Skál! Chef's Hangout in a Reykjavík Food Hall

Our favorite restaurant in Reykjavík is located in the least likely location: inside a food hall at a bus stop at the far end of the main walking street. Skál is not your typical food court restaurant. Danish head chef Thomas Lorentzen has a background from restaurant Kadeau in Copenhagen, so you can expect quite a high level in the food. Grab a seat at the counter and order the whole menu – it features local, seasonal ingredients, and every bite is tastier than the last. We especially loved the raw Icelandic scallops with mussel broth and buttermilk, the salt-baked beets with homemade mascarpone and licorice salt from Saltverk, and the baked Arctic char with caper onion butter. This is modern Scandinavian comfort food, in a fun, rambunctious setting; it’s a chef’s hangout, a place where the industry goes on their day off to get their grub on and guzzle natural wine. The night time is when the party takes place, but also drop by for lunch to try the flæskesteg (pork belly) sandwich.

Looking for more great spots for food and drinks in Iceland? Check out our city map of Reykjavík!

Skál is not your typical food court restaurant.
Skál is not your typical food court restaurant.
SKÁL!

Address & Contact Information
Laugavegur 107, Reykjavík, Iceland
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The natural wine list here is one of the best in town.
The natural wine list here is one of the best in town.
For lunch, try the flæskesteg (pork belly) sandwich.
For lunch, try the flæskesteg (pork belly) sandwich.
We drank a Heritage Zibibbo from Serragghia.
We drank a Heritage Zibibbo from Serragghia.
Salt baked beets, homemade mascarpone, licorice salt from Saltverk, lemon thyme oil, walnuts, dill, & crispy bread.
Salt baked beets, homemade mascarpone, licorice salt from Saltverk, lemon thyme oil, walnuts, dill, & crispy bread.
Beef tartare, cured egg yolk, wild sorrel, & tarragon emulsion.
Beef tartare, cured egg yolk, wild sorrel, & tarragon emulsion.
Baked arctic char, caper onion butter, mash, fennel, & dill.
Baked arctic char, caper onion butter, mash, fennel, & dill.
Smoked pieces of leftover char, crème fraîche, sourdough bread, & herb salad.
Smoked pieces of leftover char, crème fraîche, sourdough bread, & herb salad.
Cheers to Skál!
Cheers to Skál!
Skirt skirt, potatoes, onions, & tarragon emulsion.
Skirt skirt, potatoes, onions, & tarragon emulsion.
Omnom chocolate fondant with crème anglaise and orange.
Omnom chocolate fondant with crème anglaise and orange.
Skál is our favorite casual restaurant in Reykjavík.
Skál is our favorite casual restaurant in Reykjavík.

Have you been to Skál? Let us know in a comment below.

Kaitlin Orr

Kaitlin Orr and Anders Husa are food & travel bloggers and creative content creators. From their base in Copenhagen, they operate the largest and most influential restaurant-focused travel blog in Scandinavia.

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