Specialty coffee in Iceland

Specialty coffee in Iceland is centred on Reykjavík, where Reykjavík Roasters has roasted since 2008 in a 1929 house that was once a skyr and milk shop. Icelanders drink a lot of coffee, with long winter darkness often given as one reason, and espresso machines are found almost everywhere. Kaffitár, founded in 1990 by Aðalheiður Héðinsdóttir, was an early roaster focused on quality. Reykjavík Roasters started as Kaffismiðja Íslands and took its current name in 2013; it now runs three cafés. Te & Kaffi dates from 1984, and Kaffibrugghúsið began roasting in 2017.

Reykjavík holds most of the country's specialty cafés and its roaster. Akureyri in the north has a couple of cafés, and Vík on the south coast has one.

Roasters that shape Icelandic coffee include Reykjavík Roasters, alongside Kaffitár and Kaffibrugghúsið. Expect espresso-based drinks as the everyday order and filter at the specialty cafés.