Top Rated Pizza Joints in Reykjavik That Locals Swear By

I have eaten my way through every neighborhood in this city for the better part of two decades, and I can tell you that the top rated pizza joints in Reykjavik are not the ones with the flashiest Instagram accounts or the longest menus. They are the ones where the owner still works the counter on a Tuesday night, where the dough is made by hand every morning, and where you will find just as many locals eating alone at the bar as you will find tourists taking photos. This is a city that took a long time to embrace pizza as anything other than airport food, but the local pizza spots Reykjavik residents rely on today have earned their reputation through years of consistency. What follows is my personal directory of the places I send friends, coworkers, and strangers who ask me where to get a proper slice.

Hverfisgata and the Downtown Core: Where the Best Casual Pizza Reykjavik Lives

1. Hverfisgata 50: The Unmarked Door That Locals Guard

You will not find a sign out front. Walk past the Bónus supermarket on Hverfisgata, look for the narrow staircase between a clothing store and a laundromat, and go up one flight. This is a place that has operated under three different names in fifteen years, but the same family has run the kitchen since 2011. The room seats maybe twenty people, and the walls are covered in handwritten notes from regulars. The dough here is cold-fermented for forty-eight hours, which gives the crust a tang and a chew that most cheap pizza Reykjavik spots cannot replicate because they do not want to wait that long.

What to Order: The pepperoni with a drizzle of local honey. It sounds strange until you try it. The sweetness cuts through the grease in a way that makes perfect sense after your second beer.

Best Time: Weekday evenings between 6:00 and 7:30 PM. After 8:00 PM on weekends, the wait can stretch past forty minutes, and the room gets loud enough that you will not hear your own conversation.

The Vibe: A cramped apartment kitchen that happens to serve the best casual pizza Reykjavik has in its center. The owner, Kristín, will remember your name if you come back twice. The single restroom is down a steep staircase that feels dangerous after three beers.

Local Tip: There is no sign because the building's landlord has a complicated relationship with commercial permits. Do not let that stop you. The food is fully licensed and inspected. Cash is preferred, though cards are accepted.

What Tourists Do Not Know: The kitchen closes at 10:00 PM sharp, even if people are still waiting for a table. The owner goes to bed early and walks her dog at Laugardalslaug every morning at 6:00 AM. If you want a late-night slice, you need to go somewhere else.

2. Bar 33: The Laugavegur Institution

Laugavegur is the street most tourists walk down without stopping to look at anything beyond the souvenir shops. Bar 33 sits halfway between Hallgrímskja and the Hlemmur bus terminal, and it has been serving cheap pizza Reykjavik residents depend on since the early 2000s. The interior has not been redecorated since approximately 2008, which is part of its appeal. The booths are cracked vinyl, the lighting is fluorescent, and the jukebox still takes Icelandic króna coins. This is not a place that tries to be anything other than what it is.

What to Order: The "Þrír Náttúrúr" (Three Naturals), which is a vegetarian option with mushrooms, olives, and roasted red peppers. It is the only pizza on the menu that does not come with cheese as a default, and the kitchen will not add it unless you ask.

Best Time: Late afternoon on a weekday, around 3:00 to 5:00 PM, when the after-work crowd has not yet arrived and the kitchen is fully stocked. Weekend nights are chaotic and the pizza quality dips slightly when the kitchen is slammed.

The Vibe: A time capsule of pre-bubble Reykjavik. The staff are mostly university students who have been working there for years. The music is always too loud, which is either a feature or a flaw depending on your mood.

Local Tip: The back entrance through the alley off Skólavörðustígur is faster than the front door. Everyone knows this, but the front door is where the only host stand is, so tourists always crowd there.

What Tourists Do Not Know: The building was originally a fish processing warehouse in the 1940s. The freezer doors in the back hallway are original. The owner keeps them because replacing them would cost more than the annual revenue from the pizza alone.

The Hlíðar and Vesturbær Neighborhoods: Residential Local Pizza Spots Reykjavik Families Frequent

3. Le Kuefenn: Where French Technique Meets Icelandic Ingredients

Borgarholt is not a neighborhood that appears in most travel guides. It is a residential area west of the city center where families live in colorful corrugated-iron houses and children play in communal gardens. Le Kuefenn sits on a quiet stretch of Borgarholt, and it is run by a French-Icelandic couple who met while working at a restaurant in Lyon. The pizza here is not cheap pizza Reykjavik style. It is a different category entirely. The flour is imported from France, the tomatoes are San Marzano, and the cheese is a blend of Icelandic mozzarella and French Gruyère that the owners developed over two years of testing.

What to Order: The "Reykjavik," which is topped with smoked lamb, caramelized onions, and a balsamic reduction. It is the only pizza on the menu that uses Icelandic lamb, and it is the reason I keep coming back.

Best Time: Dinner service on Thursday or Friday. The kitchen is at its most precise early in the week because the owners prep everything themselves. Saturday nights are busy and the pacing between courses can stretch.

The Vibe: A small dining room with twelve tables and a visible kitchen. The owners work the room themselves. It feels like eating in someone's home, which is both warm and slightly intense if you are not used to that level of personal attention.

Local Tip: Reservations are taken by phone only, and the phone is often answered by whoever is closest to it, which might be the dishwasher. Be patient. Leave a message if you get voicemail. They call back within the hour.

What Tourists Do Not Know: The building was a auto repair garage until 2016. The hydraulic lift is still in the basement. The owners have discussed removing it every year and every year they decide it is too expensive and too much a part of the building's character.

4. Pizzeria Simma: The Family Operation on Miklabraut

Miklabraut is the main road that runs along the southern edge of the city center, and it is about as glamorous as a highway median. Pizzeria Simma is a small, family-run operation wedged between a tire shop and a laundromat. The dining room has six tables, a television that is always on, and a counter where you order and pick up your food. This is the definition of cheap pizza Reykjavik style, and it is exactly what you want at 11:00 PM on a Wednesday when you have been drinking and need something substantial.

What to Order: The "Simma Special," which is a large pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, and a garlic crust. It costs 2,450 ISK as of 2024, which makes it one of the most affordable full meals in the city center area.

Best Time: Late night, between 10:00 PM and midnight. The kitchen stays open until 1:00 AM on weekends, and the late-night crowd is a mix of taxi drivers, nurses finishing shifts, and people coming home from bars.

The Vibe: Functional. The chairs are mismatched, the tables are wiped down with a cloth that could use a wash, and the lighting is harsh. But the pizza is hot, the portions are generous, and the family running it has been doing this for over twenty years.

Local Tip: Ask for the homemade chili sauce on the side. It is not on the menu, but the owner makes it fresh every week and will give you a small container if you ask politely. It is ferociously hot and excellent.

What Tourists Do Not Know: The owner's son played handball for Fram Reykjavik in the early 2010s. There are framed jerseys on the wall near the bathroom. If you mention it, the owner will talk about it for ten minutes, which is either charming or a problem depending on how hungry you are.

The Grandi and Waterfront Area: Pizza With a View

5. Lava Restaurant at the Volcano House: Grandi's Most Overlooked Eatery

Grandi is the old fish processing district that has been slowly transforming into a cultural and dining area over the past decade. The Volcano House is a cinema and exhibition space that shows a documentary about Icelandic volcanoes on a loop. Lava Restaurant is attached to it, and almost nobody eats there because they assume it is a tourist trap attached to a tourist attraction. They are wrong. The pizza here is solid, the ingredients are fresh, and the view of the harbor from the window tables is better than anything you will find on Laugavegur.

What to Order: The "Volcano," which is a spicy pizza with jalapeños, pepperoni, and a smoked cheese blend. It is not the most creative name, but the heat level is genuine, which is rare in a city that tends to treat black pepper as a spice.

Best Time: Early evening, around 5:00 PM, when the documentary screenings are between showings and the restaurant is quiet. The sunset over the harbor in summer is worth planning your meal around.

The Vibe: Clean, modern, and slightly corporate. The staff are professional but not particularly warm. It feels like a hotel restaurant, which makes sense given the building's history as a guesthouse in the 1960s.

Local Tip: The cinema ticket gets you a 10% discount on food. Buy a ticket for the next showing, eat first, and then watch the film. The documentary is actually quite good, and the discount makes the pizza a reasonable value.

What Tourists Do Not Know: The building sits on the site of a former fish freezing plant that operated from 1938 to 1982. The original cold storage rooms are now used as a wine cellar. If you ask your server, they might show you the old temperature gauges still mounted on the wall.

6. Session Pizza at Iðnó: The Live Music Venue That Makes Good Pizza

Iðnó is a cultural venue on the eastern edge of the city center that hosts concerts, comedy shows, and community events. Session Pizza operates out of a small kitchen inside the venue, and it is one of the best casual pizza Reykjavik options that almost nobody talks about because it is not on a main street. The dough is made in-house, the toppings rotate seasonally, and the prices are reasonable by Icelandic standards.

What to Order: Whatever the seasonal special is. In autumn, it is usually a mushroom and truffle oil pizza that is genuinely excellent. In summer, they do a fresh tomato and basil version that is simple and well-executed.

Best Time: Before a show, obviously. The kitchen opens at 5:00 PM on event nights and closes by 9:00 PM. If there is no event, the kitchen may not open at all, so check the venue's schedule before you go.

The Vibe: A bar kitchen that happens to make good pizza. The room is dark, the music is loud, and the crowd is a mix of concertgoers and locals who come for the food alone. The service can be slow when the bar is busy.

Local Tip: The pizza is half-price during the first hour of service on show nights. This is not advertised. The kitchen does it to move product quickly before the crowd gets drinks. Arrive at 5:00 PM sharp.

What Tourists Do Not Know: Iðnó was originally a hardware store and then a printing press before becoming a music venue. The pizza kitchen is in what used to be the loading dock. The loading doors are still there and are opened in summer, which gives the space an unusual open-air feel.

The Eastern Neighborhoods: Where Cheap Pizza Reykjavik Meets Community

7. Pizzería Múlinn: The Breiðholt Neighborhood Spot

Breiðholt is a large residential area in the eastern part of Reykjavik that has a reputation among tourists as a place to avoid. That reputation is outdated and largely unfair. It is a working-class neighborhood with good schools, community centers, and some of the most affordable food in the city. Múlinn is a small pizzeria on a residential street that serves cheap pizza Reykjavik residents in the area have relied on for years. The menu is simple, the portions are large, and the atmosphere is unpretentious.

What to Order: The "Múlinn Classic," which is a large pizza with ham, pineapple, and extra cheese. I know that pineapple on pizza is controversial. I do not care. The sweetness of the pineapple works with the saltiness of the ham in a way that is comforting and satisfying.

Best Time: Weekend afternoons, between 1:00 and 4:00 PM, when families are out and the kitchen is running at full capacity. The pizza comes out faster when the kitchen is busy because the oven is at temperature and the staff are in a rhythm.

The Vibe: A neighborhood living room. The tables are covered in checked cloths, there is a play area for children in the corner, and the owner knows most of the customers by name. It is the opposite of trendy, and that is its strength.

Local Tip: The takeaway window on the side of the building is faster than dining in. Order from the window, eat at the picnic table outside if the weather cooperates, and you will have one of the most affordable meals in the city.

What Tourists Do Not Know: The building was a community bakery in the 1970s. The original brick oven is still in the back, though it has not been used since the 1990s. The owner keeps it as a reminder of the building's history and has no plans to remove it.

8. Hressingz: The Late-Night Option Near Hlemmur

Hlemmur is the old bus terminal that has been converted into a food hall and bar complex. Hressingz operates out of a small stall inside, and it serves some of the best casual pizza Reykjavik has available after midnight. The slices are large, the cheese is real, and the prices are lower than almost anything else in the area. This is where I go at 1:00 AM when I am tired of bars and want something that will let me sleep.

What to Order: A slice of the margherita and a slice of the pepperoni. Two slices is a meal. Three slices is a commitment. The margherita is the better of the two because the simplicity of the ingredients lets the dough quality show.

Best Time: After midnight, every night. The food hall is open until 2:00 AM on weekends, and Hressingz stays open as long as there are customers. The crowd at this hour is a mix of industry workers, musicians, and people who have made questionable decisions and need carbs.

The Vibe: A food hall at 1:00 AM. The lighting is fluorescent, the music is whatever the DJ in the corner is playing, and the energy is chaotic but friendly. The seating is communal, which means you will sit next to strangers. That is part of the experience.

Local Tip: The bathrooms in the food hall are down the stairs near the back entrance. They are not well-marked. Ask a staff member if you need them. The line can be long after 1:30 AM.

What Tourists Do Not Know: The Hlemmur bus terminal was the main transit hub for Reykjavik from 1978 until 2023, when the new Hlemmur hub opened nearby. The food hall opened in 2024 in the old terminal building. The bus schedules are still posted on the wall near the entrance, which is a strange and melancholy detail that I find oddly moving.

When to Go and What to Know

Reykjavik is not a city of late-night dining. Most kitchens close by 10:00 PM, and even the places that stay open later will start shutting down their ovens thirty minutes before the posted closing time. If you want pizza, plan your evening accordingly. The sweet spot for most of the places listed here is between 6:00 and 8:30 PM, when the kitchens are fully staffed and the dining rooms are at their most relaxed.

Cash is accepted everywhere, but card is preferred. Iceland is nearly cashless at this point, and some of the smaller spots will look at you strangely if you try to pay with bills. Contactless payment, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, is standard at every venue mentioned in this guide.

Tipping is not expected and not customary. Service is included in the price. If you had an exceptional experience, rounding up the bill is appreciated but never required. Do not feel pressured to tip 15 or 20 percent. That is not how things work here.

The weather will affect your pizza experience more than you expect. In winter, many of these places are cold near the doors because customers are constantly opening them. In summer, the rooms without air conditioning can get uncomfortably warm. Dress in layers. This is always the answer in Reykjavik.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

A mid-tier daily budget for Reykjavik runs approximately 25,000 to 35,000 ISK (180 to 250 USD) per person, covering a mid-range hotel or guesthouse, two restaurant meals, local bus transport, and one paid attraction. A single large pizza at most local spots costs between 2,200 and 3,500 ISK (16 to 25 USD), while a sit-down dinner with a drink at a casual restaurant runs 4,000 to 7,000 ISK (29 to 50 USD). Accommodation is the largest variable,