Hot Diggity Dog
Matt went to Iceland by himself about 10 years ago before Iceland really became the “it” tourist destination. From that trip Matt (who normally picks up languages super quickly) only came back with one phrase…
eina með öllu… that means one with everything. Well, sorry babe, I really messed up your phrase since you don’t know how to say, “I’ll have 2 of everything”. Anyway I thought he was exaggerating when he told me that this lamb hot dog would change my world. He was right… that darn thing was so good we had 3 of them as a “snack” during our time in Reykjavik. What’s so good about it? Well… they put a combination of raw onion and crispy onions (like from thanksgiving green beans) on the bottom of the roll. Then on top of the lamb dog is a remoulade and a honey mustard. The best part is the place is open from 10am – 4:30am. This place is a small stand with no seating and usually a long line. Don’t worry though, the line goes by quickly since they only sell two things: hot dogs and sodas. Don’t miss this one!
STARTING THE DAY OFF RIGHT:
Reykjavik Roasters – Coffee – The secret about this place is out, it was packed! It has a very hipster cool vibe in here. They have small nooks and tables with antique chairs and tables and the key to any hipster coffee shop… a record player and avocado toast. With said record player, they encourage people to switch the records to whatever tunes you want to listen to. They made a good flat white and have a friendly staff.
We also went to their second location which had more of a Scandinavian vibe to it with a lot more seating. At both locations, they have a small assortment of pastries – Matt had one of the pastries, it was good, but wasn’t in the same league as Braud & Co. or Sandholt (see below).
Bismut – Coffee – Is a small coffee shop that overlooks Hverfisgata. It has a more modern flare to it with a long bar overlooking the street and there is a great view of the harbor. They display local art in the space and seem to have a following of regulars. It was a very friendly environment with great single origin pour overs and flat whites.
Braud & Co – Bakery – This tiny local spot has amazing pastries, one the weekends locals line up for this buttery goodness and I know why. I think that they used all of the butter in Iceland and I’m not complaining one bit. As the “salty” one is our relationship, I went with the ham and cheese croissant (watch out Paris you’ve got some competition). Matt the “sweet” member of our duo of course over ordered his pastries. He had one of the local favorites – the vínarbrauð a flat pastry with almonds and cream filling. Yummy. You know this place is good if I got Matt to leave the hotel at 6:15am in order to pick up pastries for the road before leaving for the airport. And they have pretty good drip coffee to boot. There isn’t any seating in this spot, but there’s nothing like walking down the street eating a warm pastry while exploring.
Sandholt – Bakery – This place has a very Parisian upscale patisserie feel to it. It has a beautiful glass pastry case lined with freshly based pastries beautifully displayed and warm bread straight from the oven behind the counter. You can take your pastries to go or they have a large seating area to have table service. On the weekends it gets really crowded, so be prepared to wait.
WHAT’S FOR LUNCH?
Grandi Matholl Market – Lunch/Dinner – While walking along the waterfront, we stumbled upon the Grandi Matholl Market. This place was adorable and had about 9 food booths overlooking the harbor. They have a Te & Kaffi (which is gasp, a chain) – but I must admit they had a good flat white. They also have a fish and chips spot, a Korean taco shop (KORE), and a local Icelandic food spot. We shared a lamb hot dog which was a more “foodie” version of the infamous Icelandic hot dog. It had a salad on top and was paired with potatoes and a garlic mayo. This place is a great spot to take some pictures, relax for a little and use a super clean bathroom.
Hlemmur Matholl – Food Hall – Lunch/Dinner Spot – This place used to be the old bus depot and now it’s a food hall. It has a ton of different options including a Vietnamese sandwich shop (which needed more pickled veggies and less mayo) and the bar Skal that had amazing buffalo cauliflower on top of goat cheese with picked veggies on top. It paired beautifully with the Borg Chocolate Porter that they have on tap. Skal!
Icelandic Street Food – Lunch – This place had heart. Matt and I were never backpackers, but this place had the fun student vibe where everyone was friendly and wanted to share their stories. The place was very crowded, but the staff continued to keep you engaged. For about $15 they have unlimited bowls of soup. They have both seafood and lamb soups and you can switch it up to try both. While you are waiting they give out free Icelandic waffles and chocolate coconut macaroons.
Flatey – Pizza – Lunch/Dinner – On our last night in Reykjavik, we had planned on going to Hverfisgata 12 and have beers at Mikkeller, but when they were closed unexpectedly for an employee training, and we were still jonesin’ for some pizza, we headed over to Flatey. The only thing on Flatey’s menu is thin artisanal pizza and it was delicious. Matt had the pizza of the day which had Korean short ribs from (a KORE, the Korean taco shop across the street at the Grandi Matholl) on it and mine had pepperoni, spicy peppers, and honey. This meal did not disappoint and bonus – was one of the most cost-effective meals of our trip.