Shopping

Skólavörðustígur 19

Let’s be honest, the only real competition in this category is between the runners up. There’s simply no better place in Reykjavík to buy a wool sweater than Handprjónasamband Íslands, or the Handknitting Association. Walking into their store on Skólavörðustígur is like walking into a warm hug. The shelves are piled high with plush Icelandic lopapeysa in a seemingly infinite number of colour and pattern combinations, and the walls are adorned with displays of woollen mittens and hats to keep you cosy and warm. Plus, as the association’s name implies, it’s all knitted by hand right here in Iceland.

Runners-up

Skeifan 19, Fiskislóð 15-21 and Hallveigarstigur

So here’s the thing. The panel could not decide between three locations of the same store to crown “Best”, so we’re just going to go ahead and give it to the Skeifan, Grandi and downtown outposts of beloved grocery chain Krónan. That yellow winking coin makes us happy. What also makes us happy is Krónan’s app that allows us to scan and bag our items as we walk around the store, pay right on our phone and then book it without waiting in line or wrestling with the self check-out machines.

Grandi’s the biggest of the three and therefore has its wealth of options tipping the scales in its favour. The downtown location is, well, downtown, so it’s perfect for popping in on the walk home for those last bits and pieces to make your dinner sing. As for the perks of the Skeifan location, one panellist explained: “Do your usual shopping, grab lunch at Tokyo Sushi in the back of the store and then realise that you’re in Skeifan, so you can go get all the other shit done you’ve been meaning to do.”

KIOSK

Grandagarður 35

Among the Icelandic designers that KIOSK stocks, you just know at least one of them works in wool — it is Iceland, afterall. Our go-to choices for a wool sweater that is warm, cosy and stylistically on point has to be BAHNS. By now, the coded raised pattern on BAHNS’ signature knitwear — interpretations of the symbols flashed by bouys for north, east, west and south — are as iconic among Reykjavík’s fashionable residents as the yoke of a lopapeysa.

Farmer's Market

Laugavegi 37 and Hólmaslóð 2

If you want the look of a lopapeysa, but with a more modern cut and less bulk, then the wool sweaters at Farmer’s Market will tick all your boxes. They Farmers & Friends storefronts stock sweaters with updated interpretations of classic lopapeysa yokes, as well as chunky cable knits to keep you in style all winter (and autumn and spring … and sometimes summer) long.

Previous Winners

2022: Handprjónasambandið

2021: Handprjónasambandið

2020: Handprjónasambandið

For those who have adopted a cruelty-free, plant-based diet there’s a real sense of comfort in knowing that you can shop without poring over the fine print on every package in the store. That’s Vegan Búðin, which markets itself as the world’s largest all vegan supermarket (and there’s nothing per capita about that boast) has all the components of your standard grocery store — dry goods, cans, freezer section, etc. — but it’s all vegan. They also have cosmetics and an aisle of bulk soaps and cleaners so you can refill your own bottles. Love it!

Previous Winners

2022: Krónan Hallveigarstigur

2021: Krónan Hallveigarstigur

2020: Krónan Grandi