A wise man once said, “Food is essential to life, therefore, make it good.” I couldn’t agree more. This post will serve as a melting pot, so to speak, of some fun food and drink experiences we’ve had that I haven’t already captured in my previous posts, as well as sights seen along the way. If you’re ever traveling through Washington D.C. or Iceland, you may want to make some of these stops a priority. (Make Iceland a priority!)
I’ll start with Washington D.C.. Mentioned previously was an amazing little breakfast shop serving doughnuts and fried chicken. Astro’s was a place we visited twice, because, why not?
A short distance from the center of D.C. is a suburb called Georgetown, which I definitely recommend you visit when in the area. A short uber ride down the Potomac, this little neighborhood was bursting with tons of activity and things to do. It’s picture perfect with shop lined streets and a serene park perched right on the water. We spent the entire afternoon here on our last day, walking around and had the best Italian meal I have ever eaten at a place called Filomena Ristorante If you are ever within a manageable driving distance of this place, please make the effort to eat here and come HUNGRY. It was as authentic and delicious as it possibly could have been; I kept expecting to see Tony Soprano walk by.
Yeah, she’s set up in a cute little room, hand-making the dough for the gnocchi. Can you guess what I ordered?
“The Restaurant that’s known by the company it keeps.” I love that! I apply the same school of thought to my own reputation. I can’t say enough delicious things about this place. If I lived in Georgetown, I would eat there weekly and probably have cankles. The ravioli Rob got was the best I’ve ever tried, and Jeff said the lasagna he got was the best he’d ever eaten too. We waddled out of there pledging to return someday.
Found a chocolate croissant that needed a good, loving home. I have a big heart.
Spent a little time watching the big planes fly in.
And checking out good looking people nearby (how did I get so lucky?)
A perfect afternoon to kick off our trip. Let’s move along!
In Reykjavik, one of the most striking buildings is Hallgrímskirkja church, and is worth a visit. You can take a ride in an elevator to the top, and on a clear day have a 360 view of the city.
There is a huge organ inside, and we sat and listening to someone playing for awhile.
Walking around here is always stimulating. Countless murals and the occasional patch of garden which contrasts against the often grey sky.
As you know, Rob and I love coffee. Iceland has excellent coffee, and a local shop we’ve stopped at a few times has been Reykjavik Roasters. These coffee enthusiasts know what they are doing! They roast and package in house, and the atmosphere is everything you want in a coffee shop. There is even a record player that you can help yourself to! Coffee is one of my favorite things to photograph because the art of the craft pops right out of the cup.
If you are feeling up for sushi, there are several sushi spots to choose from! We dined at Sushi Social one night.
If you’re wanting pizza, I highly recommend Eldsmiðjan which is literally only about 2 steps from our apartment. This pizza is creative and fresh and a pretty decent price considering the area. Seriously, great pizza!
Also right beside the pizza place is a great light far spot called “Nat”. Rob and I split a brunch plate one morning. This reminds me a lot of a traditional breakfast plate you would be served here.
Fun fact though, even while on vacation when we aren’t eating out, my boy still makes me breakfast 🙂 Just like at home…
We celebrated Cinco de Mayo in Iceland! It was also Jeff’s birthday. It was a little hard to find a traditional Mexican joint here, but we did find something with some Mexi-flare at El Santo. Arriba!
You like French fries?? You’ll love Reykjavik Chips! This place is nothing but beer and french fries- two of my favorites!
Earlier this week we walked down to the harbor and caught some pretty views of the city. There is a huge commercial construction boom right now as well as a residential shortage. So if you’re a developer or a builder, you may want to consider Iceland 🙂
It was really neat to watch the fog roll in off the water and disrupt a bright, sunny day.
We have about 36 hours left here, let’s see what else we can get into! (Hopefully my pants, at this point).
The Wayfaring Friend 