On September 1, Vísir reported that the Michelin restaurant Brút and café Kaffi Ó-le have been closed. The two businesses were managed together. Chef and owner Ragnar Eiríksson confirmed the closing in a conversation with Vísir, while Kaffi Ó-le announced their demise in a Facebook post. In addition to Ragnar, Brút was owned by Ólafur Örn Ólafsson and Bragi Skaftason.
Both establishments opened in 2021, sharing facilities at Hafnarstræti 11.
In a personal Facebook post, restaurateur Steinþór Helgi Arnsteinsson lamented the loss. “I don’t know if it’s sad or embarrassing that three out of the 11 locations in this Best Of list are bankrupt,” he wrote, referring to Time Out magazine’s 2024 compilation of Reykjavík’s best restaurants. Since its publication, the businesses Brút, Nebraska, and Apéro have shut down.
“In any case, it demonstrates the difficult business environment of restaurants in Reykjavík,” he continued.
Kaffi Ó-le was named runner-up for Best Coffeehouse in the Grapevine’s 2025 Best of Reykjavík.
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