Uppsalir makes for the perfect retreat when you want to escape the harsh Icelandic chill. A warm fire glowing among the wooden interiors is the picture you'll take home after a visit to this upscale yet cozy cafe. Cakes, coffee refreshments, cheese and the like are the usual treats on offer. A chic bar can help you with something stronger if coffee alone can't warm you up! Uppsalir is also a popular venue for receptions.
Be it the cuisine or the ambience, Kaffi Reykjavík has a wide choice to offer. The restaurant has seven different rooms in all that seat different types and sizes of groups - Kaffi Reykjavik Brasserie, Red Room, Yellow Room, Green Room, Blue Room, Cabaret Room and Cognac Room. Each room offers a unique combination of food, drinks and ambience. The restaurant is popular for providing the best deal in 'Group menus' and also takes orders for special occasions. And don't miss the famous Ice Bar - the interiors are made of ice and the temperature is kept at below zero degree. Now that's 'Ice'land, isn't it?
This sparkly, hip restaurant called Iðnó is located in an old theatre, and still functions as such, offering some of the best shows on offer in Reykjavík. Overlooking the pond, complete with birds and baby birds, this is the place for an idyllic view of the old city center. To be particularly recommended for late dinners. The menu is interesting, with a variety of Icelandic seafood and lamb dishes and some international main courses. The ground floor has a coffee house/bar and a little veranda, where guests can enjoy the quacking birdlife and feed hungry ducks and elegant swans with breadcrumbs.
This is known to be one of the 'coolest' bars in Reykjavik. Its popular image acts as a huge crowd puller and getting a seat within is not as easy a task as you may think. But once you get in, the experience is definitely worthwhile. The outside may appear pretty unassuming and the location only adds to this effect. But the glow from the candle-lit tables within and the intimate little loft upstairs in the bar tells a different story. A good range of local Icelandic beer and traditional grub to go with it completes your memorable visit to Kaffibarinn!
Head over to Vox Restaurant for a sophisticated dining experience, stop at the Vox Bistro for a light lunch, or grab a drink at the Vox Bar. The Restaurant offers modern European gourmet cuisine featuring seasonal products and ingredients. Choose from main courses including catfish, turbot, lamb, beef tenderloin, and suckling pig, and order a wine to complement your selection. The Bistro is a popular spot with its weekday lunch buffets featuring soups, salads, meat and vegetarian main courses, and desserts. The Bar is a great stop before or after an elegant dinner and includes a menu of coffee, beer, soft drinks, spirits, wine, cocktails, and tobacco. Check website for full menus and to book a table.
Throw all caution to the winds and give in to the sheer pleasure of good food and great company. Although this restaurant and bar is open for dinner only, it can be booked in advance for lunch, for 15 people or more. The Tapas Barinn follows the Spanish tradition of making dining a ride to indulge your senses. It's all about letting go. The food here is delicious and served in large portions to satisfy every tummy. Try the Saltfish Catallana Style or the Grilled Marinated Fillet of Lamb and Lobster Tails with Baked Potato, Fresh Salad and Alioli. End the evening with coffee or sumptuous dessert.
Head over to Vox Restaurant for a sophisticated dining experience, stop at the Vox Bistro for a light lunch, or grab a drink at the Vox Bar. The Restaurant offers modern European gourmet cuisine featuring seasonal products and ingredients. Choose from main courses including catfish, turbot, lamb, beef tenderloin, and suckling pig, and order a wine to complement your selection. The Bistro is a popular spot with its weekday lunch buffets featuring soups, salads, meat and vegetarian main courses, and desserts. The Bar is a great stop before or after an elegant dinner and includes a menu of coffee, beer, soft drinks, spirits, wine, cocktails, and tobacco. Check website for full menus and to book a table.
The swanky's Hilton Reykjavik Nordica welcomes its guests to relax in the serene setting of the chic Lobbby Bar, a quaint spot to enjoy chilled concoctions after a tiring day. Lobby radiates a modish ambiance and offers an impressive menu of the finest cocktails, wines and other spirits served by its professional bartenders. Stop in to sip on your chosen wine label, whilst you still drool over an appetizing meal served at the VOX Restaurant at Hilton Reykjavik Nordica.
One of the best places to catch up on your favorite game is the trendy Classic Rock Sportbar. The bar is pretty hep and is known for its lively ambiance. Each table has a dedicated dart board and there are a couple of pool tables where you can challenge your buddies to beat you to the game! The food menu is pretty extensive and features classic bar style food- a variety of sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and quick bites are available.
This friendly, neighborhood pub is an ideal place to hang out at after catching an enchanting play at the Reykjavík Municipal Theatre. Chat up old friends as you sip on your favorite drinks and take in the cozy aura of the place. The restaurant is frequented by theater goers and tourists alike, owing to its versatile à la carte menu and enticing interiors. You can taste the best of cheese-layered pastas, vegetable pizzas, heart-warming soups and succulent meat dishes as you take in the elegant, woody décor of this eatery. Weekends see a flurry of activity with live music featuring prominently on the agenda and enthralling patrons with its vivacity and variety. You can also host private events, conferences and corporate dos at this venue. Once you visit this cordial café, you will want to keep coming back for more! Check website for more details.
Located within the KEX Hostel, Sæmundur í Sparifötunum is a lively gastropub known for serving delectable bar food, fine wines and other tantalizing drinks. Sæmundur í Sparifötunum uses the choicest of local produce and fresh ingredients- their menu changes daily and their expert culinary team serves scrumptious seasonal specialties as well. The ambiance is beautiful with spaciously laid out tables, rustic decor and a chalkboard menu. Enjoy your perfectly cooked meals while you enjoy the scenic views of the mountains and the picturesque Faxaflói Bay.
Ask around and you will find many who would list Svarta Kaffið as one of the city's attractions. This family-owned cafe is best known for its hearty and unbelievably delicious soups, served in a tasty bread bowl that soaks up the left-overs so than not a single drop is wasted. Two soups, one vegetarian and one non-vegetarian, are featured daily, alongside cakes, breakfast specials, beer, coffee and other typical cafe fare. Few things are as comforting as a bowl of soup in winter, and the Svarta Kaffið is one of the best places in town to get yourself a bowlful. While bread bowls are not the most novel idea, few do it as well as the folks at Svarta Kaffið.