Hverfisgata 12 Reykjavík bar interior
Wine & Pizza

Hverfisgata 12

★ 4.7 $$ Miðborg, Reykjavík
A pairing table

Hverfisgata 12, upstairs and behind the curtain

Hverfisgata 12 occupies the upstairs of a corner building on - obviously - Hverfisgata 12. The ground floor is a restaurant; the upstairs is a small natural-wine bar that doubles as a sourdough pizza place. The combination sounds aggressively trendy and in practice is one of the better hybrid rooms in the city: the pizzas are properly Neapolitan, the wine list is built from small-grower European producers (mostly French and Italian, with a small Austrian section), and the bar makes a short selection of cocktails for visitors who want something other than wine. The right way to think about Hverfisgata 12 is as a pairing room. Three of its standing pizza-pairing recommendations.

Pizza
Wine pairing
Cocktail pairing
Marinaratomato · garlic · oregano · oil
Vermentino, LiguriaCrisp, salt-aired, lemon-driven. Cuts through the tomato sharpness; brings out the garlic. The bar pours one by the glass that rotates weekly between two producers.
White NegroniGin, Suze, Cocchi Americano. The bar's version uses a Reyka-and-juniper modification on a London Dry base. Drier than a standard Negroni, holds up to the tomato.
Funghimushroom · taleggio · thyme
Pinot Nero, Alto AdigeLight-bodied, earth-leaning, light cherry. The mushroom asks for red; the cheese asks for not-too-much red. Alto Adige pinot is the answer.
Old PalRye, dry vermouth, Campari. The bar's version uses a thinner Campari ratio than standard. Bitter against creamy cheese.
Salsicciafennel sausage · onion · chilli
Barbera, PiemonteBright acidity, low tannin, dark cherry. The fennel asks for body; the chilli asks for not-too-much tannin. Barbera is the working answer.
Smoked ManhattanThe bar's version uses Reykjavík-distilled Þoran whisky and a single drop of smoked Arctic-char oil. Holds up to the fennel sausage; gets cut by the chilli.

The bar's natural-wine list runs around 60 bottles, with a rotating by-the-glass selection of around 12. The cocktail list is short - eight drinks, all stirred or built - and exists primarily to keep non-wine-drinkers happy. The upstairs room seats around forty. Reservations are taken for the dining tables; the bar is walk-in. Arrive at 7pm if you want a seat at the bar, 9pm for the proper atmospheric version of the room.

Address
Hverfisgata 12, Miðborg
Hours
5pm-1am Tue-Sat · closed Sun-Mon
Best to order
Marinara + Vermentino, then Smoked Manhattan
Wine list
~60 bottles natural · 12 by the glass
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