Michelsen

Reykjavik has embraced the cafe-boutique concept with particular enthusiasm, and Michelsen is one of the more successful examples. Occupying a handsome space on Hverfisgata, it combines a daytime cafe serving well-executed brunch and light meals with a design shop stocking carefully curated Icelandic and Scandinavian products. The result is a place where coffee and shopping coexist harmoniously, and where both activities are done to a high standard.

The Cafe

The food at Michelsen is straightforward but skilfully prepared. Open sandwiches on good bread, fresh salads, pastries that are clearly baked with care, and coffee that ranks well against the city's specialist roasters. This is not a place for elaborate multi-course dining -- it is a cafe, and it behaves like one, serving the kind of food you want at 10:00 in the morning or 13:00 in the afternoon.

Brunch is the strongest meal. The eggs are properly cooked, the bread is fresh, and the accompaniments -- smoked fish, cheese, preserves -- are chosen with the same attention to quality that defines the rest of the operation. Pair it with a pot of coffee and a window seat, and you have a very pleasant start to a Reykjavik day.

The Shop

The retail side of Michelsen stocks a curated selection of design products that reflects the best of Icelandic and broader Scandinavian creativity. Jewellery, ceramics, textiles, leather goods, and various beautifully made objects that you did not know you needed until you saw them. The quality is consistently high, and the price points, while not cheap, are reasonable for handmade and design-led products.

For visitors looking for gifts and souvenirs that rise above the standard tourist-shop fare, Michelsen is essential. Everything here tells a story about Icelandic craft and design, and the staff are happy to share those stories.

The Space

The interior is clean, bright, and Scandinavian in the best sense. Natural materials, good lighting, and enough space to browse the shop without feeling crowded or eat without being elbow-to-elbow with the next table. It is the kind of space that makes you slow down, which in a tourist-heavy city centre is genuinely valuable.

Practical Notes

Michelsen is a daytime operation, closing at 17:00 on weekdays and 16:00 on Saturdays, closed Sundays. Hverfisgata is a short walk from Laugavegur. No reservations needed for the cafe. Cards accepted.