Bjornsbakari Vesturbae

In a city increasingly populated by artisan coffee shops and Instagram-friendly bakeries, Bjornsbakari stands as a quiet monument to the way things used to be done. Operating since 1905, this Vesturbae bakery has been producing traditional Icelandic bread and pastries for over a century, and it has no intention of changing the formula.

The Baking

The display cases at Bjornsbakari are filled with the kind of pastries that Icelanders grew up eating. Cinnamon swirls -- thick, sticky, and deeply satisfying -- are the star attraction. The chocolate croissants, filled with cream and encased in a crisp shell, are decadent without being showy. Skorpubraud, a traditional Icelandic bread, sits alongside loaves of rye and wheat that taste of craft rather than convenience.

Everything is baked on-site and arrives at the counter still warm in the early morning hours. The selection diminishes as the day progresses, which is all the incentive you need to arrive early.

The Coffee

Bjornsbakari's coffee is notably good -- strong, flavourful, and made without the ceremony that accompanies a cup at trendier establishments. It is the kind of coffee that exists to be drunk rather than photographed, and it pairs perfectly with the pastries. A coffee and cinnamon swirl at Bjornsbakari is one of Reykjavik's most satisfying and affordable morning rituals.

The Atmosphere

The Vesturbae location has a spacious, lived-in feel that the city centre lacks. The exterior is charmingly weathered, the interior is warm and functional, and the clientele is almost entirely local. You will not hear English being spoken at most tables, which -- in a city where the tourist centre can feel overwhelmingly international -- is refreshing.

The staff speak English perfectly well, but the atmosphere is distinctly Icelandic. This is a neighbourhood bakery that serves its neighbourhood, and visitors are welcome as guests rather than customers.

Why Visit

Bjornsbakari is not on the tourist trail, and that is its greatest strength. The pastries are better than at most city centre bakeries, the prices are lower, the coffee is stronger, and the atmosphere is authentically local. It is a ten-minute walk from Laugavegur -- just far enough to filter out the crowds, just close enough to be convenient.

If you want to start your day the way Reykjavik residents have been starting theirs for over a century, Bjornsbakari is the place. Arrive at seven, order a cinnamon swirl and a coffee, and watch the neighbourhood wake up around you.