Three Great Coffeehouses in Reykjavik, Iceland

If you think a cold-weather country would have a great selection of places to get a hot drink, you'd be right in Iceland's case. But even among a consistently solid selection of coffeehouses, there are a few standouts. As is the case through most of Iceland, you'll still be able to get great service even if you can't speak any Icelandic (though a nice takk-takk -thank you- to the baristas will get you started).

Kaffitar

Travelandleisure.com unfairly calls Kaffitar "the Iceland equivalent of Starbucks." Yes, it dominates the scene with five different coffee bars in the capitol, and it supplies roasted beans and other goods to a number of other businesses. But Kaffitar's baristas are far more skilled.

The Kaffitar cappuccino -recognized by baristas-in-the-know as the real test of a barista- is excellent. It compares well to any of the so-called "Third Wave" coffeehouses in the United States. It also has a great atmosphere, with plenty of people hanging out, meeting up and planning their next expedition to the back country.

Kaffitar's products are also "eco-labelled," which I'm pretty sure is the Icelandic equivalent of Fair Trade-certified.

Cafe Rot

English speakers, don't let the name fool you. There's nothing rotten going on here. As far as I can tell, the name means something like "Cafe Uprising" or "Cafe Ruckus." The coffee drinks here are all pretty solid, with the great addition of a very well-done chai tea (sometimes, you need a break from the espresso).

What sets Cafe Rot apart is a great atmosphere. During my visits, the upstairs area was populated by hipsters and teenagers enjoying conversations. Downstairs, soccer fans settled back into huge leather sofas to watch World Cup matches on a huge high-definition screen. There was a one-drink minimum to watch the matches.

Compare that to the United States, where you have to drink beer or eat greasy bar food if you want to watch a major sporting event in a public place. Awesome! I'd love a place to watch soccer while enjoying a quality espresso drink. It also made for a friendly atmosphere, where I got to discuss the state of soccer with an Algerian, a guy from Holland and a bunch of English dudes.

Sufistinn Kaffihus

Being just a few steps from The Viking Hotel surely brings a few travelers into Sufistinn. It's a friendly place to get out of the chill and rain - which occur often. It's a bright, airy building with a friendly staff. The baristas aren't quite as outrageously talented as the Kaffitar crew. But what really makes Sufustinn is the desserts.

The chocolate-coconut cake is among my favorite desserts, ranking on my all-time list as neck-and-neck with the Sicilian cheesecake at Australia's Mungalli Creek Dairy. The coffee drinks are definitely to a high standard. But it's hard to compete with a dessert so good it's nearly obscene.

A map to Sufustinn is in the link above. It doesn't appear to have a website. If you're staying in Reykjavik, you can be in Sufustinn's neighborhood after a 15-minute bus ride.