Best Of Reykjavík
The Reykjavík Grapevine’s “Best of Reykjavík” sister magazine gives out a set of awards each year to the very best restaurants, bars, shops, museums, music venues and more.
It’s the essential guide to the city, for locals and visitors alike.
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Gimme Some SYKUR: Agnes Björt Andradóttir’s Perfect Day In Reykjavík
Agnes Björt Andradóttir is best known as the singer of the iconic electro-pop act Sykur. She’s also a style icon in her own right, known for her amazing stage costumes. Here’s how she’d spend her perfect day in Reykjavík. First thing I…
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How To Buy The Right Souvenirs…Without Being Tacky And Losing The Respect Of Your Peers
Going on vacation means diving into a new culture; a new society, with different myths and endless unforgettable impressions. It’s natural to want to take something home to remember it by. Et voilà—the souvenir shop is born. There are many in Reykjavík’s…
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Perfect Day: Gains, Shows and Vegan Food With Finnbogi Örn Einarsson
Finnbogi Örn Einarsson, the backbone of the Icelandic hardcore scene, has had a crazy few weeks. Within the first days of November, his band, Great Grief, was signed onto No Sleep Records and announced as a surprise addition to Iceland Airwaves. Here’s…
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Dog Football, IÐNÓ, Vegan Burgers And MENGI: René Boonekamp’s Perfect Day In Reykjavík
René Boonekamp is part of the arts collective ‘the Travelling Embassy of Rockall,’ which works on “speculative scenarios for utopian and dystopian futures.” He is also the friendly face of IÐNÓ, which been reborn this year with a new café, music studio,…
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‘Let Me Fall’ Star Elín Sif Halldórsdóttir’s Perfect Day in Reykjavík
Elín Sif is one of the lead actors in the icelandic smash hit movie ‘Let Me Fall’ (‘Lof mér að falla’). She is also a musician and won the hearts of Icelanders when she debuted in the Eurovision contest two years ago.…
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Welcome To Geekjavík: Where To Release Your Inner Nerd
Being into something is hip and being passionate about something is attractive—so being geeky is the new showing no emotions and having a ‘resting bitch face’. If you thought that Reykjavík only has bars and souvenir shops, well, get ready to be…
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Perfect Day: Saga Ýr Nazari
Saga Ýr Nazari burst onto the music scene just one month ago with her debut effort ‘Don’t Gotta Be Real’. Mixing modern R&B with a touch of Middle Eastern music and a dab of James Blake, she’s one to watch. Here’s how…
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Street Art 101: The Best Reykjavík Murals
Street art might have, well, varying degrees of legality in Reykjavík, but the scene is so bright and lively that we sometimes choose to turn a blind eye to these artistic maybe-criminals. Checking out the murals that dot Reykjavík is one of…
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Go Fish: Reykjavík’s Best Seafood Restaurants
Iceland is famous for its fresh, delicious seafood. But with a fish restaurant on every street corner, where should you try it? Here are some of our firm favourites. Fiskmarkaðurinn Aðalstræti 12 One of the fanciest restaurants in town—and priced accordingly—Fiskmarkaðurinn, or…
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Coffee, Kitties And Sweaty Dancefloors: Unnur María Máney Bergsveinsdóttir’s Perfect Day In Reykjavík
Unnur María Máney Bergsveinsdóttir is the indisputable circus queen of Iceland. During the day, she spends her time hoop-dancing and performing on the aerial silks as Húlladúllan. At night she morphs into Kabarett star Miss Encircled. If that’s not enough, Unnur is…
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Dress To Impress: Where To Look For Unique Outfits In Reykjavík
For those who want to resist the omni-present, ever-growing influence of H&M, hope remains. Reykavík still offers a wide range of individualistic choices for those who prefer the exclusive experience. Shop for clothes at Reykavík’s unique boutiques to bring home that special…
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Cats, Flotation Tanks, And Amazing Vegan Food: Linnea Hellström’s Perfect Day In Reykjavík
Linnea Hellström, the vegan visionary behind the new restaurant Veganæs, gives us the low-down on her perfect day in the city. First thing in the morning: I live with my boyfriend, Krummi, and our cats and it’s very important to hang out…
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Barflies Unite: The Downtown Bar Safari Gets Five New Watering Holes
Reykjavík’s bar scene has been in a state of relative stasis over the last year or two. Since the miniature craft bar revolution, the handful of new places that have appeared have been upscale restaurant-bars or speciality bars—the kind of places you’d…
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Chilli, Curiosities & Comedy: Kimi Tayler’s Perfect Day In Reykjavík
When she’s not paper machéing or riding around Reykjavík on her tricked-out bicycle, comedian, visual artist and self proclaimed ‘Aspiring Power Lesbian’ Kimi Tayler told us how she’d spend her perfect day in Reykjavík. For brunch If I’m not scarfing down crumpets…
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Iceland Is Like A Box Of Boxes Of Chocolates… And Here Are The Ones To Buy
If you ever want to surprise someone with a special box of chocolates, or if you’re simply craving some fancy chocolatey bites (due to heartbreak, boredom, pregnancy, or being Swiss), you might have been rather unsuccessful in finding the good stuff in…
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Curry, Band Meetings and Midnight Sun: Bjarni Daníel’s Perfect Day in Reykjavík
Bjarni Daníel is the singer and guitarist of dream punk sweethearts Bagdad Brothers, who just released their second EP, “JÆJA,” via the post-dreifing arts collective. Bagdad Brothers are currently planning a show at Húrra on the 28th of July together with BSÍ…
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Picture Perfect: Where To Check Out Contemporary Photography In Reykjavík
While Iceland is famous for its photogenic landscapes (Volcanoes! Waterfalls!), animals (Fluffy horses! Cute puffins!) and even inhabitants (uhm, have you ever been on the streets of Reykjavik?), it all gets kinda vague when it comes to exhibition spaces for photography. You…
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Prisms, Galleries and Cocktails: Melkorka Þorkelsdóttir’s Perfect Day in Reykjavík
Mellí (Melkorka Þorkelsdóttir) is a visual artist, downtown DJ, gotherfucker and a Hello Kitty enthusiast. She is the second half of the DJ Dominatricks hypersexual techno VJ/DJ duo. She has also been doing obnoxiously bubbly and flamboyant DJ-sets as DJ Motherfunker. Here’s…
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Icelandic Craft Beer Trends: Raise a Glass
1988 sucked in Iceland. Beer, believe it or not, was still puritanically illegal and there was certainly no Icelandic craft beer scene. However, in 1989—as the world flocked to see the first ‘Batman’ reboot and ‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids!’—all that changed.…
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Poetry, Swims & Sunsets: Ragnheiður Harpa’s Perfect Day in Reykjavík
Ragnheiður Harpa is an artist, musician and poet. She was recently published in an Icelandic-language book with four other poets that has gained notable attention. The book is called “Ég er fagnaðarsöngur,” or “I am a song of celebration,” in English. Here’s…
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Art, Fischer, Dancing, & Atlas The Dog: Lilja Birgisdóttir’s Perfect Day In Reykjavík
Lilja Birgisdóttir is an Icelandic artist, which means an all around “þúsundþjalasmiður” (“jack of all trades”). She’s part of the Kling & Bang gallery, and a photographer, designer, choir member and, more recently, a store owner at Fischer. Here’s how she’d spend…
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City Guide: The Reykjavík Underground
As repeat visitors to Reykjavík often remark, the Laugavegur strip has evolved into an open-topped puffin mall over recent years. So: where the cool kids at? Concerts Reykjavík’s underground music scene is thriving. If you enjoy noisy guitars, shouting, or weird experiments,…
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Perfect Day: Motorcycles, Vaping And Contemporary Art With Erling T.V. Klingenberg
Erling T.V. Klingenberg is a visual artist, motorcyclist and a founding member of the Kling & Bang gallery and art collective. Visit Kling & Bang in The Marshall House at Grandagarður 20. First thing The best thing for starting the day is…