Grapevine’s Best Of 2016: Best Cheap Meal

Reykjavík is a relatively small city, but even so, sometimes you need a bit of local advice to find what you’re looking for, whether it’s a good people-watching spot, somewhere to see some contemporary art, or the best place to catch an Icelandic movie. Don’t worry, friends—we’ve got you covered via our Best of Reykjavík 2016 series. Here are some of our favourite spots in Reykjavík, for all kinds of super-fun days and nights out. Enjoy! And if you try our list, you can let us know what you thought of the selections via letters@grapevine.is.

Best Cheap Meal

Winner: Noodle Station
Laugavegur 86
If you, like the martians in Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, have only the word “station” in your vocabulary, you are halfway to naming the best cheap meal in Reykjavík: Noodle Station. Yes, there is still a noodle war going on here in Reykjavík, with ardent supporters behind various places, but there can be only one victor… And Noodle Station is it. You can smell the coriander for metres around this place, and whenever the temperature drops you can see the conden-soup-sation on the windows. The veggie option comes in under 1000 ISK. Enter hungry, and leave with change in your pocket.

Runner Up: Bæjarins Beztu
By Tryggvagata
Bærjarins Beztu is a hot dog stand. It might just be the greatest hot dog stand on earth. Yes, it has been visited by Presidents (you can order a “Clinton”) and celebrities. Yes, it will be the thing you miss most about Iceland. Sometimes the lines are long, and one hot dog isn’t enough and two is too many. L is so hard.

Runner Up: 10/11
Various locations
10/11 is a more expensive grocery store than Bónus or Krónan, but it’s open 24 hours, so you’ll end up going there anyway. We could suggest cheaper places, but that won’t matter. You will go here. They sell sandwiches, and a super-cheap soup and bread option.

Previous Winners:
2015: K-Bar
2014: 10-11 after 14:00
2013: “Sub of the month” at Subway
2012: Íslenski barinn
2011: Noodle Station

Read more of our Best of 2016 lists here.