4 Best Restaurants in City Center West, Reykjavík

This tiny yet famous fast-food stand is known for serving the original Icelandic hot dog—and a single person serves about a thousand of them a day from the window. Ask for eina með öllu (pronounced ayn-ah med utl-lou), or "one with everything," which gets you mustard, tomato sauce, rémoulade (mayonnaise with finely chopped pickles), and chopped raw and fried onions. Expect fairly long lines at almost all hours of day and night.

Established in 1979 and owned-and-operated by the same family ever since, Hornið was the first Italian-style restaurant in Iceland. The welcoming spot in a sunny yellow building has maintained its charm over the years, serving pizzas fresh from the oven as well as pastas, soups, and meat and seafood dishes. The warm service is a bonus.

Hressingarskálinn, more commonly known as Hressó, has been in operation since 1932. Though it has changed hands a few times in the past decades, it has been reinvented as a bistro with a talented culinary team serving home-cooked Icelandic foods with modern flair. If you're popping in between meals, be sure to order a slice of the cake of the day or a fresh kleina with your coffee.

Reminiscent of an American-style diner, Laundromat Café makes two promises: a meal and a place to wash your clothes—and it delivers. The latter can be found in the basement, but you'll find hearty breakfasts, weekend brunches, and a selection of burgers, sandwiches, salads, and snacks in the main-level eatery.