Words by

The Reykjavík Grapevine

@rvkgrapevine

Photo by

Timothée Lambrecq

South Iceland contains many of the most popular trips and best bars in the country. Close to Reykjavík is the Reykjanes Peninsula, with the Blue Lagoon, Keflavík Airport, and many wild spots and charming villages; over the Hellisheiði mountain pass lies the tranquil farmland and small towns like Hveragerði, Selfoss and Flúður. The Golden Circle and south coast roads are busy during the summer, and there are several glaciers dotting the coast and volcanoes silhouetted against the skyline. Vík í Myrdal is the halfway point, and Höfn—beneath the mighty Vatnajökull—marks the gateway to the east. To help you out along the way, here are our panel’s best South Iceland bars.

Best Bar

Ölverk

Breiðamörk 2, Hveragerði

Brew-pubs are popping up all around Iceland, but nobody does it better than the cosy and welcoming Ölverk Pizza & Brewery. Whether you’re dropping by for a quick pint of their house-brewed beer—made just metres from the tap—or you’re a beer nerd who wants the full tour of their steam-powered facilities, Ölverk is a fantastic boon for Hveragerði. The pizzas are great, so it’s an ideal lunch or dinner stop, too. The designated driver has our pity.

Runner Up:

The Brothers Brewery

Vestmannaeyjabær

Started by a couple of friends and their brothers in 2012, this small brewery has started pumping out a selection of great small-batch beers and recently expanded into bottling. It’s a friendly, genial experience and they offer a tour-and-tasting for a great price. H5

Newcomer:

Smiðjan

Vík í Mýrdal

Smiðjan is a year-old brewpub with ten beers on tap and an impressively extensive craft-beer bottle menu. The interior is crisp, but with a grungy edge, and you can see the brewing facilities through a glass wall at the back. They also have a solid bar food menu and they’re open till midnight.

Other Categories

You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Iceland 2019 magazine—an essential guide to having fun in Iceland, from the best bars and onwards—here, posted worldwide. We also have a Special Offer double-pack here that also includes our Best Of Reykjavík magazine, about places to eat, see, swim, visit, and shop in the country’s capital city.