Jómfrúin: The Maiden of Lækjargata

Every Saturday afternoon from June through August, a back garden on Lækjargata fills with the sound of live jazz. People sit in the sun with plates of open-faced sandwiches and cold Icelandic beer. This is Jómfrúin — and it's been doing this since 1996.

From Copenhagen to Lækjargata

The story starts in 1888, at Oscar Davidsen's legendary smørrebrød restaurant in Copenhagen — a place so famous its menu was once listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest in the world. Generations later, Ida Davidsen inherited the restaurant and continued the tradition.

In the early 1990s, an Icelandic restaurateur named Jakob Jakobsson trained under Ida Davidsen — becoming the first man in the world to graduate as a smørrebrødsjomfru, the traditional title for a master of open-faced sandwich preparation. The word translates roughly to "smørrebrød maiden," and it had always been held by women. Jakob broke the mould.

He brought the craft back to Reykjavík and opened Jómfrúin — "The Maiden" — on Lækjargata in 1996. The restaurant sits right in the heart of downtown, a few steps from the parliament building and Tjörnin pond.

What you're eating

Smørrebrød is deceptively simple: a single slice of dark rye bread, buttered, and then piled with toppings arranged with care. At Jómfrúin the classics are all here — pickled herring with onion, smoked salmon with capers, roast beef with remoulade and crispy onions, and the famous rækjupíramídi (shrimp pyramid!): a towering pyramid of shrimp on a sliver of bread that has become one of the most photographed dishes in Reykjavík.

The sandwiches are priced whole or half — and that's the key to eating here well. You don't commit to one enormous sandwich. You pick two halves, mix and match, and build your own lunch. The menu of the day always has pairing suggestions if you're short on ideas, but here are ours: HC Andersen, Danish Adventure, Roast Beef Modern, Smoked Salmon, and Shrimp & Egg. Two halves, one plate, no regrets.

Beyond the sandwiches, the warm dishes hold their own. Biksemad — a hash of diced meat and potatoes topped with a fried egg and pickled beets — is comfort food of the highest order.

The Reykjavík Grapevine's 2015 Best of Reykjavík panel described the rækjupíramídi as an "honest-to-god pyramid of shrimp," and called out the "Hangover" — roast beef on rye with tomatoes, horseradish, and a fried egg — as a must-order.

Ákavíti if you're feeling cheeky

The fridge behind the bar is stocked with schnapps — ákavíti in Icelandic — and if you're having the herring or the shrimp, a small cold glass alongside pairs nicely. It's a tradition borrowed directly from Denmark, and Jómfrúin takes it seriously.

The Saturday jazz

Since its opening year, Jómfrúin has hosted live jazz every Saturday afternoon in summer. Sigurður Flosason, one of Iceland's most respected jazz musicians, curates the programme. The concerts run from 3 PM to 5 PM, admission is free, and they take place on Jómfrúartorg — the small square behind the restaurant. Check jomfruin.is/summar-jazz for the schedule.

What started as a casual summer tradition has become one of Reykjavík's most beloved cultural rituals. The series has grown so popular it won the Icelandic Music Awards for Best Event. Arrive early if you want a seat — by 3 PM on a sunny Saturday, the garden is packed.

Christmas at Jómfrúin

Christmas is when Jómfrúin transforms. Families — sometimes groups of twenty or more — book the long tables months in advance. The platters come out piled high: mixed smørrebrød, warm dishes, beer, and schnapps. It has become a Reykjavík tradition for many families to gather here in December, and the restaurant books up fast. If you're planning a Christmas lunch, call early.

Still a family affair

Jakob's son, Jakob Jr., took over as manager in 2015, having worked alongside his father since 2003. The handover was seamless — the same recipes, the same standards, the same unhurried pace. Walking into Jómfrúin today feels, as the Grapevine once put it, like being "transported to 1985 Reykjavík." The wood-panelled interior hasn't changed much. Neither has the quality.

In a city where restaurants open and close with the seasons, Jómfrúin has been a constant for nearly thirty years. It's the kind of place where the staff know the regulars, where the portions haven't shrunk, and where nobody's trying to reinvent anything. The smørrebrød is the same as it was when Jakob Sr. first laid rye bread on a board here — and that's exactly the point.

The details

Jómfrúin is open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations aren't strictly necessary for weekday lunch, but weekend afternoons — especially during jazz season — fill up fast. The restaurant is at Lækjargata 4, close to the City Hall, Alþingi, and the bottom of Laugavegur.