Author: - The Reykjavik Grapevine

Articles by: John Rogers

Echoes Of The End: Inside The Biggest Icelandic Video Game Of 2025

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When Echoes of the End was released, the heavens opened. A rare, torrential downpour swept over Reykjavík for an entire…

Changing Tastes At Fönix: Visiting Reykjavík’s Enduring Sichuan Outpost

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Fönix is an unassuming 36-seat Chinese restaurant in the somewhat grey and concrete-heavy locale of Höfðinn. It sits on the…

Alaska1867 Lands In 101 Reykjavík

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After a few years spent simmering and cooking, bleeding-edge rapper Alaska1867 burst onto the 101 scene with force in 2025….

Billy Corgan And The Pumpkins Energise Sold Out Crowd At Laugardalshöll

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Smashing Pumpkins play Reykjavík 30 years late, but firing on all cylinders “I don’t wanna go to the fucking Blue…

Giant Noodles And Jiggly Cats: Biang Reykjavík Opens Its Doors

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Western Chinese food has soared in popularity in recent years. From the numbing heat of Sichuan pepper and fiery Dan…

Fine Art And Flow: Þula Gallery Spreads Its Wings

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The work of the gallerist is an opaque craft. They are the people who help artists navigate the tricky terrain…

Changing Tides In Bathing Culture

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Or: how I learned to stop worrying and love the spa That floating around in hot water is good for…

Lose Yourself To Music: The Many Inspirations Of Katla Yamagata

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Katla Yamagata hit the scene with a bang in September last year, when her debut EP Postulín (“Porcelain”) dropped, seemingly…

The Spice Is Right: Himalayan Spice Pulls No Punches 

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The Icelandic palate has been known to struggle with spicy food. It’s a common beef among 101 foodies that restaurants…

What Might Grow: ‘In The Undergrowth’ Rethinks Our Relationship To Nature

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Life in the age of climate catastrophe isn’t easy. As we watch things unfold around us — in the news,…

All That Is Green Is (Not) Good: Inuk Silis Høegh’s Widescreen Art

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It’s about ten minutes into The Green Land that I get the fear. It’s a curious sensation similar to that…

Cancel Your Spotify: Streaming App CEO Turns Sub Money Into AI War Tech

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Everyone knows Spotify — the streaming behemoth that revolutionised the world’s listening habits. It’s a convenient, slick app that offers…

The Great Lake: Mývatn Comes At You Fast

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It’s a rain-soaked afternoon in north Iceland when we crest a hill and see the green-grey waters of Mývatn slide…

‘Life In This House Is Over’ Explores The Intricacies Of Grief

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Two writers caught Life In This House Is Over on two different nights and share their thoughts on what stuck…

The Joy Of Milk: Sauðagull Puts Sheep Milk On The Map

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At the southern tip of Lagarfljöt lies Fljótsdalur, a scenic river valley carved out by meltwater from the northern edge…

Totally In Tents: Camping In Iceland Will Blow You Away

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Camping in Iceland is a risk-reward gamble with a high ceiling and a low floor. You might find yourself sitting…

The Summer Ring Road: Around Iceland In 12 Days

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Route One is Iceland’s main highway. It circles the country over a distance of 1,321 km, rolling over mountain passes,…

The Westman Islands Are A Taste Of The Old Iceland

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That tourism has changed Icelandic culture is a truism — but it’s harder to say how. It’s subtle. You might…

No Time to Relax: Porcelain Fortress Simulates The Chaos Of Life

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Video games are a complex phenomenon. Simultaneously a multi-billion-dollar global industry, a modern form of mass entertainment, an emerging art…

The Future Is Lava: A Revolutionary Vision For Housing In Iceland

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“Architects today are really stuck in the grip of capital,” says Arnhildur Pálmadóttir. “And I think we should be more.”…

Like A Pizza In The Sun

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Krónikan in Kópavogur is a perfect summertime hangout The second the sun comes out in Reykjavík, the same question arrives…

Meet Me In Osaka, Meet Me At The Fair: Iceland At The Osaka World Expo

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World Expos, also known as World Fairs, are huge international events that happen every five years. Staged in different cities…

It’s A Frog’s Life: Aska Studios Aim To Make A Splash

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“Why frogs? That’s easy,” says Halldór Heiðberg, smiling broadly. “I lived in Sweden as a kid, and I used to…

Flirting With The Wilderness At Hótel Kríunes

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The grating shriek of a kría snaps me into reality. I look down at my bare feet on the lakeshore,…

Eurovision: A Weird Form Of Therapy For A National Inferiority Complex

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Armchair psychoanalysis of Iceland’s pop obsession Eurovision has always been an oddity. A kind of quasi-Olympics for questionable pop music,…