Kaffitár Coffee Shops

Kaffitár is a chain of cafés and espresso bars. They operate cafés in 8 locations in Iceland, as well as a roastery and a premium coffee brand that's sold in supermarkets and the Kaffitár cafés.

The whole thing started in 1990 when Aðalheiður Héðinsdóttir sold the family car and started importing and roasting beans in the attic of her father's wood workshop. Ever since then, passion and professionalism have been the hallmarks of this pioneer in Icelandic coffee culture.

Today, Kaffitár specializes in importing, roasting and serving the finest Arabica coffee beans. Kaffitár's coffee is roasted daily to ensure the coffee's freshness. The coffee specialist then tastes a sample from each batch of coffee to make sure that each coffee's characteristics have been brought out. The coffee is packed right away to preserve its freshness and then shipped to the various cafés and customers.

Kaffitár goes to great lengths to train and educate their staff about coffee and how to serve it, to ensure that all the best qualities of the coffee make it from the bean and into your cup. Kaffitár's award-winning baristas are highly esteemed in Iceland for their expertise and professionalism.

Look out for Kaffitár's consistently high-quality coffee and professional service. There is always free WiFi and free refills on the coffee.

You can find Kaffitár cafés and espresso houses in the following locations:

Bankastræti 8: You will notice this café because it is right in the middle of the city center. It has a very cozy Latin-American vibe to it and is the perfect place to read a book, write a poem or meet a friend after a long day of Icelandic adventuring.

Kringlan: The first Kaffitár café opened in Kringlan, Reykjavík's biggest shopping mall in 1995. There's still a Kaffitár café at Kringlan even though it's moved from the original location. The current location has a 'plaza' feel since there are no outer walls, and feels a bit like sitting at an open air café under the shopping mall roof.

Smáralind: is the largest and newest shopping mall in Iceland. Kaffitár occupies an espresso-bar space here, ideal for picking up a cup of coffee to drink while you walk around the mall.

Höfðatorg, Borgartún 10-12: This is café is right around the corner from Höfði, the house where Reagan and Gorbachev had their famous peace talks in 1986. Höfðatorg also happens to be located in the main financial sector in the city, equivalent to Wall Street in NY or the City in London.

The National Museum (Þjóðminjasafnið): After visiting the compelling National Museum, and learning all about the history of Iceland, it's necessary to stop by the Kaffitár café, rest your feet and contemplate history's effect on a nation's culture. You don't actually even have to visit the museum, the exceptionally good coffee at Kaffitár should be enough food for thought.

Stapabraut: Ytri-Njarðvík is a town on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland. This is the location of the roastery and main operations of Kaffitár, and where all the coffee they send to their other branches comes from. The café at this location is by far the largest of any of the Kaffitár premises, with the greatest selection of products, and yet it still manages to be cozy and peaceful. If you're interested, you can even book a tour of the factory.

The Culture House: The newest Kaffitár café is situated in the beautiful Culture House, originally built as a library in the beginning of the 20th century. After walking around the beautiful exhibitions that now adorn the Culture House, stop by the Kaffitár café for some refreshments.