Valdís — Restaurant in Reykjavik

These fine individuals do not mess around with their fare. There is no big tub of factory-made ice cream hiding in cold storage in the back of the shop. The varieties that you see in the case are all that the shop has for the day, each flavor mixed in-house, and only on the menu for as long as demand requires it be kept. The flavor varieties are subject to availability of ingredients, so there were things we have seen reviewed that we could not try. We will not whine about that, however, because what we came specifically to try was right there in front of us when we walked inside. One either loves or hates the anise-like flavor of black licorice, and salting the licorice just intensifies that reaction either way. I count salted black licorice as one of my favorite flavors of all time, and Valdis has turned it into ice cream. It’s a novel enough thing that I would guess many tourists like myself try it just for that. Iceland, like all the other Scandinavian cultures I’ve encountered, loves its licorice, so this flavor is also a big hit with the locals. It’s a big enough hit that it’s a staple of the menu. When you look at its cement sidewalk-like color, there may be a moment of dubiousness, since it is rare that anything that shade of grey has flavor at all. One bite, however, completely erased all my qualms as it was perfectly balanced sweetness, saltiness, creaminess, and that anisey kick that is uniquely licorice. If I ever get the chance to visit Reykjavik again, Valdis is my first stop, because I haven’t stopped dreaming about that ice cream since I...

One of the best places to have icecream in Iceland. Valdis matches its quirky and gorgeous interiors with delicious and mouth-watering icecreams. Do try the Dark Chocolate, Rye bread, and Plain Chocolate ice-creams.

TLDR: It's not far from the main shopping street and honestly, it's very famous. Even whilst walking on the shopping street, it will catch your eye with its bright colors and quirky exteriors. Before you know, your feet will be guiding you towards the place and you'd be tempted to try something.

As it is with Icelandic locals, people at Valdis are extremely hospitable and helpful. We were guided through the best flavors and our hostess patiently waited for us to choose before we zeroed in on our three flavours. Do try those three, BTW.

All in all, a place you definitely need to visit...

Honestly so disappointing!! Went to try after seeing others rave about the ice cream. Then greeted by the rudest employee I’ve ever met. She was completely dismissive and disrespectful to my friends and I. The difference in treatment from other customers of different races to us was clear as day. The fact that she has been able to get away with this for so long is awful. There’s so many better places out there that won’t give you mediocre ice cream with a side of attitude or rush you! Better yet go buy yourself some ice cream and cones from the store it’ll be the exact same and they won’t charge you more than...