For being a small city, Reykjavik has a lot to offer it’s artsy but also traditional. The city is so small it’s pretty much all “walking distance” and if you’re like me my favorite way to explore a new place is on my feet. To start off you can explore Reykjavik’s downtown center. You’ll want to walk around Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur both areas have cool shops and tons of street art. Check out Hallgrímskirkja the largest church in Iceland – go here for a beautiful view of the city from above. Also make sure to check out the Harpa Concert Hall this building is stunning, if you have some time check out a show here.
Iceland was the very first trip I took that didn’t revolve around eating. There are plenty of restaurants in Reykjavik to try but outside of that it was a lot of fast food type restaurants for sit down restaurant prices. All of the gas stations had restaurants/cafes connected to them. In most cases the same person who you rang up your gas was the same person cooking your food. There was no separate cooking team in the back they did it all! Don’t miss out on eating hot dogs – they are the cheapest food you can get in Iceland. Here are some of the notable dining/cafes we went to.
- Reykjavik Roasters Cute little coffee spot, where all the hipsters hang. They had some pastry options for breakfast as well.
- Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur Super popular hot dog stand, locals and tourist all love it. It was our favorite hot dog spot as well.
- Bergsson Beautiful and healthy spot with local ingredients. Went for lunch but want to go back for brunch!
- Icelandic Fish & Chips Good for some local fish and chips. You can order an assortment of dipping sauces made with Skyr to go with your fish and chips that were quite tasty too.
- Pizza With No Name We really enjoyed this pizza spot, there is ZERO signage outside but it is on the corner of the street in a pale yellow building Hverfisgata 12. They have more than just pizza and the menu’s were fun to explore.
- Saegreifinn Go here to try the lobster soup. If you want to try fermented shark and whale meat, this place has you covered.
Here are some other spots we had on our list (recommendations from friends) that we weren’t able to check out but hope to try next time!
