Icelanders have always been coffee lovers and this is reflected in the number of cafés that have sprung up in the past few years, such as Kaffitár, the aromatic coffee shop with a social conscience that brightens up Bankastræti downtown. There are 5 more Kaffitár outlets in Reykjavík with the latest opening in the new exhibition centre at Perlan. Most cafés sell light meals & alcoholic beverages as well as being child-friendly.
Many cafés have taken advantage of the effects of global warming in Iceland and now provide outdoor seating for warmer days. There’s nothing like sipping a good cappuccino in the sun while watching daily life in Reykjavík. Each café has its own speciality and ambience, making choosing difficult, so why not do a ‘café crawl’ that includes the Icelandic traditional food specialist, Café Loki or newcomer Café Laugalækur until you find your favourite barista.
The first coffee shop to allow four-legged patrons is the newly-opened Kattakaffihúsið downtown. This is a cat coffee shop where cat lovers get the opportunity to stroke a feline while sipping their latte.