Best Places to Buy Souvenirs in Reykjavik (Skip the Tourist Junk)

I have spent fifteen years walking the rain-slicked sidewalks of Reykjavik, and I will tell you what I tell every friend who lands at Keflavik with an empty suitcase. If you want meaningful best souvenir shopping in Reykjavik, you have to step away from the generic gift shops near the harbor. The real finds are scattered through residential side streets and small designer studios where Icelanders shop for themselves. This is where you discover handmade wool, volcanic salt crafted from geothermal energy, and ceramics fired with local clay. Forget the imported trinkets stamped with a cartoon Viking head. The local gifts Reykjavik actually excites you about tend to come from people who love this island enough to interpret it through their work. I have visited every single spot below more than once, usually on a grey Tuesday afternoon when the owners had time to actually talk.

Grandi Harbour District: Where Creativity Meets Working Waterfront

The Grandi waterfront area sits on the eastern side of the harbor, a short walk from the popular whale watching boats but far enough that most visitors never wander in. This neighborhood used to be Reykjavik's fishing backbone, packed with fish drying racks and cold storage facilities. Now those old industrial buildings house a cluster of microbreweries, artisan food makers, and independent sellers. You will feel the history in the corrugated metal siding and rusted overhead cranes that still frame the skyline. I like going here mid-morning on a weekday when the weekend crowds drift toward the Old Harbour and the studios are quieter.

1. Víkursalad (KiÖgerðin Studio) at Grandi Art Gallery

Grandi Art Gallery sits inside one of the renovated harbour buildings, functioning as a shared exhibition and retail space for local independent makers. I first stumbled into it around noon on a Thursday because I was hiding from horizontal rain. The collective rotates featured artists regularly, so the inventory shifts constantly. You will find hand-printed linocut cards of Reykjavik streetscapes, small-batch volcanic ash glazes, and driftwood jewelry painted with scenes of Icelandic birds. Prices range from around 1,500 ISK for a set of prints up to maybe 15,000 ISK for a single ceramic piece. The best time to stop by is during the occasional open studio days when the actual makers are on the floor and happy to explain how they build a glaze from Hekla volcanic rock. Most tourists walk right past the building entirely because there is no flashy sign facing the main path. One insider tip: bring cash or a card with no foreign transaction fee because the gallery splits sales between multiple artists and the payment system can be slow with some international cards.

The Vibe? Quiet, understated, and genuinely creative with no commissioned-sales energy.
The Bill? Low to mid-range, roughly 2,000 to 12,000 ISK per item.
The Standout? Handmade ceramics using volcanic ash sourced from recent eruptions.
The Catch? Inventory changes constantly, so that piece you loved might be gone next week.

2. Saltverk

Saltverk operates a small seaside workshop and shop near Grandi where they harvest salt using Reykjavik's abundant geothermal energy. This matters because most of the world's artisan salt relies on burning fossil fuels or long outdoor solar evaporation. Here they evaporate geothermal seawater in around 24 hours, creating a product that is genuinely tied to Iceland's geology. The original smoked birch salt is what I always buy for my sister in Oslo. They also make juniper, lava, and arctic thyme varieties, each small tin running between 2,500 and 4,000 ISK. The shop opens early on weekdays when the production schedule means a delicious sea-salt smell drifts out onto the dock. I usually pop in just after 10:00 AM to avoid the lunch rush. One detail most visitors won't know is that you can sometimes buy "off-cook" salt batches with unusual crystal textures, which the staff will point you toward if you ask. On windy days the shop door sticks badly and the interior gets a bit cramped if three people are inside at once, so timing your visit matters.

The Vibe? Small, maritime, and rooted in real Icelandic resourcefulness.
The Bill? Expect 2,500 to 4,500 ISK per tin.
The Standout? The smoked birch salt has a flavor unlike anything you will find outside Iceland.
The Catch? The shop is tiny and gets crowded quickly during cruise ship days.

Laugavegur Street and the 101 Postcode Core

Laugavegur is Reykjavik's main shopping artery stretching roughly 2 kilometers from Hlemmur bus terminal down toward Bankastræti near Tjörnin pond. It is also where the city's creative pulse has concentrated since the late 1990s, when vacant storefronts from a weak economy filled with young designers instead of international chains. The street carries deep historical weight too, once serving as a path where Reykjavik residents walked to the hot springs at Laugardalur to wash clothes. Shopping here connects you with that working class past even as the storefronts modernize. The side streets branching off Laugavegur hold even more surprises, so do not stay on the strip itself for long. I always suggest walking the full length once without buying anything, then returning to whatever caught your eye.

3. Kiosk

Kiosk is a combined design store and workshop run by a tight collective of Icelandic designers near the midsection of Laugavegur. Think of it as a showroom where everything on the shelf is meant to solve a specific daily problem in an Icelandic household, from wool-drying racks for tiny apartments to minimalist coat hooks that handle heavy lopapeysur sweaters. Many items are produced only in small runs, so the stock changes every few weeks. I picked up a ceramic pouring spout designed specifically for Icelandic fat-storing containers about three years ago. Cute and cheap without being cheap-feeling. Prices go from around 800 ISK for small housewares up to maybe 25,000 ISK for larger textile pieces or limited-run chairs. The best time to browse is early in the day, before 11:00 AM, when the collective members are less pulled into production work and have time to discuss the design choices behind each object. One insider thing most visitors miss: Kiosk sometimes hosts small evening pop-up presentations where visiting makers in other Nordic cities show prototype goods. Ask the staff if anything is scheduled during your visit.

The Vibe? Modest, almost Scandinavian retail with a deeply serious design philosophy.
The Bill? Broad range, starting at around 800 ISK and stretching above 20,000 for furniture.
The Standout? That exceptional knitted sweater with an understated pattern you would actually wear.
The Catch? The store is often quiet on weekday afternoons and some days stock is extremely limited.

4. Litla Búðin

This small shop on a quiet street just off Laugavegur specializes in offering creative ceramic items made by local Icelandic artists. The interior feels more like an intimate gallery than a conventional souvenir stop, with white walls and careful spotlighting over hand-thrown bowls and mugs. A notable item I keep returning to is a dark volcanic-glazed coffee cup designed in partnership with an elder ceramics artisan in Borgarfjörður. Pieces range from about 4,000 ISK for smaller decorative objects up to 18,000 ISK for larger serving bowls. Visits feel more personal mid-week when the owner often works the counter herself. If you are traveling with a group larger than two or three at once, the narrow interior gets congested quickly. An unpublicized bonus is that the owner occasionally accepts custom orders for pickup later in the trip if you fall in love with a piece but lack suitcase space, no extra charge.

The Vibe? Intimate, gallery-like, and deliberately low on clutter.
The Bill? Mid-range, roughly 4,000 to 18,000 ISK per ceramic piece.
The Standout? The volcanic-glazed mugs and small tableware sets.
The Catch? Extremely limited interior space makes browsing uncomfortable for groups.

Hver í 101: The Side Streets East of Laugavegur

Southeast of Laugavegur, a residential grid of colorful corrugated houses and small squares constitutes one of Reykjavik's most visually charming corners. Streets like Skólavörðustígur and Hverfisgata host a patchwork of independent galleries, secondhand fashion stores, and boutiques that feel more like a wealthy suburb's maker market than a tourist corridor. This district was historically where Reyjavik's middle class professionals lived, and some of the oldest residential structures in the city still stand. The creative energy here remembers that past. I gravitate toward this part of the 101 postcode when I want authentic souvenirs Reykjavik shoppers seek out once they are tired of the same mass-produced lopipeysa on every corner of the main drags.

5. Kraum

Kraum sits on a side street just off the main tourist road, functioning as an Icelandic design collective stocking an eclectic mix of work from local artists and designers. They sell jewelry, textiles, stationery, and limited-run household objects that reflect a distinctly modern Icelandic aesthetic rather than anything stereotypically Viking-themed. I know what to buy in Reykjavik better than most by now, and a hand-stamped silver ring I bought here five years ago is still my most-worn piece of jewelry anywhere. Small items like cards and candles start around 1,500 ISK, while jewelry and larger textile pieces climb toward 20,000 ISK. Weekday mornings between 10:00 and noon tend to be the most productive time to browse. Many visitors overlook Kraum because its exterior is reserved and lacks the typical gift-shop window displays others rely on. Staff are knowledgeable and will walk you through the story behind each designer. One small caveat: register your purchases at the counter upon entry because the shop tracks local artist royalties carefully, adding a few seconds to checkout.

The Vibe? Sleek, curated, and understated with strong individual artist identities.
The Bill? Range from about 1,500 ISK for prints and candles to 20,000 ISK for jewelry.
The Standout? Handcrafted silver and volcanic stone jewelry made by Icelandic metalsmiths.
The Catch? No flashy signs or window displays, so you might walk past without realizing it is a store.

6. Eymundsson Bookshop on Austurstræti

Eymundsson is Iceland's oldest and most respected bookseller, with its flagship branch on Austurstræti in the old center. While it is first and foremost a working bookshop for locals, it also carries the finest selection of Icelandic visual art books, poetry collections, and nature photography volumes in the country. For the curious foreign visitor interested in what to buy in Reykjavik, a coffee table book of glacier photography or an English-Icelandic conceptual poetry collection makes an elevated souvenir. Hardcover art books typically run from 6,000 to 15,000 ISK, with smaller poetry paperbacks as low as 2,500 ISK. The store runs small author events and book launches, typically on weekday evenings. English titles are well-stocked, but if you want the latest Icelandic writing you may need to ask the staff for English-translated options. A useful tip: they gift-wrap purchases at no extra charge if you ask.

The Vibe? A respected local bookshop that just happens to host foreign visitors.
The Bill? Most books fall between 2,500 and 15,000 ISK.
The Standout? Limited-edition Icelandic nature photography and contemporary poetry books.
The Catch? Some smaller Icelandic-language sections can be difficult to navigate without staff help.

Kringlan and Smáralind: The Mall Route

Reykjavik's two major indoor shopping centers at Kringlan and Smáralind are located a short bus ride from the center, near Laugardalur valley. They may not sound glamorous, but both house thoughtful Icelandic brand boutiques often skipped entirely by visitors who identify malls with corporate sameness. Kringlan in particular connects to the old exhibition hall history of the Reyjavik area, a convention and trade-show industry that thrived for decades in these flat valley lands. Smáralind, slightly outside the core, also features a range of Nordic-focused retailers. I recommend visiting either on weekday mornings when the after-work and weekend crowds have not yet filled the common areas and parking is actually available.

6. Hildur Sagur at Kringlan

Hildur Sagur is a Reykjavik-based knitwear concept and apparel brand known for Icelandic wool accessories and design pieces. From scarves to hats and modern interpretations of classic Nordic patterns, Hildur Sagur's range supports local Icelandic wool runs. They stock products primarily made from Icelandic wool, keeping traditional domestic techniques alive. A scarf or simple knit item starts around 8,000 ISK, with heavier outerwear pieces sometimes exceeding 40,000 ISK. The colors tend to be more subdued and contemporary than the tourist-trap export sweaters. The best time to browse is early enough to avoid lunchtime clogging near the food court. Outdoor parking at Kringlan is exposed and wind-blasted in winter, so bring gloves for the walk to the entrance.

The Vibe? Cleverly designed, wearable, and rooted in real Icelandic textile culture.
The Bill? Accessories from roughly 8,000 ISK, heavier pieces above 25,000 ISK.
The Standout? Nordic-pattern knit scarves made from Icelandic wool.
The Catch? The Kringlan mall itself feels generic and loses its appeal fast if you prefer independent shopping.

7. Icewear at Smáralind Mall

Icewear represents one of the more established names in Icelandic outdoor retail, now operating from a boutique location at Smáralind as the brand's flagship. Their stock includes knit sweaters, outdoor gear, and accessories drawn from the broader Icelandic adventure culture. Traditional Icelandic lopapeysa sweaters remain a key product, offered in both classic yoke patterns and contemporary variations. Basic knit items start near 12,000 ISK, with heavier outdoor outerwear climbing past 60,000 ISK. For authentic souvenirs Reykjavik hunters, the key here is selective browsing since the brand blends true Icelandic-knit sections with more mass-market athletic wear. Visit early to avoid afternoon rush noise. The mall is among the main local shopping hubs, and weekend traffic can be intense. One important detail: they occasionally offer a small discount on end-of-season stock, so ask the floor staff if any promotions are running.

The Vibe? Active, functional, and visually aligned with island life and the outdoors.
The Bill? Sweaters typically 12,000 to 30,000 ISK; outdoor outerwear higher.
The Standout? Lopapeysur wool sweaves and outdoor layers suited to Icelandic conditions.
The Catch? Some stock feels mass-produced compared to true artisan knitwear.

8. Thor's Skyr Bar at Kringlan Food Hall

Thor's Skyr Bar operates inside the Kringlan food hall, offering a surprisingly functional source for high-quality Icelandic food gifts, especially skyr and packed cultured dairy products suited for carry-on travel. While primarily a restaurant, they stock packaged products like drinkable skyr, whey-based sauces, and seasoned dried lamb meat that travel reliably. A single premium skyr bottle or sausage pack runs between 1,500 and 4,500 ISK. Go early in the day for fresh stock before popular items sell out. The food hall itself gets loudly busy during the post-work dinner period. An underestimated option is to ask about their Icelandic-made whey-based hot sauce, a condiment available in many local food outlets. I gave a bottle to my neighbor in Reykjavik and he said it was the best souvenir anyone ever brought him.

The Vibe? Functional, contemporary Icelandic food culture with a clear, modern aesthetic.
The Bill? Most giftable food items between 1,500 and 4,500 ISK.
The Standout? Icelandic skyr drink bottles and seasoned dried lamb packages suited for travel.
The Catch? Food hall noise and crowded peak periods make browsing less pleasant.

Downtown Residential Corners: Bargain and Vintage

Beyond the design-forward boutiques, at least two downtown residential corners warrant inclusion for travelers seeking something more uncommon from local gifts Reykjavik has to offer at accessible prices. Vintage and charity-operated shops here reflect Reyjavik's generally frugal and style-conscious side, and I have found genuinely unusual clothing and home goods in these places on visits that felt more like archaeology than shopping.

9. Spúútnik Vintage on Laugavegur

Spúútnik, located along the lower stretch of Laugavegur, offers vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories with a eclectic domestic flavor. Their stock changes constantly, with generous helpings of 1970s and 80s Scandinavian knitwear, leather bags, and the occasional delightfully odd Icelandic school sweater with a faded institution name across the chest. Basic tees and knitwear start around 3,000 ISK, with leather bags and outerwear climbing above 15,000 ISK. The shop is excellent for travelers who want reusable fashion over factory-made souvenirs. I stop by every few months because the stock shifts so much. Visit mid-week morning to avoid the busy wave. Inside, the lighting is low to highlight textures, so bring your patience. One local secret: the owner sometimes sets aside incoming stock in the back if you ask about a specific item or style.

The Vibe? Eclectic, very Reykjavik, and more style laboratory than retail chain.
The Bill? Basic finds around 3,000 to 8,000 ISK; premium leathers above 15,000 ISK.
The Standout? Vintage Icelandic wool sweaters with faded school or company logos.
The Catch? Low interior lighting and a relatively cramped fitting area.

When to Go / What to Know

Weekday mornings between 10:00 AM and noon are the most efficient window for best souvenir shopping in Reykjavik. Saturdays can work but bring tolerance for erratic opening hours and the growing crowd of locals and visitors entering and leaving shops. Sundays are nearly useless, with many independent shops closed entirely and malls opening only from noon. Weather matters more here than in many capitals; wind and rain can make the walk between shops miserable without proper layers, so plan your route to minimize exposed stretches. Reykjavik's compact size means your itinerary can realistically include four or five venues in a three-hour stretch without rushing. Carry at least one Icelandic payment card or a widely accepted foreign card since cash is rarely required. And do not forget that many Icelandic goods are oddly bulky. Ceramic pieces and wool outerwear do not compress. Leave room in your suitcase or plan to mail heavier items home using the post office near the center.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the standard tipping etipping etiquette or service charge policy at restaurants in Reykjavik?

Tipping is not expected or customary in Reykjavik restaurants, bars, or cafés. Service charges are generally included in the listed menu price. Most locals simply pay the bill as shown. You may round up the total or leave a small extra amount for exceptional service, but this is entirely optional and not considered rude to skip.

How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant based dining options in Reykjavik?

Vegetarian and vegan dining is widely available across central Reykjavik, with most mid-range and higher-end restaurants offering at least one plant-based main course. Dedicated vegan cafés and several fully vegetarian restaurants exist, particularly near Laugavegur and the 101 postcode core. Options have expanded dramatically since around 2015, and even traditional Icelandic menus now label plant-based items clearly in both Icelandic and English.

What is the average cost of a specialty coffee or local tea in Reykjavik?

A standard flat white or cappuccino in a Reykjavik specialty café typically costs between 650 and 850 ISK. Filter coffee is slightly less expensive, often around 450 to 600 ISK. Teas fall in a similar range, with house herbal or Icelandic berry teas averaging 500 to 750 ISK. Prices are fairly consistent across the central shopping district.

Are credit cards widely accepted across Reykjavik, or is it necessary to carry cash for daily expenses?

Credit and debit cards are accepted almost universally in Reykjavik shops, restaurants, taxis, and tourist venues, including small independent boutiques and market stalls. Contactless and mobile payment options are common. Carrying cash is rarely necessary, though having a small amount of Icelandic króna on hand can be useful for occasional small tips or donations.

Is Reykjavik expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.

A mid-tier traveler in Reykjavik should budget roughly 35,000 to 50,000 ISK per day excluding accommodation. This covers two restaurant meals at mid-range establishments, public bus transport, two to three attractions or museum entries, and basic incidental spending. International visitors from North America or Northern Europe will notice prices comparable to major cities in their home region, with groceries and dining being the most noticeable expense categories.