Kaffivagninn

Kaffivagninn, which means the coffee truck, describes itself as Iceland's oldest restaurant. Its story began in 1935, when Bjarni Kristjánsson started serving coffee and light meals to fishermen from a small truck at Reykjavik's harbour. A building to house the business was put up soon afterwards, and the restaurant still stands on Grandagarður, by the harbour. Today it is run by the chef Axel Óskarsson and Katrín Ósk Aldan.

The food is classic Icelandic home cooking with an emphasis on fresh seafood. The catch of the day is a feature of the menu, alongside traditional dishes and homestyle meals of the kind Icelanders grew up with, and there are homemade cakes, pastries and freshly brewed coffee for those who just want a break. The lunch and dinner menus are posted on the restaurant's website.

Breakfast is served daily until 11:00, which makes Kaffivagninn a useful early stop before a whale-watching trip or a walk around the harbour. The restaurant is open every day from 08:00 to 21:30, covering breakfast, lunch and dinner, and tables can be booked online through Dineout.

Part of the appeal is the setting by the harbour and the sense of history, as the restaurant has served people working on the waterfront for more than nine decades. It suits families, solo travellers and anyone who wants good, straightforward food at a more moderate price than the fine-dining restaurants of the centre. It is especially pleasant on a bright morning or in the evening light of summer.

Kaffivagninn is a practical choice for travellers on a budget compared with fine-dining restaurants, and the long opening hours mean you can eat at times when many other places are closed, such as early in the morning before a tour. Payment is by card, as almost everywhere in Iceland.

Grandagarður runs along the western side of the Old Harbour, in the Grandi district, a 10 to 15 minute walk from the centre. The whale-watching and boat tour offices of the Old Harbour are close by, so it is easy to combine a meal here with an afternoon by the sea. Book for dinner in summer, when the harbour is at its busiest.