Where to eat?

If you want a quick meal, the best places are the food stands in Hafnarstraeti and Austurstraeti. Nonnabiti (Hafnarstraeti 18; main courses 280-640 lkr) offers burgers. The Kebabhúsið (Laekjargata 2; kebabs from 640 lkr) has kebabs and fish with fries (770lkr). Thai food at the bar-cafeteria Núðluhúsið (Vitastígur 10; main courses 780-950 lkr) are delicious and generous. But if you are searching for something different taste the great pita sandwiches (Skiholt 50 c; 550-760 lkr).

Pizza 67 (Tryggvagata 26; pizzas 650-2510 lkr) is a nice hippie pub-pizzeria that also serves burgers, sandwiches and desserts. Ítalia (tel 5624630; Laugavegur 11; pasta 1,350-1,650 lkr, pizzas 1,450 lkr approx.) has a good variety of Italian food with Icelandic style. Another one is Pasta Basta (5613131; Klappasrtígur 38; buffet at noon 1,190 lkr; main courses 1,530-2,980 lkr) with a varied buffet at noon that counts with soup, bread, home-maid pasta, vegetables and fruit.

The Kína Húsið (Laekjargata 8; set menu 750 lkr) serves Chinese food. An excellent vegetarian restaurant is Á naestugrösum (Laugavegur 20b; meals 750 lkr; dish of the day for lunch/dinner 900/990 lkr; open Mon-Sat; Sun only for dinner); serves macrobiotic and vegetarian dishes. Graenn Kostur (Skolavörðustígur 8; vegetarian dish of the day 800 lkr) offers two very god options of vegetarian meals every day. The Restaurant Salatbarinn (Pósthússtraeti 13; buffet veg-no veg before/after 17:00 980/1,290 lkr; open Mon-Sun 11:00-21:00) offer an all you can eat buffet with soup, two hot dishes, 20 different kinds of salads, yogurt, fruit and beverages.

There are different cefés with pub style where you can get a good deal. The popular but stifling Café Paris (Austurstraeti 14; light meals 450-870 lkr) serve coffee for 220 lkr, in addition to continental light dishes. The only bohemian café in Iceland, which in addition hosts an art gallery, is Húa Málarans (Bankastraeti 7a). The Svarta Kaffið (Laugavgur 54) is a lively and recommendable place with light and exceptional dishes, such as the homemade soup in a bread container (690 lkr, including ½ l of beer).

The simple Múlakaffi (Hallarmúli; meals 890-1,290 lkr) makes an acceptable soup, salad bar, and fish beef and lamb dishes, including coffee. They have also affordable sandwiches. The best ice cream in Reykjavik is in Ísbúðin Álfheimum (Álfheimar 2); offers huge covered ice cream cones for 130 lkr.

The Shark Nightmare:

Iceland counts with some culinary “exquisitenesses” that might make you remind that scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The most famous one is the hákarl, rotten shark meat previously buried in sand and chippings between 3 and 6 months to make sure it is really discomposed. This smells like ammonia and dead animal. There are people who get sick only by smelling it!

Other local specialties are the súrsaðir hrútspungar, mutton testicles marinated in whey and cooked like a pie; and the svið, scorched chip head (with the eyes, but without the brain), cut in the middle, that can be cooked and eaten directly or marinated.

Nightlife

A great cultural experience is to join the young on a Friday or Saturday night and visit the Reykjavik nightclubs. The average price to access them is 1,000 lkr and lines can be huge. Parties can be until 5:00, and the streets in the city center are crowded with drunk people all night long. In order to be updated, you have to read the Reykjavik this month. Avoid the striptease clubs; the dancers are not local and work under very shady conditions.

NASA (Austurvöllur) is the most famous local among the youngest; offers dancing music and the latest hits. Other nightclubs are Astro (Austurstraeti22) with techno and dancing music, the Gaukur á Stöng (Tryggvagata 22), with live music, the alternative Spotlight (Hafnarstraeti 17), and the Broadway (Ármúli 9), at the Hótel Ísland, with a more relaxed atmosphere.

Pubs. One of the bests is the sports Glaumbar (Tryggvagata 20), the 22 (Laugavegur 22) and the Dubliner (Hafnarstraeti 4), in Irish style with wooden walls. An interesting salsa local is the Tres Locos (Laugavegur 11), as well as the Djúpið (Hafnarstraeti 15), a calm place located at the basement of the Hornið restaurant. Another option is the Kaffi Brennslan (Pósthússtraeti 9) with up to 62 different beers. The pub-café Svarta Kaffið (Laugavegur 54) offers the cheapest beers in Reykjavik between 18:00 and 21:00 (400 lkr ½ l)

Theater. There’re different theater companies, one of opera, and one of dance, in addition to a symphony orchestra. The most important ticket offices are the National Theater (tel 5511200; Hverfisgata 19), The Syphony Orchestra of Iceland (tel 5452500; Hagatorg); the Reykyavik Theater Company (tel. 5688000; Listabraut 3, Kringlan), and the Kaffilelkhúsið í Hlaðvarpanum (tel. 5519030; Vesturgata 3b). Other events appear daily in the newspapers; the tourist office also has information and tickets.