Eldsmidjan Pizza

Ask anyone in Reykjavik where to get the best pizza, and the answer comes back with remarkable consistency: Eldsmidjan. This small pizzeria on Bragagata has been turning out wood-fired pizzas for over two decades, and the devotion it inspires borders on religious. The queue that forms outside on weekend evenings is testament enough.

The Pizza

The difference is in the oven. Eldsmidjan bakes its pizzas over burning Icelandic birch wood, which gives the crust a distinctive char and smokiness that no electric or gas oven can replicate. The base is thin, slightly blistered, and has the right amount of chew. The toppings are generous without being excessive. The cheese melts properly. The sauce has flavour.

These sound like basic things, and they are -- but getting them all right simultaneously, consistently, for years, is harder than it looks. Eldsmidjan makes it look easy.

The menu covers the classics: margherita, pepperoni, vegetable combinations, and a handful of house specials. There are no experimental toppings or fusion experiments. This is pizza made by people who understand that the craft lies in the execution, not the novelty.

The Setting

Eldsmidjan is small. There are limited seats, and the atmosphere is casual to the point of being spartan. You are not here for the decor or the ambience. You are here for the pizza. The open kitchen lets you watch the ovens at work, the birch logs crackling, and the pizzas emerging with their charred edges and melting cheese.

On busy nights, the place has an energy that comes from people eating food they genuinely enjoy. There is no pretension here, just good pizza eaten in good spirits.

Practical Tips

Arrive before the dinner rush or be prepared to queue. No reservations means first come, first served, and on Friday and Saturday evenings the wait can be significant. Takeaway is available and a good option if you want to eat elsewhere. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.

If you have spent your Iceland trip eating lamb and fish and want something different, Eldsmidjan is the answer. It is also, simply, one of the best pizzerias in any Nordic capital.