In the last decade, food halls rapidly gained popularity all around Europe. And even though they have also been popular in other Nordic countries for a while now, until a couple of years back, there were none in Iceland. But times are changing, and Reykjavík is now home to a range of modern food halls! The food halls have proven to be a great success and are popular hangouts among locals and visitors alike. If you are in the mood for street food, then make sure to stop by Reykjavík’s food halls!
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Pósthús Food Hall & Bar
The most recent addition to the growing number of food halls in Reykjavík can be found downtown in an old an charming building that used to be the main post office of Reykjavík, located in Pósthússtræti. Although it opened its doors in November 2022, preparations for this food hall began nearly six years prior! At the time of this writing, nine restaurants have opened in Pósthús, although the owners and investors promise more will be coming soon. Some familiar names, like Yuzu Burger and Sushi Social (Djusi sushi), set up shop in the food hall. Newcomers Fuku Mama (Asian grill) and Mossley (tacos AND wings!) promise to be big hits. Because of the long delays in opening and its central location in downtown Reykjavík, Pósthús mathöll perhaps has the biggest upside of any other food hall – but also the most pressure to succeed. Time will only tell. In the meantime, we recommend popping in Pósthús for a beer and a quick bite to eat! It has at least addressed criticisms of some of the other food halls, most notably by having plenty of seating available and proper air conditioning, so there is no frying smell in the air. The tasteful interior design and high ceilings should help everyone feel comfortable at Pósthús mathöll.
Hlemmur Food Hall
Hlemmur Food Hall is Reykjavík’s first food hall. Even though it opened just a couple of years back, it’s difficult to imagine Hlemmur square without it. The food hall attracts a fun crowd and especially during lunchtime, it’s booming with customers. On sunny days, people enjoy their food and beverages outside. With Neapolitan pizza, LA-style tacos, Vietnamese cuisine, gourmet burgers, and specialities from the in 2019 Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Skál, there’s something for everybody!
Grandi Food Hall
At Grandi Food Hall, people are encouraged to try different dishes from several food stands, instead of picking just one meal at one restaurant. Next to food, Grandi Food Hall focuses on events, reflecting big festivals and holidays that are celebrated in Reykjavík, whether it’s Iceland Airwaves or the Icelandic National Day. Also, recently, a brand-new fresh fish market has opened on the premises. What’s more, Grandi Food Hall is the perfect meeting point for people who want to discover the harbour area, filled with boutique shops, ice cream parlours, and museums.
Höfði Food Hall
Since early 2019, Höfði Mathöll houses nine diverse food stalls. Specialities from many parts of the world are on offer, including Italian, Indian, Mexican, and of course Icelandic food. Culiacan, Hipstur, Svangi Mangi, Íslenska flatbakan, Wok On, The Gastro Truck, Beljandi, Sætir snúðar, and Indican are the vendors that sell their delicious food and drinks. You find Höfði Mathöll on a 15-minute drive from downtown Reykjavík at Bíldshöfði 9, and it’s open seven days a week!
Borg29 Food Hall
Serving the business sector on Borgartún, Borg29 (Borgartún 29, get it?!) gets crowded at lunchtime but opens up in the evenings. Enjoy eating out at one of Reykjavík’s food halls! Here, you can get pasta at Pronto, authentic Italian pizza at Natalía, or the best vegan burger in town at Yuzu. You can also get your Chinese or sushi fix. If you are feeling a little more upscale, you can still order a steak and wine at Bál! With a great view of Mt. Esjan, Borg29 is a fantastic place to stop and grab a bite to eat. The food hall is open from 11:00-22:00 during the week, and open until 23:00 on the weekends.
Hafnartorg Gallery
One of the newest editions downtown is the Hafnartorg Gallery, an all-in-one stop for shopping, food, wine, and more. Adjacent to the shops along Geirsgata and near the Icelandic Phallological Museum, Hafnartorg also houses a food hall. Wine bars Brand and Akur will definitely refresh you after a day of walking and shopping. We recommend trying Black Dragon, a French-Asian fusion restaurant that will blow your tastebuds away, or Kualua, one of Iceland’s first Hawaiian Poké restaurants.
Kúmen Food Hall in Kringlan Shopping Mall
The latest food hall opened at the end of November 2022, it is called Kúmen and located in Kringlan shopping mall. The name Kúmen is a play with words as this is the Icelandic word for caraway while kringlan can mean literally the pretzel. The Icelandic version of a pretzel that you get in local bakeries is usually with caraway seeds. Before Kúmen opened, Kringlan was missing its caraway seeds, but now it finally got them.
Kúmen has a strong focus on fast food, with e.g. Subway, Serrano (Mexican burritos, salad etc.) and Sbarro. When we went there, there was a DJ playing some fast beats, which might be taken as a hint that you are expected to eat your fast food fast! There is enough seating and Kúmen could be a good place to sit down for a moment to rest and eat after shopping at Kringlan.
Read our guide to fast food in Reykjavík.
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