Sandholt — Restaurant in Reykjavik

Review of a Café-Bakery Visit: Issues with Service Organization

I recently visited a café-bakery and encountered several organizational flaws that, while seemingly minor, significantly affected my overall experience.

I approached the display, chose a chicken bun—essentially a sandwich. The staff member began handing it to me but then asked, “For here or to go?” I replied that I would eat in, at which point she took the bun back and told me to take a seat, as a waiter would come to serve me.

When the waiter arrived, I asked if they could take my order right away since the staff had already been about to give it to me. They agreed, but I still had to wait several more minutes while my sandwich sat untouched. Eventually, the waiter picked it up but didn’t bring it to me immediately. Instead, they started making coffee first, leaving my food waiting.

This raises a logical question: Why not just give me the sandwich right away instead of complicating the process? Why did they hand it over, take it back, and then make me wait before finally bringing it?

Another issue was the coffee. Why didn’t the waiter ask when I would like it served? As a result, while I was waiting for my sandwich, the coffee was already cooling down. If they had asked, I could have had it fresh and hot after my meal instead of drinking it in a rush before it got cold.

Key Service Mistakes: Illogical food service process. If an item is ready to be handed over, why send the guest to sit and wait? Lack of efficiency. The sandwich remained untouched when it could have been served immediately. Failure to consider guest preferences. When serving a hot drink, it makes sense to ask when the guest would like it.

These aren’t critical mistakes, but fixing them would make the service much smoother and more enjoyable...

First day in Reykjavik, and our first taste of an Icelandic eatery after a local recommendation. Sandholt is a very stylish bakery restaurant that offers great food, delicious pastries, subtle ambiance, and an excellent service.

Although this establishment is on the fairly pricey side, it is more up-market than some of the other restaurants we had seen. But the food does not disappoint 👌

This eatery has a simple menu that caters for all. We had the smoked salmon with fried egg, fish eggs, rocket salad, on a toasted wedge of brioche (delish) and the slow roasted tomatoes with chickpeas and peppers and sourdough bread (also delish). We washed it down with a pot of English Breakfast tea and brought a loaf of sourdough to takeaway. (Just to say, the sourdough here is the best we have ever eaten, it is incredibly fluffy and delicious)!

This restaurant is particularly popular, so there is a queue to be seated. However, the service is very efficient, very welcoming and friendly, and overall, really professional.

The restaurant itself is very modern and sleek. The tables are quickly cleaned. Sitting at certain tables, and as well, standing in the queue to be seated, you can see through to the kitchen where the chefs are delicately creating their delicious pastries and dishes. Overall, they look very professional. The toilets are clean and well furbished.

We would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Reykjavik, you will not be disappointed.

Many thanks - B & A...

We came twice and had very different experiences.

The first time, we came early and were sat at a table without much issues. Our server may have been new but was not familiar with the pastries and asked us to point at them on our phone (pictures). Otherwise it was a pleasant breakfast and the pastries (poppyseed bun, cinnamon danish, pan au chocolat, croissant, and a honey bun) were very good. Coffee and tea were well made. 5/5 experience.

On our second trip the server was more knowledgeable but seemed to not care at all. She rushed us to order and offered no pleasantries (which would have been fine if not for the other issues). We ordered a poppyseed bun, pistachio danish, doughnut, waffle with bacon, lemon poppyseed bread and a salted pretzel. When the food came, we learned that she hadn’t heard us correctly when we ordered the pretzel and punched in an extra waffle instead. We pointed this out and the server acted like we had changed our order, giving us an attitude. Most of the laminated dough pastries were delicious, however the lemon poppyseed bread was dry and mealy. We finally got the pretzel after the other food had been finished (no rush at all for a cold pretzel they grabbed from the display) and they had brought one with no salt. At this point we just ate it and then paid (where we learned she had punched in 3 waffles from the cashier).

Overall: Ambiance 4/5 Service 1/5 Laminated Pastries 5/5 Waffle 5/5 Soft Breads 4/5 Cake Breads 1/5 Pretzel...