Reykjavik — The Chill Capital of Iceland (Part 2)

So, you are finally in Reykjavik, and you’ve booked your tours and highlighted all the sights you want to see. What about where to eat, where to shop, and where to sleep in Reykjavik? During your visit you’ll probably want to grab a bite, pick up some souvenirs, and have a nice place to sleep at the end of the day. Here are a few spots we’ve personally enjoyed, and hope you might consider them for yourself.

Where to Eat In Reykjavik

With all the cool things Reykjavik has to offer, trying the local cuisine is one of the best ways to get a true sense of where you are. Iceland is beautifully unique in its landscape, people and culture, and of course, food. Here are some of our favorite restaurants in Reykjavik.

Hlemmur Matholl or Hlemmur Food Hall is a great place for lunch. It is a converted bus terminal, with 10 different restaurants varying from Icelandic, to Mexican and Vietnamese street fare. There is also an artisan bakery, ice cream stand, and a coffee shop.

We went with Skal! – an Icelandic bar and restaurant, specializing in local flavors, run by three long-time friends Gísli Matt, Björn Steinar and Gísli Grímsson. Their menu is quite extensive featuring seafood, meat, and vegetarian dishes, along with small plates and desserts. We had to order the iconic Icelandic pylsa (lamb hot dog), and Skal! didn’t disappoint! This hot dog prepared with remoulade, cronions (dry fried onions), ketchup, mustard and pickles, was the perfect treat for a quick bite. It’s reasonably priced at 1000 kronas for just the hot dog, and for 1000 kronas more, you get a glass of beer and a chocolate bar (that came in handy for snacking on later).

Also recommended, is the fresh arctic char with mashed potatoes and caper butter. It was absolutely fantastic! The char literally melts in your mouth! No matter what you order, you are sure to be delighted. With a super friendly staff, casual environment and great food, Skal! is absolutely worth looking out for! Address: Laugavegur 107, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

If you are in the mood for a fancier sit-down dinner, we suggest you try Resto. This little gem is run by a Chef Johann Helgi Johannsson and his wife Ragnheidur Helen Edvardsdottir. Definitely for the seafood lovers!

Their signature fish soup with cognac is made with tender pieces of salmon, ling, and ocean catfish, all simmering in a velvety creamy broth. This soup will make you want to lick the bowl dry (but we suggest using bread for that 😊).

The portions here are very generous. Go for a main course or order a few appetizers to share. They have a salted cod pastry that is amazing! It’s a moderate sized piece of fish wrapped inside a crispy pastry, topped with tomato-olive salsa and Parmesan cheese. Address: Rauðarárstígur 27-29, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland

Another restaurant we’d like to mention is the Sæta Svínið (Sweet Pig) Gastropub, in downtown Reykjavik. This is a fun place with great food, excellent Icelandic beer selection, and a lively atmosphere.

During our visit, the restaurant was hosting a World Cup viewing party on their open patio, in spite of the worsening weather. This must have been a common occurrence, as the staff had plenty of blankets on hand, and passing them out to the guests outside. The restaurant filled up rather quickly, so it was a good thing we went there for an earlier dinner. We highly recommend their lamb sandwich with estragon (tarragon) sauce! Juicy lamb, toasted bread, and a side of waffle fries. Simply delicious! Address: Hafnarstræti, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

Last but definitely not least, is the Sumac Grill + Drinks. Lebanese-Moroccan food in the middle of Reykjavik? A thousand times YES! Sumac is the brainchild of Head Chef and owner Thráinn Freyr Vigfússon, coach of Icelandic national culinary team and Head Chef Hafsteinn Ólafsson, named Chef of the Year 2017.

We stumbled upon Sumac restaurant while strolling along Laugavegur street, the main shopping street in Reykjavik. Reservations are generally recommended, however, we were lucky to have a spot available to us! Their menu was filled with mouth-watering entrées, like grilled pork neck, tahini glazed cod, and lamb ribs, making it difficult to decide what to order. For a pure vegetarian experience, you must try The Roasted Cauliflower. Even if you’re not a fan of cauliflower, you’ll be delightfully amazed!

This fantastic entrée is truly a masterpiece of flavors, textures and colors. Roasted on an open fire, this dish was crunchy on the outside, while hot and melty inside. With a fresh tartness of pomegranate seeds, a coolness of yogurt with cumin notes, and the crunchiness of pistachios and almonds all come together in pure perfection. Address: Laugavegur 28, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland.

Of the handful of restaurants and eateries we tried in Reykjavik, all of them were wonderful and enlightening experiences. Though we did not sample the fermented shark or smoked puffin, we still managed to get a taste of Iceland’s uniquely flavorful and diverse food culture. You have probably noticed that we haven’t mentioned any of the breakfast spots. This is because the hotel where we were staying had an awesome breakfast spread.

Where to Shop in Reykjavik

Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur streets of Reykjavik are the main shopping streets, with cute boutiques, souvenirs, fashion and accessories. From the staples like T-shirts, shot glasses and magnets to gorgeous Icelandic throws, knitwear to accessories, local jewelry and art pieces. We recommend to check 66° North (clothes), Geysir (blankets, throws, clothes), The Handknitting Association of Iceland, Mál og Menning bookstore, Dogma (the quirkiest T-shirt place around) and Rammagerðin (cool souvenirs).

Our favorite store Tulipop is just a few steps away from Hallgrimskirkja church on Skólavörðustígur 43. It is a flagship of a super-popular Icelandic character-based lifestyle brand founded by Signy Kolbeinsdottir and Helga Arnadottir. They have created the wonderful world of Tulipop and filled it with playful creatures. The store carries vinyl figurines and plushies, accessories and stationery.

And of course, Fred, “the smelliest, cuddliest and least threatening monster on Tulipop” had to come back to California with us.

Where to Stay in Reykjavik

As with any destination, finding accommodations near local sites is key. After a lot of research on various hotels, the Skuggi hotel by Kea Resorts was the winner. Although hotels in Reykjavik are in general very expensive, there are a few cheaper options available. We chose Skuggi by the following reasons:

1. Location. The hotel is hidden away in a quiet neighborhood by the bay, just a block or two from the main shopping, restaurants (including the Hlemmur Matholl Hall mentioned earlier), markets and bus stops. Downtown Reykjavik is just a short walk away. There is even a small convenience store next door for snacks and toiletries.
2. Great Reviews from fellow travelers. Check them on TripAdvisor.
3. Comfort. The rooms at Skuggi are very minimalistic in design and super clean. Most importantly, the bed was incredibly comfortable, and the shower had great pressure. During the summer months, Iceland nights never get completely dark due to the Midnight Sun. Therefore, all the rooms are furnished with blackout drapes. The only thing we missed is not having a coffee pot in the room.
4. Breakfast included. Though we didn’t have our own coffee in the room, freshly brewed coffee was available downstairs, along with a wonderful breakfast buffet. Some Icelandic favorites included skyr (traditional yogurt), lox and rye bread, even a fish salad! Other familiar items like eggs, bacon, sausage, cereals, pastries and fruits were available as well.
5. Extra Amenities. Complimentary underground car parking. A lounge with Happy Hour – Great for meeting fellow travelers over a glass of wine and sharing travel stories. 

How to get to Reykjavik

The last tip we want to share is for those of you who are not renting a car. For this trip we didn’t. Our flight from SFO to KEF was arriving in Iceland at 6 am in the morning, so we pre-booked the Blue Lagoon as the very first stop before arriving in Reykjavik. We’ve also added 2 bus transfers to the booking package – one from the airport to Blue Lagoon, and then another one from Blue Lagoon to Reykjavik. And we used FlyBus services for our pick up from Reykjavik, and getting us to the Keflavik airport at the end of the Iceland trip.

We hope this post helps you with planning your next trip to Iceland! And if you missed Part 1 of this article covering the best things to do in Reykjavik, don’t forget to check it! And for more adventures outside Reykjavik on your first trip to Iceland, check Part 3! We’d love to hear your comments. Share your tips below, and don’t forget to subscribe to our blog!