The Survivors: Never-Changing Institutions In The Ever-Changing Downtown

They say that you’re a New Yorker once you lived there long enough to remember what was in that spot before the new business opened there. The same thing won’t make you a Reykjavík local — it will only act as proof you’ve been in town for a couple of months. Because in 101, new places open and close in the blink of an eye. A classic shoe store can become a short-lived dumpling spot that’s already something else by the time you go to try and eat there.

But there’s a certain brand of place that just hangs in there somehow, through the rising rents and buildings changing hands and economic turbulence and gentrification. And though their numbers are slowly dwindling, these 101 institutions gain a certain prestige through their sheer longevity.

We’re not saying they’re all must-visit hot spots or anything like that. It may not be fine dining. In some instances, it may not even be that good. But through the 2000-problem, The Economic Collapse™, and other assorted calamities, these places have just kept at it, doing now what they did while grunge was a thing, or JFK was alive, or what have you. We find comfort in their consistency — the reassurance that some things can survive the capitalist hellscape of Iceland’s tourism boom. And if they can do it, so might we all.

Hornið
Hafnarstræti 15
Still run by the original father-and-siblings quartet that opened it in 1979, Hornið was the first place to serve pizza in Iceland, and remains in its original spot, in one of the last ungentrified buildings downtown Reykjavík. The pizza has always been great, the Italian style menu is consistent, and the vibe is rock solid. The family are a musically inclined bunch, and have also maintained a live venue in the basement during all of these years, offering regular jazz concerts and sporadic events from the rest of the world’s music genres. JTS

Hlöllabátar
Ingólfstorgi 1
“The Hlöllabátar experience is best reserved for dire moments that usually occur in the wee hours after heavy drinking.” This was true when we wrote that in 2006, it’s been true since the place opened up in 1986, and it’s still true today. Hlöllabátar sub sandwiches are anything but health food, and your health would be better served elsewhere. But the reasons why you’d have a “Hlölli” have remained as unaltered by time as their taste. The incredible thing is that people will eat this while sober. And guess what? So can you. JTS

Vitabar
Bergþórugata 21
This cosy, super chill neighbourhood burger bar first opened in the 1960s. It was taken over for a bit by a fast food franchise, then reborn in the ‘80s — making it not only a survivor, but a member of the undead. We’re glad it rose from the grave, because the fare is simple, honest, and reliable: kick-ass cheeseburgers, crispy fries, and cold soda and beers. We’ve raged about their “forget-me-not” blue cheese burger since this publication’s first issue, and we still love it now. JR

Mokka
Skólavörðustígur 3A
The first café in Iceland to get an espresso machine, the wood-lined Mokka café has been there since 1958. But unlike most boomers, it has stayed true to itself ever since, and hasn’t started voting for Trump, posting weird-ass conspiracy theories on Facebook, or spending all its free time commenting on videos of cute dogs. Mokka got it right the first time, and it has hummed that tune ever since, with regular art exhibits alongside a damn good cup of coffee. JTS

Devito’s
Laugavegur 126
Even if the world completely falls into ruin, the global supply chain collapses, and fresh mozzarella becomes something people will kill for, Devito’s will be there. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey could be ambling through the devastated remains of Reykjavík, and still stop for a perfectly greasy slice in Devito’s strip-lit confines. Viggo Mortenson could be fleeing cannibals through the shattered wreck of Hlemmur, and grab a cheeky margherita to go. We are all temporary. Devito’s is eternal. JR

Þrír Frakkar
Baldursgata 14
Þrír Frakkar opened up in 1989, the same year Iceland discontinued commercial whaling. Until whaling resumed again in 2006, Þrír Frakkar was the only restaurant in the country to serve whale steak, a tribute to the fact that the founder/owner Úlfar somehow got his hands on a few containers worth of deep frozen fin whale. Whale steak is still on the menu today, alongside fish dishes that have remained a staple in the ever changing restaurant landscape of Iceland. Whatever your opinion on eating whale meat is — anti, we assume — the fish dishes are constantly great. JTS

Mónakó
Laugavegur 78
No, you won’t meet the count of Monte Cristo, there is no film festival, and there is no casino… or if there is, it’s betting on which of the regulars’ liver gives out next. Mónakó is truly a country of its own, remaining the only proper dive bar in Iceland, with a customer base that shows up on the first of the month, and then falls away as the weeks, and their money, run out. JTS

Kaffibarinn
Bergstaðastræti 1
Part nightlife institution and part daytime creche for functioning alcoholics, Kaffibarinn turned 30 last year. Like any good middle-aged thing, it’s been having a bit of a midlife crisis of late, ditching its casual, heavily-worn drinking hole vibe in favour of a gin joint makeover. But hey, maybe it’s just a phase. Aesthetic wobble aside, it’s still one of the most reliably fun bars in town, with DJs every night, happy hour from 15:00-19:00, and a motley cast of regulars who are so loyal they made a book about them. Long live KB. JR