26 Best Restaurants in Reykjavík, Iceland

Ágúst Einþórsson is the baker behind this local favorite, with its displays full of simple yet perfect pastries and other baked goods. It's the kind of unflashy spot you stumble upon and can't get out of your head long after you return home.

In a parking lot facing the harbor, this tiny yet famous fast-food hut 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.

This spot serves up Neapolitan-style pies with slow-rising sourdough made on-site. Most of the menu stays relatively traditional when it comes to toppings, but the Pizza of the Week tends to be a bit more creative.

This beautifully designed food hall may not be that big, housing just seven food stations, but it brings together some of the most exciting spots to eat in the city. Come here to check out Garlic, the Gastro Truck, Kore Grandi, Grandi's Pasta Shop, Annapurna Asian Spices, The Sheepfold, The Cold Store, and Fjárhúsið.

This food hall features eight vendors loved by locals: Brauð & Co., Fuego, SKÁL!, Micro Roast Te & Kaffi, Flatey Pizza, Kröst, Fjárhúsið, and Báhn Mí. It's a great place for groups and kids.

By day, Kaffibrennslan is a cozy café, with a menu full of sandwich and soup options and every coffee drink you could imagine. At night, the scene changes and you're more likely to be taking a shot with the bartender than asking them which sandwich they prefer—no matter what, you're in for a great time. The second floor is an intimate loft area with window seating that overlooks the busy street below.

Way back before the Grandi area was cool, this value restaurant with exceptional harbor views served up good, old-fashioned, hearty Icelandic food for a league of local fishermen. Although it’s still mainly patronized by marine-industry natives, an increasing number of tourists now venture through its humble doors to enjoy the quality fish balls and other tasty dishes.

Two friends came together to open this café, which specializes in Italian coffee and baked goods. The interior is airy and lively, the perfect spot to plan your day of adventures.

This restaurant is clearly inspired by American cuisine, from chicken wings to burgers. The potato options are downright creative, especially the Greek potatoes with feta spread, ranch dressing, red grapes, peanuts, and spring onions.

If you’re serious about the quality of your cup of joe, then you should feel right at home at Reykjavík Roasters. Owned and operated by some of Iceland’s most esteemed, award-winning baristas, Reykjavík Roasters delivers incredibly consistent cups of coffee. Its dedicated patrons seem to occupy the shabby-chic seating all day long, occasionally getting up for a refill or to play the other side of a vintage vinyl. The staff at this respected establishment prepare every coffee variety perfectly, every time.

The plokkfiskur (fish stew) at this local favorite is the perfect thing to warm you up on a cold night. The restaurant also hosts a Champagne happy hour that includes a bottle of bubbly, licorice, and cantaloupe every day between 4 and 7 pm.

Located in the Hlemmur Mathöll food hall, Skál! offers elegant Icelandic platings in a casual setting. The best part is that prices are much more reasonable than you'd see in most restaurants around the city, but you really aren't giving up any quality when it comes to the food.

There are only two options on the menu at Svarta Kaffið: a vegetarian soup and a meat soup. Known locally as the soup spot, this restaurant really has more of a café atmosphere, with a small list of beers and wine on tap too. You can get your soup in a regular bowl or you can opt for the carb-heavy bread bowl, which is never a mistake.

The menu is simple at Café Babalú: choose between crepes, grilled cheese options, or a selection of soups. It's a fantastic spot for a quick lunch near Hallgrimskirkja.

"Fire and Ice" does two things really well: ice cream and crepes. You can choose from the menu they've put together, or you can make up your own crepe creation.

The owners of this food cart trained intensively in the United Kingdom to perfect British-style fish-and-chips before importing their skills to Iceland. With the excellent quality of fresh Icelandic fish thrown into a hearty mix of mushy peas and chips, which you can drown in malt vinegar, this street food option has become very popular with locals, who still get a kick out of the knowledge that Iceland won "the cod war."

You'll find a line full of locals winding out the door of this ice-cream shop during the summertime. They offer two kinds of ice cream: "old" and "new," both of which describe the recipes used to make the soft serve (the older recipe is creamier). Choosing which toppings to get will be your hardest decision of the day.

Attached to a guesthouse offering dorm-style and private rooms, Kaffi Lækur is open to nonguests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Don't miss the daily happy hour from 4 to 7 pm and 10 to 11 pm.

In business since 1958, Iceland's oldest café is a wonderful place to mingle with locals of all kinds. Many consider the waffles at this Reykjavík institution to be the best in town.

This tiny coffee shop has built itself a solid reputation for excellent Italian espresso. Its delightful brand has been dubbed the "best cup of joe to go," and customers gather on the sidewalk, where they sip from paper cups and talk about politics and the weather.

With a name that means "copper" in Icelandic, Kopar is known for its harborside location and intriguing cocktail menu that brings locals and travelers alike to its bar and tables. Try the Stand by Me if you're looking for a delicious cocktail made with Iceland's favorite schnapps (Brennivin).

If you're short on time and you need a snack—or some quick fuel for your next museum visit—Mandi has you covered. The Middle-Eastern dishes span kebab and hummus to shawarma and falafel, but there are a few outliers as well, like burgers and fries.

The talented owners here (one of whom is a BAFTA Award–winning musician) are keen to prove that they can make a tasty meal out of the lowly potato. Cooked in the simple Belgian style and offered with a range of tasty sauces and beverages, the "chips" are surprisingly good and certainly worthy of the hype.

Iceland’s biggest coffee chain is run by the couple largely responsible for starting the modern Icelandic coffee revolution. Far from its humble beginnings in 1984, the company today boasts its own roastery and operates 12 shops. Six are in downtown Reykjavík—three inside Eymundsson bookstores, so you can enjoy a good book while sipping on a smooth, barista-brewed double latte or macchiato. They also sell great tea, as well as their own brand of light refreshments like cookies, cakes, and delicious frosted muffins. They simply don’t make enough of the citron muffin (everyone’s favorite) so get there early!