Restaurants in Reykjavik

The black wooden house overlooking the junction of Bankastraeti and Laekargata was built by a rich Danish merchant as a bakery shop in the 1830s, and for many years it remained the only such shop in Reykjavik. Now fully restored, the restaurant still has that old time feel to it, and eating at Laekjarbrekka is like stepping back in time, sampling the best traditional food Iceland has to offer in authentic 19th-century surroundings. There is a cosy bar upstairs under the eaves which is perfect for pre- (or post-) dinner drinks, and the main dining room downstairs is just as comfortable and homely, with its collection of eclectic ornaments, embroidered tablecloths, lace curtains, Tiffany lamps and tapestries on the walls. The food, which is excellent, is traditional Icelandic fare ranging from lamb to lobster (the house speciality).

This new addition to the city’s seafood selection stands in the wonderful 19th century Zimsen building. The menu promises to take you on a trip around the world via its fish dishes, which include wonders such as Korean poppy seed salmon and Cuban salted cod.

Maybe it's the music playing in the background, making the bright dining room such a chilled out place to hang out. Or the huge windows and the funky artwork on the walls. Maybe it's the friendly staff, who never seem too busy to attend to their customers. Whatever the answer, the recipe is a successful one, and Café Solon's customers (a mix of tourists and locals) keep coming back, some for the food alone (tasty, filling, and reasonably priced), others to also enjoy the upstairs bar and disco after hours.

Vegetarians can sometimes feel a bit left out in Reykjavik, as few eateries offer many meat-free options, but this restaurant, on the first floor of a wooden house right on the main shopping street, will certainly have them leave with a full stomach...and a smile on their face. Reykjavik's premier vegetarian restaurant offers a great selection of healthy dishes such as homemade salads, quiches and soups, pasta and rice dishes, all very reasonably priced. There are also yummy desserts to choose from, and take away is available. On Fridays and Saturdays, the emphasis is on Indian cuisine served with freshly baked naan bread.