Best Of Reykjavík 2018: Best Bakery

There has never been a more exciting time for the restaurant scene in Reykjavik. Thanks to burgeoning tourism, exposure, and a genuine curiosity for foods from far and wide, diners now have a plethora of choices on offer. Whether it’s high-end fine dining (we even boast a Michelin starred gem!), or a cheap late night bite, Reykjavik is coming into its own as a culinary destination, offering small plates, tasting menus, farm to table seasonal produce and classic Iceland cuisine, and all while accommodating vegans and vegetarians. The following restaurants are the very best, according to our panel of enthusiastic gourmands. Feel free to let us know what you think of our choices as you eat your way around the city. We’re listening. And we’re hungry.

Best Bakery: Joint Winners

Sandholt

Laugavegur 36

This local institution continues to draw lines of curious tourists, and with their new extension, there’s more room for them. The sourdough is deservedly well-known, and if a whole loaf is too much, they oblige by slicing just what you need. If you’re staying or straying close by, grab one of their delicious loaves or a bag of pastries for snacks.

Brauð & Co.

Frakkastígur 16

Brauð & Co. have won the hearts of the carb-butter loving nation in their pursuit of the best baked goods. Regulars swear by their “snúður”—local cinnamon bread rolls that are taken a step further here and stuffed with blueberries and liquorice, granola crumble or poppy seed and vanilla—eliciting inappropriate satisfied moans from our panel. The latest lemon cruffins have us hyperventilating, but the cinnamon sugar croissant roll will always have our heart. Don’t forget to try the dense seeded Danish rye bread, which they conveniently have mini loaf versions of, no bigger than your palm, studded with chocolate chips—perfect for snacking or taking on board your next flight.

Runner Up

Passion Álfheimum

Álfheimum 6

Slightly out of the city centre is the Passion bakery, a little tucked away suburban joint that offers excellent sourdough bread, pastries, and all kinds of sweet treats. Loyalists describe it as a hidden diamond: it’s certainly worth checking out should you be in the area.

Previous Winners

2013-7: Sandholt

Other Dining Categories

Best Burger

Best Coffeehouse

Best Sushi

Best Indian

Best Thai/Chinese

Best Goddamn Restaurant

Best Place For A Fancy Meal

Best Family Meal

Best Cheap Meal

Best Pizza

Best Coffee

Best Bakery

Best Vegetarian Meal

Best Vegan Meal

Best Brunch

Best Seafood

Must-Try Dining Experience

Best Late Night Bite

Best Place To Go With A Group Of Friends

Best Newcomer

Best Lunch Place

Best Veggie Burger

Best Ice Cream

Best Tasting Menu

Best Italian

You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Reykjavík 2018 magazine—an essential guide to having fun in Reykjavík—here, posted worldwide. We also have a Special Offer double-pack that also includes our Best Of Iceland magazine, about places to eat, see, swim, shop and stay, all around the country, here.