Pad Thai Noodles

Pad Thai Noodles operates on a philosophy of radical simplicity: three dishes, cooked fresh, done well. In a city where restaurant menus can run to several pages and prices can make your eyes water, this tiny family-run spot on Alfheimum is a refreshing antidote.

The Menu

Chicken, shrimp, or vegan. That is it. Each pad thai is wok-fried to order right in front of you — noodles, vegetables, sauce, and your chosen protein tossed together with the kind of practised efficiency that comes from making the same dish hundreds of times. The result is fresh, well-balanced, and genuinely tasty.

There is a seasoning counter where you can add chilli flakes, lime, fish sauce, or crushed peanuts to taste. This small touch of customisation elevates the experience. The vegan option is not a lesser version — it holds its own.

Why It Works

The near-perfect Google rating of 4.9 tells you something. When a restaurant serves one thing and gets it right consistently, word spreads. The pad thai here has a freshness and vibrancy that you do not always find in Reykjavik's Asian restaurants. The noodles are properly cooked, the vegetables still have some bite, and the sauce has the right sweet-sour-savoury balance.

The prices are startlingly reasonable. At around ISK 2,000 for a filling plate of pad thai, this is budget dining by Reykjavik standards.

Practical Considerations

The location at Alfheimum 2 is outside the central tourist zone — about a 15-minute walk from downtown or a short bus ride. This is a neighbourhood spot, and it feels like one. The space is small, the decor is minimal, and the focus is entirely on the food.

Weekend hours are shorter (17:00-20:00), so plan accordingly. During the week, it opens at 11:00. Cash and cards accepted. Come hungry, leave satisfied, and spend the money you saved on something else in Reykjavik that will inevitably cost more than you expect.