Must-see restaurants in Reykjavík

  • Top Choice
    Dill

    Exquisite New Nordic cuisine is the major drawcard at Reykjavík's elegant Michelin-starred bistro. Skilled chefs use a small number of ingredients to…

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    Hlemmur Mathöll

    If only all bus terminals had a food court like this. Some 10 vendors rustle up multicultural foods including Danish smørrebrød (rye bread), Mexican tacos…

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    Café Flóra

    Sun-dappled tables fill a greenhouse in the Botanic Gardens and spill onto a flower-lined terrace at this lovely cafe specialising in wholesome local…

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    Gló

    Join the cool cats in this airy upstairs restaurant serving fresh daily specials loaded with Asian-influenced herbs and spices. Though not exclusively…

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    Þrír Frakkar

    Owner-chef Úlfar Eysteinsson has built up a consistently excellent reputation at this snug little restaurant. Specialities range throughout the aquatic…

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    Fiskmarkaðurinn

    Dramatic presentations of elaborate dishes fill the tables of this intimate, artistically lit restaurant, where chefs excel at infusing Icelandic seafood…

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    Messinn

    Make a beeline to Messinn for the best seafood that Reykjavík has to offer. The speciality here is the amazing pan-fried dishes: your pick of fish is…

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    Sægreifinn

    Sidle into this green harbourside shack for the most famous lobster soup in the capital, or choose from a fridge full of fresh fish skewers to be grilled…

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    Hverfisgata 12

    There's no sign, but those in the know come to this cream-coloured converted corner house for some of the city's best gourmet pizza and fabulous cocktails…

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    Bakarí Sandholt

    Reykjavík’s favourite bakery is usually crammed with folks hoovering up the generous assortment of fresh baguettes, croissants, pastries and sandwiches…

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    Brauð & Co

    Head for the building smothered in rainbow spray paint then queue for the locals' tip for the best snúður (cinnamon buns) in town – watch Viking hipsters…

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    Matur og Drykkur

    One of Reykjavík's top high-concept restaurants, Matur og Drykkur means 'Food and Drink', and you'll surely be plied with the best of both. The brainchild…

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    Nostra

    Fine-dining Nostra is where fresh, local ingredients – à la New Nordic Cuisine – are turned into French-inspired multicourse tasting menus, including…

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    Grillmarkaðurinn

    Top-notch dining is the order of the day here, from the moment you enter the glass atrium with its golden-globe lights to your first snazzy cocktail, and…

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    SKÁL!

    SKÁL! demands your attention – with its capital lettering and punctuation but most emphatically with its food. Experimental offerings combine unusual…

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    Grandi Mathöll

    There's no neater encapsulation of Grandi's rejuvenation than the transformation of this old fish factory into a pioneering street-food hall. Long trestle…

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    Frú Lauga

    Reykjavík's trailblazing farmers market sources its ingredients from all over the countryside, featuring treats such as skyr (Icelandic yoghurt) from…

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    Fiskfélagið

    The ‘Fish Company’ takes Icelandic seafood recipes and spins them through a variety of far-flung inspirations, from Fiji coconut to Spanish chorizo. Dine…

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    Flatey Pizza

    Flatey raises pizza making to something akin to an art form. Its sourdough circles are made from organic wheat and are baked for just one minute at 500°C…

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    Apotek

    This beautiful restaurant and bar with shining glass fixtures and a cool ambience is equally known for its delicious menu of small plates that are perfect…