By Lisa Yoder
None of these places are overly fancy or outrageously priced. I steered clear of many fancier sit-down restaurants in the city, especially for dinner, and opted instead for cafes or less formal establishments. This strategy has historically served me well while traveling, and allowed me to snack in more places, rather than spend all my money on a few meals. Although Iceland has gone through a period of major economic hardship, prices are still higher than I expected they would be. The exchange rate is in our favor, but the overall high prices cancel out any advantage I thought we might have.
Best Brunch: Grai Kotturinn
Perfect for a cozy brunch, Grai Kotturinn offers a fairly limited menu, but the lack of quantity is made up in quality. This was easily the best breakfast we ate all week. The cafe is small, so if you go, make sure to snag a table before going to the counter to order.
Best Lunch/Dinner: Icelandic Fish and Chips
I have thought about the meal I ate at Icelandic Fish and Chips many times since we left Reykjavik. It was certainly my favorite meal of vacation. The mix and match menu allows you to pick your fish, sauce, and side. I ordered cod battered in spelt and barley and rosemary potatoes with a classic tartar sauce and ate slowly to make it last. My husband ordered red fish with coriander lime sauce over a mango salad. Their homemade soda, made with lemon, ginger, and agave nectar, felt more like a smoothie to me but complemented the meal nicely.
Best Grocery Store Snack: Skyr
This could be Iceland’s answer to Greek yogurt, and might be one of the mundane things I miss most about the country. Skyr is even thicker and more filling than Greek yogurt and comes in a wider range of flavors. Interestingly, it was listed on dessert menus across the city. Our Golden Circle tour guide told me that I should go to any cafe downtown and ask for Skyr cake, and then I’d be a real Icelander. Unfortunately, I ran out of time in Reykjavik before I could score such a treat. It’s on my radar for my return someday, though.
Best Bar Experience: Kaffibarinn
Kaffibarinn, famous for its prominent appearance in the movie 101 Reykjavik, is still popular among Icelanders. I tried get in around midnight and immediately gave up. The building could hardly contain all the people trying to get in that late, so we went back another night around 10. This time, it was perfect. We managed to get spots at the bar, and the bartender recommended a deliciously smooth scotch for me and Brennivin for my husband. Incidentally, this schnapps-like spirit is used as a chaser for those adventurous travelers who try putrified shark at the flea market in Reykjavik. This affable bartender also told us that everyone in Iceland is a bartender, because everyone is also either a photographer, musician, or artist and tends bar to pay rent. We asked which of these he was, and he answered, “I’m all three!”
Best Atmosphere: Cafe Babalu
We first wandered up Cafe Babalu’s stairs after relaxing in the Blue Lagoon for the afternoon. It was cold and rainy, and I was in search of a cozy nook where I could also find warm and comforting food. Cafe Babalu was exactly what I was looking for. The food wasn’t outstanding, but it was a good standby option if we needed a quick snack, coffee, or reading corner. Or if we felt like gazing upon the fake plush animal mounts on the walls.
Best Afternoon Snack: Baejarins Beztu Pylsur
As I noted in my anticipatory eating establishment list, hot dogs are a big thing in Iceland. I determined when we rolled into Reykjavik at 2 a.m. on a Saturday night, that they’re also the post-bar drunk snack of choice, like bad pizza in the United States. People were falling out of bars and into hole-in-the-wall hot dog joints. Baejarins Beztu is the oldest and most well known hot dog establishment in Iceland, and for good reason. My husband probably ate at least 5 of these hot dogs in the course of the week we spent in Iceland. This hot dog stand is situated near the harbor, and cars often pull over onto its patch of concrete to grab a quick dog.
