Reykjavik Roasters Kárastígur

Reykjavik Roasters is one of the names most associated with specialty coffee in the Icelandic capital, and its café on Kárastígur, a short walk below Hallgrímskirkja, is the one most visitors come across. The company, which trades as Kaffismiðja Íslands, imports green coffee beans and roasts them itself, then brews them in its own cafés, so the coffee in your cup has been roasted in Reykjavik rather than shipped in ready-roasted.

The Kárastígur café sits on one of the quiet streets near Hallgrímskirkja, and the focus is firmly on the coffee, with beans on sale to take home. Featured coffees on the company's site include Sertao and Da Lagoa, both from Brazil, and the selection changes over time.

Besides its cafés, Reykjavik Roasters sells beans online, offers a coffee subscription and supplies businesses wholesale. It has a meeting room for hire and runs art events under the name Í kring. There are three cafés in all: Kárastígur, one at Brautarholt 2 in postcode 105, and one on Freyjugata.

The Kárastígur café is open every day from 08:00 to 17:00, which makes it a good first stop on a morning walk up to Hallgrímskirkja or a pause in the afternoon. At busy times you may need to wait for a seat or take your coffee to go. It suits coffee lovers, solo travellers and anyone who wants a proper cup before a day of sightseeing.

Coffee culture runs deep in Iceland, and cafés are an important part of everyday life, especially in the long, dark winter months when they serve as warm meeting places. A visit to an independent roaster like this is a good way to see that culture from the inside. If you would like to sit for longer, arrive early in the morning or later in the afternoon, when it is often quieter than at midday. Remember that prices for coffee in Reykjavik are higher than in many European cities, which reflects the cost of living rather than the café.

Kárastígur is a couple of minutes' walk from Hallgrímskirkja and Skólavörðustígur, with its shops and galleries, and Laugavegur is just downhill. Freshly roasted beans make a good, light souvenir to take home.