Kaffihús Vesturbæjar

Kaffihús Vesturbæjar sits on the corner of Hofsvallagata and Melhagi in the residential Vesturbær district, well outside the downtown cluster most visitors stick to, pouring coffee from Reykjavik Roasters through a room built around rustic wood tables, fairy lights, and enough candles to make the space feel lived in rather than styled. It runs as a genuine all day neighborhood bistro, breakfast through dinner, beer and wine included, rather than a coffee only stop.

Pub quizzes and live music are regular fixtures, which pulls in a crowd that's more local than tourist. Long daily hours, open well into the evening every night of the week, make it as much a place to end a day as start one.