Bombay Bazaar

Frakkastigur is a short street connecting Laugavegur and Hverfisgata, and Bombay Bazaar brightens it with the kind of colour and warmth that Indian restaurants bring wherever they open. This is a restaurant that takes Indian cooking seriously — properly spiced curries, fresh naan from the tandoor, and a vegetarian selection that reminds you how much better Indian cuisine does plant-based food than most European culinary traditions.

The Food

The menu is broad, covering North Indian staples alongside dishes from other regions. The curries are the core — chicken tikka masala, lamb rogan josh, prawn masala, and a collection of vegetarian options that are not afterthoughts but genuine highlights. The kitchen uses spice blends with confidence, building layers of flavour that develop as you eat rather than hitting you with heat and nothing else.

The tandoori chicken is a benchmark order. Properly marinated, cooked at high heat in the clay oven, with the distinctive char and smoky flavour that only a tandoor produces. The naan breads — garlic, butter, plain — emerge from the same oven, pillowy and blistered in the right places.

The dal makhani deserves special attention. Made from black lentils slow-cooked with cream and butter, it is rich, deeply flavoured, and the kind of dish that makes vegetarians wonder why anyone bothers with meat. The palak paneer is equally well-executed — spinach and cheese in a balanced, spiced sauce that avoids the grainy texture that lesser versions suffer from.

The Lunch Buffet

The lunch buffet rotates daily and offers the best value in the restaurant. A selection of curries, rice, naan, and accompaniments at a fixed price makes it one of the smarter lunch choices in central Reykjavik. The buffet is popular, so arrive before the 12:30 rush for the fullest selection.

The Setting

The interior is warm and colourful, with Indian decor that creates a distinct atmosphere without overwhelming the space. It is a comfortable restaurant that seats enough people to absorb a lunch rush but remains intimate enough for a quiet dinner. The Frakkastigur location is slightly off the main tourist path, which gives it a more local clientele than the Laugavegur restaurants.

Practical Tips

The lunch buffet is the value play. Evening dining is more relaxed and offers the full menu. Takeaway is available and convenient. No reservations are usually needed for lunch, but weekend dinners benefit from a phone call. The location is central — a one-minute walk from Laugavegur, two minutes from Hverfisgata — and combines easily with any downtown itinerary. For well-prepared Indian food in Reykjavik, Bombay Bazaar is one of the city's strongest options.