Eat · Hallgrímskirkja & Skólavörðustígur
Café Loki
A café opposite Hallgrímskirkja serving traditional Icelandic plates: fish stew, lamb soup and rye bread; a warm lunch stop with a view of the church.
- Traditional plates
- Opposite Hallgrímskirkja
- Rye bread ice cream
- Order: Plokkfiskur and rye bread
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: 14:00–17:00
- Queue risk: 11:30–13:00
- Bring cash
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 10Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…In winter, ice and snow make suitcases hard to wheel
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- Capital Region Iceland ↗Check the road-condition and weather services before any drive out of the city; winter storms close roads.
- Reykjavík ↗In winter, ice and snow make suitcases hard to wheel: large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
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Map & directions
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Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Hours vary by season; check the day
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
14:00–17:00
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Bring cash
Per person
ISK 3,000–5,500 (≈ US$25–45)2026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
Tip
Format
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Your first order
- Plokkfiskur and rye breadThe most local plate.ISK 3,500–4,500≈ US$30–40
Menus and prices change; the board on the day wins.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
How to order
- Order at the counter or wait to be seated; both are common (check).
- Choose a plate of the day or a soup; ask about the tasting plate if you want to try many foods.
Tipping
Unlike in the US, no tip is expected here.
Allergies and diets
- AskVegetarian · Soup and bread; check the stock. · say: “Ég er grænmetisæta.”
- AskVegan · Very limited; ask.
- AskHalal · No certification; fish plates are possible. · say: “Ég borða ekki svínakjöt.”
- AskGluten-free · Rye bread has wheat; ask about options.
- AskNut allergy · Show a written card.
- Not on fileAllergy · Fish, milk and gluten are in most dishes; show a card. · say: “Ég er með ofnæmi fyrir ___.”
Paying
Bring cash
- Pay at the counter after you eat.
- No tipping; service is included.
- Cards and phone payments; cash rarely needed.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Note
- Treat as walk-in; groups should call ahead.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
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Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
- 1Order at the counter or wait to be seated; both are common (check).
- 2Choose a plate of the day or a soup; ask about the tasting plate if you want to try many foods.
No shared language? Tap dishes in the order builder below and show the waiter the full-screen list in the local script. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| The bill, please | Reikninginn, takk | RAYK-ning-in tahk |
| Hello | Halló | HAH-loh |
| Thank you | Takk | tahk |
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Ask for tap water; it is free and cold.
- Extra bread or drinks: ISK 300–900 (≈ US$3–8) — Ask if bread is included with soup.
- Tap water is free and cold: ask for a glass, not bottled.
Paying and tipping
Unlike in the US, no tip is expected here.
- Pay at the counter after you eat.
- No tipping; service is included.
- Cards and phone payments; cash rarely needed.
- Tipping: Not expected; service is included. A small tip for exceptional service is welcome, not required.
At the table
- Prices are high but portions are large: soup and bread is the value lunch.
- Kitchens close early in the week: dinner service often stops around 21:00; book on Friday and Saturday.Kitchens close early in the week: dinner service often stops around 9:00 PM; book on Friday and Saturday.
Price and paying
- Typical spend
- ISK 3,000–5,500 (≈ US$25–45) per person for a main and coffee
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
Rarely used.
The normal way to pay.
Phone wallets through the terminal.
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianask
Soup and bread; check the stock.
Show: Ég er grænmetisæta.
- Veganask
Very limited; ask.
- Halalask
No certification; fish plates are possible.
Show: Ég borða ekki svínakjöt.
- Gluten-freeask
Rye bread has wheat; ask about options.
- Nut allergyask
Show a written card.
- Allergynot on file
Fish, milk and gluten are in most dishes; show a card.
Show: Ég er með ofnæmi fyrir ___.
What is in the dishes
- Plokkfiskur and rye breadwheat
- Rye bread with smoked troutdairy · wheat
- Rye bread ice creamdairy · wheat
Read from the menu names and notes; recipes vary and cross-contact is not tested. Check with the kitchen.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- No fixed booking known; call or visit for a group (check).
- How far ahead
- Call for groups
- No-show / cancel fee
- Not applicable
- Dress code
- None.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Public holidays | check before you go | Reduced hours at Christmas and New Year. |
| Winter weekdays | check before you go | Some hours change in low season. |
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Hour by hour, with queue times
Quietest listed hour: 09:00 (quiet).
- 09:00quietlittle or no wait
- 10:00lightlittle or no wait
- 11:00busya short wait is possible
- 12:00heavyexpect a line
- 13:00heavyexpect a line
- 14:00busya short wait is possible
- 15:00lightlittle or no wait
- 16:00lightlittle or no wait
- 17:00busya short wait is possible
- 18:00busya short wait is possible
Desk estimate of crowd on a weekday; weekends and holidays run one level higher. Not live data. No line length is on file, so waits are in words.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Restrooms
- Restroom on site · accessible restroom: check
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- kids' menu: ask · stroller: caution · Soup and bread suit children; a small room
- Access
- step-free: check · Older building with stairs to the upper floor (check)
Hygiene
- A busy café with daily turnover; the risk is low.
- Fermented shark is a strong flavour, not a spoilage sign; take one small cube first.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not on file — Treat as walk-in; groups should call ahead.
- Capabilities
- food · seated_rest · toilet
- Getting there
- Lokastígur, opposite Hallgrímskirkja · ~1 min walk
Cons
- Busy at lunch in summer.
- Tourist prices for some plates.
- Small tables and a narrow room.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Plokkfiskur | Fish stew: mashed cod or haddock with potato and onion. | Order it with rye bread and butter. |
| Rúgbrauð | Dense sweet rye bread baked in hot ground. | Ask for ‘rúgbrauð með smjöri’ (rye bread with butter). |
| Kjötsúpa | Lamb soup. | Ask if refills are included (check). |
| Skyr | Thick cultured dairy. | Try it with berries. |
Price check
- locals pay
- Locals pay the same board price, about ISK 3,000–5,000 (≈ US$25–45) for a plate (2026 estimate).
- tourist price
- Fermented shark and taster plates are priced for visitors: ISK 2,500–4,000 (≈ US$25–35).
- rule
- No tipping; service is included.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Extra bread or drinks | ISK 300–900 (≈ US$3–8) | Ask if bread is included with soup. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Where is it?
Lokastígur 28, across from Hallgrímskirkja (check the address).
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Is it good for vegetarians?
Limited; soup and cheese plates.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
What should I order?
Plokkfiskur with rye bread is the classic; lamb soup is a warm alternative.
Is it expensive?
It is mid-range for Reykjavík: about ISK 3,000–5,000 (≈ US$25–45) a plate (2026 estimate).
Is there a view?
Some tables face the church; check when you sit.
Can I try fermented shark?
The tasting plate includes it; take a small cube first.
Do I need to book?
No, but call for a large group.
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- Brauð & Co4 min walkBakery for a bun.
- Svarta Kaffið12 min walkSoup in a bread bowl on Laugavegur.
- Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur17 min walkWell-known hot-dog stand near the harbour: a fast, cheap bite; order 'with everything' and eat standing.
- Old Harbour fish and soup counters21 min walkFish and lamb soup counters near the Old Harbour: a warm, quick lunch before or after a boat trip; confirm the counter is open and read the price board first.
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h).
All places to eat in Reykjavík, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Reykjavík in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Reykjavík (eat)
- officialVisit Reykjavík
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.