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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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Hike
Best Hike Glymur Waterfall Hvalfjörður After a scenic drive to the end of Hvalfjörður, you arrive at the foot of Iceland’s second-highest waterfall, with its nearly 200 meter drop. Not only is the hiking route easily accessible, but it takes you up…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Day Trip
Best Day Trip The Reykjanes Route This sample platter of Iceland’s offerings got kicked up a notch with recent volcanic activity (you may have heard about the eruptions at Geldingadalir and Meradalir in 2021 and 2022, respectively). This quick drive takes you…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Spa
Best Spa Hvammsvík Kjósarhreppur, 276 Mosfellsbær As many of the best spas are located outside of Reykjavík, we decided to include some that fell within a one-hour radius of Reykjavík City proper. A quick 45 minute drive delivers you to this picturesque…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Museum
Best Museum The National Museum Suðurgata, 101 Reykjavík The National Museum (Þjóðminjasafn Íslands) picks up the first place yet again, but not simply due to its institutional status. What our panel felt made it such a successful museum in its category was…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Place to Take the Kids
Best Place to Take the Kids Fjölskylduland Dugguvogur 4, 104 Reykjavík Described as Iceland’s “first holistic Indoor Playground and Family Center in Iceland,” this one is sort of like a private members club for toddlers. Fjölskylduland is somewhat like a large indoor…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Art Museum
Best Art Museum Gerðarsafn Hamraborg 4, 200 Kópavogur Gerðarsafn is often unfairly neglected when discussing the best that the Greater Reykjavík Area has to offer, despite being only a quick 10 minute drive from downtown. The museum has shown incredible ambition in…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Cinema
Best Cinema Bíó Paradís Hverfisgata 54, 101 Reykjavík What? The street magazine chose the only cinematheque in Reykjavík? Well, that took everyone by surprise. As much as we love many of our other theaters for a no-holds-barred blockbuster experience, there is simply…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Theatre
Best Theater Tjarnarbíó Tjarnargata 12, 101 Reykjavík This one really is a no-brainer. It’s smack in the middle of downtown Reykjavík, it has regular performances in English, and it caters to an incredibly diverse range of performers and performances. Despite the recent…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Pool
Best Pool Lágafellslaug Lækjarhlíð 1a, 270 Mosfellsbær The panel this year skewed towards the over-30 bracket, so the criteria for selecting the best municipal swimming pools had to take into account the needs of kids and their world-weary handlers. Lágafellslaug might not…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Date Place
Best Date Place Kaffibrennslan Laugavegur 21, 101 Reykjavík The panel decided that Kaffibrennslan is the best place for a date. Being both familiar to locals, and inviting enough for newcomers, Kaffibrennslan makes for a perfect neutral ground for a first date. If…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Outdoor Drinking (Summer)
Best Outdoor Drinking (Summer) Bódega Týsgata 9, 101 Reykjavík When thinking of a good place to drink outside in Iceland, the first thing that comes to mind is the question: “Is that possible?” Move over rooftop bars and sheltered yards that keep…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Goddamn Bar
Best Goddamn Bar Röntgen Hverfisgata 12, 101 Reykjavík For the third year in a row, Röntgen claims the prize of the Grapevine’s Best Goddamn Bar. A unanimous choice by the panel, there’s simply nothing else that competes with Röntgen’s comprehensive atmosphere. Whether…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Craft Bar
Best Craft Bar Session Craft Bar Bankastræti 14, 101 Reykjavík Catering to seasoned craft beer veterans as well as lightweights who only want a Coors Light, Session is the place to be. “Session is an accessible place to visit as a group.…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Bar to Start the Night
Best Bar to Start the Night 12 Tónar Skólavörðustígur 15, 101 Reykjavík 12 Tónar brings the concept of the duality of man to the Reykjavík nightlife scene. One part of you wants to chill out and drink beer with some good friends.…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Bar to End the Night
Best Bar to End the Night Kiki Queer Bar Laugavegur 22, 101 Reykjavík No need to debate this one. Kiki received a unanimous vote on the best bar to end the night. Being the go-to queer club in Reykjavík, everyone is welcome…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Sports Bar
Best Sports Bar Reykjavík Sportbar Hverfisgata 40, 101 Reykjavík As far as sports bars go, the panel all agreed that this bar was the perfect spot. You can watch the game with the lads, have a drink with the lads, and…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Bar for Live Music
Best Bar for Live Music Húrra (RIP) Tryggvagata 22, 101 Reykjavík Without going into the details, Húrra closed a few years ago, was replaced by a different bar, and then opened again under the same brand. It was the go-to for exciting…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Place for Cocktails
Best Place for Cocktails Jungle Cocktail Bar Austurstræti 9, 101 Reykjavík Although they don’t have the smash hit “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns ‘n’ Roses on repeat, Jungle makes up for it with their complex, innovative and all-around great-tasting cocktails —…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Happy Hour
Best Happy Hour Prikið Bankastræti 12, 101 Reykjavík What have we done to deserve this? Prikið’s too-good-to-be-true happy hour serves thirsty and thrifty patrons beer for no more than 700 ISK. “You can’t fight with a 700 ISK beer. When does happy…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Newcomer Bar
Best Newcomer Bingó Drinkery Skólavörðustígur 8, 101 Reykjavík (enter from Bergstaðastræti) From the same folks who brought us the best cocktail bar, Jungle, is best newcomer Bingó. The bar scored a full bingo by the panel, as it demonstrates good potential for…
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Best Of Reykjavík 2023: Best Wine Bar
Best Wine Bar Vínstúkan Tíu sopar Laugavegur 27, 101 Reykjavík Tucked away in the cellar of Laugavegur 27 is the eloquent Vínstúkan 10 Sopar. Vínstúkan has a wide selection of natural wines, as well as lavish French vintages. Offering not only great…
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Andie Sophia’s Perfect Day In Reykjavík
Andie Sophia Fontaine is a journalist, writer, and Trans Iceland board member living in Reykjavík. Originally from Baltimore, she has lived in Iceland since 1999. She is the only openly trans journalist in Iceland, and has written for the Grapevine since 2003.…
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Perfect Day: Vaka Agnarsdóttir
Vaka Agnarsdóttir is a member of Inspector Spacetime, the band that has quickly become a dance music phenomenon in Iceland. Their track ‘Dansa og Bánsa’ is so catchy, it gets even the most reluctant movers on the dancefloor. What does Vaka do…