Prikið

Prikið has been open every day since 1951, and it describes itself as the oldest café in Reykjavik. It stands on Bankastræti, the short, busy street that links Laugavegur with Lækjartorg, and over the decades it has become one of the city's best-known meeting places, with a split personality that reflects how Reykjavik itself changes between day and night.

By day, Prikið is a café, a place for coffee, food and a slow morning, and its menu is published on its website. In the evening it turns into a hip-hop bar, and it has a long-standing reputation as a supporter of young underground music in the city. On Friday and Saturday it stays open until 03:00. For anyone interested in Icelandic hip-hop and the local music scene, it is a natural place to start.

The bar sells merchandise such as vinyl records and the Prikið mug, small souvenirs of a place with a strong local identity. It is active on Facebook and Instagram under the name prikid101, which is the best place to check what is happening on a given night.

Prikið opens at 09:00 from Monday to Friday and at 10:00 on Saturday and Sunday. It closes at 01:00 from Sunday to Thursday and at 03:00 on Friday and Saturday nights. The long hours mean you can visit in very different moods: a quiet breakfast or coffee in the morning, and a lively night out after dark.

Prices for drinks in Reykjavik are high because of alcohol taxes, so many people start their evening during a happy hour elsewhere and move on later. Remember that nights out here begin late and, in summer, the light can make it hard to tell how late it really is.

It suits younger travellers, music fans and anyone curious about the everyday side of Reykjavik life. Visit in the morning or afternoon for a relaxed café experience, and on Friday or Saturday night for the city's nightlife at full volume. As at most Reykjavik bars, expect to show ID in the evening and to pay high prices for drinks compared with many European cities. Bankastræti is right in the centre, a minute from Lækjartorg and the bus stops, and Kaldi Bar, Kaffibarinn and Lebowski Bar are all within a short walk.