandholt has baked on Laugavegur since 1920, a fourth-generation Reykjavik bakery whose long-fermented sourdough and croissants set the city's standard.
Tip: The all-day breakfast in the cafe section pairs the bread with eggs and cheese. Arrive early for croissants.
Worth the queue: Sourdough loaf
Braud and Co works a graffiti-painted house on Frakkastigur, a Reykjavik bakery whose warm cinnamon rolls and sourdough draw a near-constant queue.
Order: A cinnamon roll pulled warm from the oven; ask what just came out.
Tip: You can watch the bakers through the open kitchen. Multiple branches, but Frakkastigur is the original.
Worth the queue: Cinnamon roll
Bernhoftsbakari, founded 1834, is Iceland's oldest business, a Reykjavik bakery now run by the fifth generation and stocked with snudur and kleinur.
Order: A snudur, the Icelandic cinnamon bun, or a twisted kleina doughnut.
Tip: Iceland's oldest continuously operating business, on Klapparstigur. The traditional pastries are the draw.
Worth the queue: Snudur cinnamon bun
Deig near the Old Harbour on Tryggvagata is a Reykjavik bakery of doughnuts, bagels and bagel sandwiches, sharing its room with the Le Kock burger counter.
Order: A filled doughnut, or a bagel sandwich for a heartier breakfast.
Tip: Run by chef Markus Gudnason and open early. Good for a quick takeaway bagel near the harbour.
Worth the queue: Filled doughnut
Hygge on Baronsstigur is a small Danish-inspired micro-bakery in central Reykjavik, baking sourdough and laminated pastries from scratch with seasonal.
Tip: Opened 2022, with a sibling site at Seljavegur 2 by Grandi. Cardamom knots and filled croissants sell out by mid-morning.
Worth the queue: Cardamom knot
Bjornsbakari on Hringbraut has baked since 1900, a long-running Reykjavik neighbourhood bakery turning out kleinur, snudur and daily bread for locals.
Tip: More local than touristy, out toward Vesturbaer. Good for traditional pastries without the downtown queues.
Worth the queue: Kleina doughnut
The patisserie counter at Sandholt on Laugavegur turns out croissants, eclairs and seasonal cakes, the laminated side of Reykjavik's oldest family bakery.
Order: A butter croissant, or whatever seasonal tart fills the cabinet that day.
Tip: The same room as the bakery and cafe, so everything is fresh. Cakes can be ordered ahead for occasions.
Worth the queue: Croissant
The Austurstraeti outpost of Braud and Co puts the bakery's cinnamon rolls and sourdough right in the centre of Reykjavik, between the downtown sights.
Tip: The most central of the branches, handy off Ingolfstorg. Grab a roll and eat it on the square.
Worth the queue: Cinnamon roll
Reykjavik Roasters started as Kaffismidja Islands in 2008 and is the city's defining specialty roaster, roasting single origins for its Karastigur cafe.
Tip: The Brautarholt site holds the roastery; Karastigur is the cosy original. Whole beans sold at both.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Te og Kaffi, founded 1984, is Iceland's first specialty coffee roaster, a Reykjavik chain whose Skolavordustigur branch keeps a central micro-roast.
Tip: Eight outlets across the Capital Region. Skolavordustigur is the most central, with beans by the bag.
Sources from: Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail, Micro-roast
Mokka Kaffi on Skolavordustigur has roasted its own beans since 1958, the first cafe in Reykjavik to serve espresso and still grinding its in-house roast.
Tip: The roasting is part of the heritage here, unchanged for decades. Come for the waffles, stay for the espresso.
Sources from: Brazil, Colombia
How they serve: Espresso, Whole bean retail
Vinstukan Tiu Sopar on Laugavegur pours zippy natural wines with halibut and warm halloumi, one of Reykjavik's leading low-intervention wine bars.
Signature pour: Funky natural wines by the glass
Wine focus: Natural and low-intervention wines
Food: Small plates and elevated bistro food
Tip: Strong vegetarian small plates alongside the funky natural list. Book ahead, the room is compact.
Port 9 on Veghusastigur is Iceland's oldest dedicated wine bar, a dim side-street Reykjavik room of emerald sofas pouring over fifty wines old and new.
Signature pour: Rotating glass pours from over 50 bottles
Wine focus: Old and new world by the glass
Food: Cheese, charcuterie and small plates
Tip: Opened in 2016 on a quiet lane off Laugavegur. Come for a quiet glass rather than a loud night.
Konsulat Wine Room on Hafnarstraeti pairs selected wine flights with matched food in a Nordic library setting, a polished Reykjavik wine bar in a hotel.
Signature pour: Country-themed flights
Wine focus: Curated by-country wine flights
Food: Food and wine pairing flights
Tip: The by-country flights, often Italian, are the way in. Quiet and grown-up rather than a party spot.
Bodega on Tysgata is a relaxed Reykjavik wine bar of open bottles by the glass, paired with steamed edamame and baked camembert just off the Laugavegur strip.
Signature pour: Rotating open bottles by the glass
Wine focus: By-the-glass open bottles
Food: Edamame, baked camembert and snacks
Tip: More casual than the gastronomic rooms, good for a spontaneous glass. The baked camembert is the snack.
Apero Vinbar sits above Laugavegur 20b, a small Reykjavik wine bar matching boutique European pours with canneles and scallops in a tucked-away room.
Signature pour: Blind-tasting glass flights
Wine focus: Boutique European wines
Food: Canneles, gougeres and seafood snacks
Tip: Upstairs and easy to miss, with blind tastings on request. The savoury-sweet snacks set it apart.
Before dinner service, Brut on Posthusstraeti runs as a Reykjavik wine bar with an award-nominated list and Portuguese tinned seafood in the Radisson Blu.
Signature pour: By-the-glass from a 40-page list
Wine focus: Award-nominated European list
Food: Portuguese canned seafood and snacks
Tip: The wine list runs to forty pages with playful categories Glass-pour list rotates monthly.
Skal on Njalsgata doubles as a natural-wine bar, pouring low-intervention bottles alongside its seasonal Icelandic small plates in this corner of Reykjavik.
Signature pour: Natural wines by the glass
Wine focus: Natural Icelandic-leaning wines
Food: Local seasonal small plates
Tip: Drop in for natural wine and a snack without committing to the full menu. Closed early in the week.
Uppi sits above Fish Market on Adalstraeti, a Reykjavik wine bar pouring glasses to match sushi and small plates sent up from the kitchen downstairs.
Signature pour: Glass pours with sushi pairings
Wine focus: Wines to match sushi and small plates
Food: Sushi and small plates from Fish Market
Tip: The relaxed upstairs way into the Fish Market kitchen. Good for wine and a few rolls without a full dinner.
Kaffibarinn on Bergstadastraeti has anchored Reykjavik nightlife since 1993, a cafe by day that turns into the city's most packed DJ bar by midnight.
Signature drink: Beer and DJ nights
Food: Snacks
Tip: Part-owned over the years by Damon Albarn. Queues form after 23:00 at weekends, so arrive early.
Slippbarinn on Myrargata was Reykjavik's first cocktail bar, a harbourside room at the Marina hotel mixing inventive drinks with a long daily happy hour.
Signature drink: Cocktail of the Month
Food: Bar food and burgers
Tip: The rotating Cocktail of the Month is the order. Happy hour runs 15:00-18:00 every day by the harbour.
Rontgen on Hverfisgata is a two-floor wine, beer and cocktail bar above Dill, a Reykjavik room of candles, art and compiled low-intervention wines that won.
Signature drink: Curated low-intervention wines and draft beer
Food: Bar menu from Hosilo
Tip: Bar menu from Hosilo runs Tuesday to Saturday until 21:00. Happy hour weekdays 16:00-20:00.
Pablo Discobar on Veltusund pours tropical, mezcal-forward cocktails over two loud floors, a 70s-and-80s disco Reykjavik party bar with a huge mirrored.
Signature drink: Tropical disco cocktails
Food: None
Tip: Open from 17:00 daily, until 03:00 Friday and Saturday. Happy hour 16:00-18:00; karaoke later.
Skuli Craft Bar on Adalstraeti pours fourteen mostly Icelandic taps plus bottles, a focused Reykjavik beer bar named for an 18th-century town father.
Signature drink: Icelandic craft taps
Food: Snacks
Tip: Most taps are local, so it is a fast way to taste the Icelandic scene. Happy hour early in the evening.
Microbar on Laugavegur pours ten rotating taps and dozens of bottles, a Reykjavik craft-beer bar run by the founder of Gaedingur, Iceland's first craft.
Signature drink: Icelandic and import taps
Food: None
Tip: Happy hour daily 15:00-18:00. Five-beer and ten-beer flights are the way to taste the Icelandic scene.
Kiki Queer Bar on Laugavegur is Reykjavik's main LGBTQ club, two colourful floors of pop and dance that fill up at weekends with a mixed, welcoming crowd.
Signature drink: Cocktails and dance floor
Food: None
Tip: The entrance is on the Klapparstigur side. Friday and Saturday are the big nights for the dance floor.
Lebowski Bar on Laugavegur runs a Big Lebowski theme with a wall of White Russians and burgers, a Reykjavik bar that turns into a dance floor late at night.
Signature drink: White Russians
Food: Burgers
Order: A White Russian, the bar's whole reason for being, with a burger.
Tip: Bowling memorabilia and film posters fill the room. Burgers by day, a louder dance scene after midnight.
Prikid on Bankastraeti is one of Reykjavik's oldest bars, a 1951 diner-cafe by day that becomes a hip-hop bar by night, famous for its hangover breakfast.
Signature drink: Beer and hip-hop nights
Food: Diner food and brunch
Order: The hangover breakfast by day, or a beer once the hip-hop starts.
Tip: Founded in 1951 and still central to the scene. The greasy breakfast is the morning-after institution.
The bar at Kex Hostel fills a former biscuit factory on Skulagata, a Reykjavik gastropub and live-music room with harbour views and a steady gig calendar.
Signature drink: Local beer
Food: Gastropub plates
Tip: Concerts and jam sessions run most weeks in the old factory hall. The kitchen does proper gastropub plates.
Dillon Whiskey Bar on Laugavegur stocks over a hundred whiskies in a historic Reykjavik house, a rock pub with a tiny gig stage up in the rafters.
Signature drink: Whiskey and bourbon
Food: None
Order: A pour from the hundred-plus whiskies, or a local beer for the rock nights.
Tip: The garden out back is a summer sun-trap. Live rock plays in the attic space above the main bar.
Petersen Svitan crowns the historic Gamla Bio cinema on Ingolfsstraeti, a Reykjavik rooftop bar with a two-level terrace and 360-degree views over the centre.
Signature drink: Cocktails with a city view
Food: Snacks
Tip: The upper terrace has the wide views over Vesturbaer. Best on a rare still, sunny Reykjavik evening.
Gaukurinn on Tryggvagata is a scrappy Reykjavik live venue and bar, hosting rock gigs, drag and DJ nights with some of the cheaper beer downtown.
Signature drink: Cheap beer
Food: None
Tip: A long-running grassroots venue for new bands and drag nights. The crowd mixes locals and visitors.
The fourth-floor bar at Loft Hostel on Bankastraeti is a see-and-be-seen Reykjavik balcony bar hosting up-and-coming bands and DJs above the main street.
Signature drink: Beer and live acts
Food: Light bites
Tip: The balcony catches afternoon sun over Bankastraeti. Free gigs and DJ sets run through the week.
The long bar at Apotek on Austurstraeti mixes well-made cocktails in the old first-pharmacy building, one of central Reykjavik's more grown-up drinking rooms.
Signature drink: Classic and house cocktails
Food: Small plates
Tip: The happy hour at the marble bar is among the best central deals. Quieter and more polished than the clubs.
Tail is the cocktail bar of the Le Kock complex on Tryggvagata, a moody Reykjavik room near the harbour mixing seasonal drinks beside the food counters.
Signature drink: Seasonal cocktails
Food: None
Tip: Shares its building with Le Kock and Deig, so you can eat next door. Cocktails change with the season.
Baejarins Beztu Pylsur has sold Iceland's lamb hot dogs from a Tryggvagata kiosk since 1937, the most famous street-food window in Reykjavik by far.
Try: Icelandic lamb hot dog
Order: One with everything, eina med ollu, with raw and crispy onion, ketchup, mustard and remoulade.
Tip: Bill Clinton ordered his with mustard only in 2004, so that is now called a Clinton. Open very late.
Lobster Hut is a food cart on Kalkofnsvegur near Harpa, serving Icelandic langoustine sandwiches, soup and salad far cheaper than a sit-down Reykjavik room.
Try: Lobster sandwich and soup
Order: The lobster sandwich, loaded with Icelandic langoustine for far less than a restaurant.
Tip: A summer operation that may close in bad weather. Cheap fresh langoustine, eaten standing by the harbour.
Voffluvagninn is a bright yellow waffle wagon parked near Hallgrimskirkja, serving warm waffles with sugar, chocolate and cream as a Reykjavik street snack.
Try: Waffles with cream
Order: A waffle with jam and whipped cream, eaten on the steps below the church.
Tip: A seasonal cart that parks by Hallgrimskirkja in good weather. A cheap sweet stop between the sights.
Mandi on Ingolfstorg square is the city's busiest shawarma window, a halal Reykjavik street-food counter wrapping kebab and falafel late into the night.
Try: Shawarma and falafel
Order: A chicken shawarma wrap, dripping with garlic sauce, eaten on the square.
Tip: Fully halal and open late, so it catches the after-bar crowd. The falafel covers the vegetarians.
Hlollabatar has filled hot Icelandic subs since 1986, a Reykjavik sandwich window whose loaded baguettes feed the late-night and lunchtime crowds.
Try: Hot subs
Order: The New York sub, the house favourite, hot off the press.
Tip: The original Reykjavik sub shop, copied many times since. Several branches, some open very late.
Deig near the Old Harbour on Tryggvagata sells doughnuts and bagel sandwiches from a fast counter, a Reykjavik stop sharing space with Le Kock burgers.
Try: Doughnuts and bagels
Order: A filled doughnut, or a loaded bagel sandwich for breakfast on the move.
Tip: Open early for a takeaway bagel before the harbour. Shares the building with Le Kock and the Tail bar.
Bastard Brew & Food on Vegamotastigur is a downtown Reykjavik brewpub serving its own beers brewed with Malbygg and Aegisgardur alongside a dozen guest taps.
Tip: Open until 1am most nights with food to match the beer. The house collaboration brews are the ones to try.
Olstofa on Vegamotastigur is a established Reykjavik beer bar pouring ten taps heavy on Borg Brugghus, the closest the brewery comes to a downtown home.
Tip: A locals' institution rather than a tourist stop. The Borg taps make it the de facto brewery tap in the centre.
Kaldi Bar on Laugavegur is the Reykjavik home of Kaldi, Iceland's first microbrewery, pouring the brand's Czech-style lagers with a long happy hour.
Tip: The brewery itself is up north in Arskogssandur, but this is its Reykjavik taproom. The happy hour is generous.
Kolaportid fills the old customs house on Tryggvagata each weekend, Reykjavik's flea market where food stalls sell fermented shark, dried fish and rye bread.
Tip: This is the easiest place to try hakarl fermented shark and harkfiskur dried fish. Weekends only, cash helps.
Posthus Food Hall on the corner of Austurstraeti was voted the Grapevine's best Reykjavik food hall in 2024, with sushi, Indian fusion and pizza stalls.
Tip: The most central of the food halls and the newest. Funky Bhangra's Indian-Nordic fusion is the standout stall.
Wake Up Reykjavik's Food Walk visits five downtown restaurants over three hours, with more than eight Icelandic tastings from lamb soup to the famous hot dog.
The Your Friend in Reykjavik Food Lovers Tour walks downtown tasting stops over three hours, sampling traditional Icelandic dishes alongside modern plates.
The Your Friend in Reykjavik Beer and Booze Tour crawls downtown bars over three hours, tasting ten Icelandic craft beers plus a shot of brennivin.
Magical Iceland's Food and Wine tour walks downtown Reykjavik tasting stops over three hours, matching Icelandic plates with wine, a small-group alternative.
Food and Fun pairs international guest chefs with Reykjavik restaurants for five days of exclusive menus built on Icelandic ingredients, the city's flagship.
The Annual Icelandic Beer Festival builds a four-day March celebration around Beer Day, when Iceland's 1989 end of beer prohibition is marked with tastings.
Thorrablot is Iceland's midwinter feast through the old month of Thorri, when fermented shark, smoked lamb and soured ram form the Thorramatur spread eaten.
Reykjavik Culture Night, Menningarnott, fills the August streets with free food stalls of waffles, fermented shark and lamb plus open kitchens.
Fishermen's Day, Sjomannadagurinn, fills the Reykjavik Old Harbour each June with grilled langoustine and cod stalls plus a blessing of the fishing fleet.
Your Friend in Reykjavik runs a three-and-a-half hour Cook and Dine class where, under a chef, small groups prepare and plate a three-course Icelandic meal.
Creative Iceland's culinary class teaches real Icelandic-style cooking with a local chef, working together on mise-en-place and plating a three-course meal.
Traveling Spoon pairs you with Albert and Bergthor in their Reykjavik home, where culinary-school-trained Albert demonstrates traditional Icelandic dishes.
Iris and Nonnie host a Traveling Spoon class in downtown Reykjavik that mixes a market visit, Icelandic food and culture and a full homemade meal.
Baejarins Beztu Pylsur on Tryggvagata is Reykjavik's cheapest famous meal, a lamb hot dog with everything for under ISK 900 from a kiosk going since 1937.
Try: Icelandic hot dog
Tip: At under ISK 900 it is the single best-value bite in a steep city. Ask for one with everything.
Jomfruin on Laekjargata has served Danish smorrebrod open sandwiches for 25 years, a budget-friendly central Reykjavik counter for a one-plate lunch downtown.
Try: Danish open sandwiches
Tip: A single smorrebrod with a beer is a filling lunch for the price. Open daily 11:00-22:00.
Yuzu on Hverfisgata flips Asian-influenced burgers on house-baked buns, a central Reykjavik counter whose lunch deal pairs a burger with fries for under ISK.
Try: Asian-influenced burger lunch
Tip: The weekday lunch burger plus fries plus mayo costs ISK 1,990, one of the better-value mid-day fills in 101.
Mandi on Ingolfstorg fills a cheap halal shawarma or falafel wrap for well under restaurant prices, a Reykjavik budget staple open late on the square.
Try: Shawarma wrap
Tip: The falafel plate is the cheapest filling option. Fully halal and central, good for a fast budget feed.
Dirty Burger and Ribs on Austurstraeti runs a small-print menu of cheap burgers and BBQ ribs in central Reykjavik, a budget feed steps from the main square.
Try: Burgers and ribs
Tip: A burger with fries runs under ISK 2,200. Counter service, daily 11:00-22:00, ideal mid-day stop.
Salka Valka on Skolavordustigur runs a meat-free, half-vegan kitchen of soups, salads and sandwiches, a cheap healthy Reykjavik option a few doors below.
Try: Vegetarian and vegan plates
Tip: Vegan options daily and a small but filling lunch menu. Bagels and soups are the value picks.
Krua Thai on Skolavordustigur serves generous Thai plates with strong takeaway deals, a dependable budget meal in the centre of Reykjavik for under ISK 3,000.
Try: Thai curry and rice
Tip: Takeaway is the cheaper option here. A green curry with rice is the value pick.
Mama Kitchen on Laugavegur sets generous bowls of pho and Vietnamese rice plates on a fast counter, a central Reykjavik budget meal on the main shopping.
Try: Pho and Vietnamese rice plates
Tip: Open 11:00-22:00 daily. Pho or a stir-fry plate is the value pick for a quick filling lunch.
Hlollabatar has filled cheap hot Icelandic subs since 1986, a reliable budget sandwich chain whose loaded baguettes still undercut a sit-down Reykjavik meal.
Try: Hot subs
Tip: Several branches, some open late. The loaded baguettes are filling enough to skip a second meal.
Deig near the Old Harbour on Tryggvagata sells cheap doughnuts and filling bagel sandwiches, a low-cost Reykjavik breakfast or quick lunch by the water.
Try: Doughnuts and bagels
Tip: A bagel sandwich here costs far less than a cafe brunch. Open early for a takeaway start.
Hradlestin on Hverfisgata serves fast, affordable South Indian dosas and bhatura, a budget-friendly Reykjavik option the Grapevine rates for value.
Try: Masala dosa
Tip: A masala dosa is a big, cheap plate. One of the better-value sit-down meals downtown.
Kastrup on Hverfisgata won the Grapevine's best Reykjavik brunch for 2025, a Danish-Nordic bistro of open sandwiches, well-poached eggs and weekend mimosas.
Order: The poached eggs, the dish the Grapevine panel singled out.
Tip: Brunch runs only on weekends from 11:45. Book ahead; the win made the small room busier than ever.
Sandholt on Laugavegur serves an all-day bakery brunch in Reykjavik, with shakshuka, sourdough toasts and savoury waffles by the pastry counter.
Order: The shakshuka, or sourdough toast piled with eggs and cheese.
Tip: The pastries come straight from the bakery in the same room. Arrive early at weekends to beat the queue.
Hradlestin on Hverfisgata serves South Indian dosas, appams and bhatura for brunch, the Grapevine runner-up bringing Chennai tiffin to central Reykjavik.
Order: A masala dosa, the dish that won the brunch nod.
Tip: A genuine break from the egg-and-toast brunch template. The crisp masala dosa is the order.
Grai Kotturinn on Hverfisgata is the classic Reykjavik breakfast den, a tiny basement famous for the Truck, a plate of pancakes, bacon and eggs.
Order: The Truck, a loaded plate of pancakes, bacon, eggs and potatoes.
Tip: Only a handful of tables, so a queue is likely. Mornings only, closing mid-afternoon.
Cafe Paris on Austurstraeti faces Austurvollur square in central Reykjavik, an all-day French-American brunch room of eggs Benedict, omelettes and crepes.
Order: Eggs Benedict or Brioche French toast off the all-day brunch card.
Tip: Brunch from 08:30 daily, on the main square. Good for a late breakfast after the early-morning sights.
Snaps Bistro on Thorsgata runs a busy French-Danish brunch in its glassed-in Reykjavik room, with eggs benedict and pastries served until late afternoon.
Order: Eggs Benedict, or the French toast off the brunch card.
Tip: Brunch runs to 16:00 daily and the room fills at weekends. Book a table to be safe.
Cafe Babalu on Skolavordustigur is a quirky two-floor Reykjavik brunch cafe of crepes, grilled sandwiches and soups, with vegan options and a sunny balcony.
Order: A crepe with a coffee, or a grilled sandwich and soup.
Tip: A cosy, low-key brunch on the climb to Hallgrimskirkja. The upstairs balcony is the seat in summer.
Apotek on Austurstraeti offers a smarter Reykjavik brunch in the old first-pharmacy building, Icelandic-European plates and grill dishes with cocktails.
Order: Brunch plates off the Argentine grill with a cocktail.
Tip: A more grown-up brunch than the cafes, with cocktails. Open from 11:30 in the heart of the centre.
Baejarins Beztu Pylsur on Tryggvagata keeps its hot dog window open into the small hours, the post-bar institution feeding Reykjavik since 1937.
Try: Icelandic hot dog
Order: One with everything to soak up the night, eina med ollu.
Tip: Open until the early hours, later on Friday and Saturday. The classic end to a Reykjavik night out.
Chuck Norris Grill on Laugavegur stays open into the small hours, a Texas-themed Reykjavik diner serving burgers, fries and milkshakes to the after-bar crowd.
Try: Burgers and milkshakes
Order: The Wabamm burger with caramelised onion and chilli mayo.
Tip: One of the few sit-down late feeds downtown. Open into the early hours at weekends.
Mandi on Ingolfstorg square keeps its halal shawarma window open late, a Reykjavik after-bar staple wrapping kebab, falafel and chips for the night crowd.
Try: Shawarma and falafel
Order: A chicken shawarma wrap with extra garlic sauce.
Tip: Fully halal and central on the square, so it catches the post-club queue. Falafel covers vegetarians.
Hlollabatar on Ingolfsstraeti runs hot Icelandic subs late into the night, a Reykjavik sandwich window the after-hours crowd has leaned on since 1986.
Try: Hot subs
Order: A loaded New York sub, hot off the press.
Tip: The central branch stays open for the night crowd. Quick, filling and a long-standing Reykjavik habit.
Prikid on Bankastraeti runs late as a hip-hop bar with diner food, a 1951 Reykjavik institution where the hangover breakfast waits at the end of the night.
Try: Diner food and hip-hop
Order: Late beers with hip-hop, then the hangover breakfast as the sun comes up.
Tip: Open until the small hours at weekends. The greasy breakfast is the morning-after cure.
Saeta Svinid on Hafnarstraeti keeps its gastropub kitchen running into the evening, a Reykjavik bar of burgers and small plates with karaoke and a late bar.
Try: Burgers and small plates
Order: A lamb burger and a beer once the karaoke kicks off.
Tip: Kitchen runs to 23:00 with the bar later. Party bingo and karaoke nights keep it lively.
Kaffibarinn on Bergstadastraeti is the godfather of Reykjavik nightlife, a 1993 cafe-bar that turns into a heaving DJ dance floor past midnight at weekends.
Tip: Once part-owned by Damon Albarn. Go before 23:00 to skip the long weekend queue at the door.
Pablo Discobar on Veltusund is a two-floor tropical disco bar in central Reykjavik, where mezcal cocktails give way to karaoke and a packed dance floor under.
Tip: On the third floor at Veltusund 1. Happy hour 16:00-18:00, dancing until 03:00 Friday and Saturday.
Gaukurinn on Tryggvagata is Reykjavik's scrappy grassroots live venue, a tiny stage for rock, punk, drag and DJ nights with some of the cheaper beer downtown.
Tip: A long-running home for new bands and drag shows. Check the gig calendar; cover is small or free.
The bar at Kex Hostel fills a former biscuit factory on Skulagata, a Reykjavik live-music room of jazz and indie gigs with harbour views and gastropub plates.
Tip: Free concerts and jam nights run most weeks in the old factory hall. The kitchen does proper food too.
Petersen Svitan crowns the historic Gamla Bio cinema on Ingolfsstraeti, a Reykjavik rooftop bar whose two-level terrace gives wide views over the city centre.
Tip: The upper terrace has the wide views. Best on a rare still, sunny Reykjavik evening with a cocktail.
The fourth-floor bar at Loft Hostel on Bankastraeti is a see-and-be-seen Reykjavik balcony bar hosting up-and-coming bands and DJ sets above the main street.
Tip: The balcony catches afternoon sun over Bankastraeti. Free gigs and DJ sets run through the week.
Kiki Queer Bar on Laugavegur is Reykjavik's main LGBTQ club, two colourful floors of pop and dance that fill at weekends with a mixed and welcoming crowd.
Tip: Enter from the Klapparstigur side. Friday and Saturday are the big nights for the upstairs dance floor.
Dillon Whiskey Bar on Laugavegur is a rock pub with over a hundred whiskies in a historic Reykjavik house, with a tiny gig stage tucked up in the rafters.
Tip: The back garden is a summer sun-trap. Live rock plays in the attic space above the main bar.
Prikid on Bankastraeti is one of Reykjavik's oldest bars, a 1951 diner-cafe by day that becomes a late hip-hop bar by night, known for the hangover breakfast.
Tip: Open into the small hours at weekends. The greasy breakfast is the morning-after institution.