Simbahöllin

The coffeehouse at the end of the world

"Simbahöllin" is an old norwegian house built indas 1908 and "imported" to Iceland in 1915 by the tradesman Sigmundur Jónsson called "Simbi". For the people in Þingeyri, a remote little village in the Westfjords, it was an extraordinarily big building. So they called it Simbi's palace, "Simbahöllin" in Icelandic.

Up into the 1970s the family ran there a store. You could get there food products like flour, sugar, eggs and meat, but also everyday necessities like buttons, boots or fishhooks. A specialty of the store was its home-made caramel. But unfortunately the original recipe has got lost.

Later the house was used amongst others as video store and as electrical shop. Maybe, someone recognizes it as the old book store in the movie "Noí Albinói" made here (as well as in Bolungarvík and Ísafjörður) in 2003.

Finally a family from Belgium took over the house and renovated. Now they run a charming café during the summer months from mid of May to mid of September.

They took over much of the interior equipment from Simbi's old store and use it in the café.

Here a look at the menu:

You cannot only sit in the coffee house itself. There is an old bus standing behind the house, which is being used as guestroom, too. Beyond that, when the weather is fine, like it was during our visit, you can on the terrace. On wooden chairs at a bit wonky wooden tables. Enjoying the sun as we did.

Simbahöllin's specialty are belgian waffles with whipped cream and rhubarb jam. 

Our children were less enthusiastic about the waffles than we were. Unfortunately they don't like rhubarb. And without jam the waffles were a bit tasteless. But we ourselves enjoyed the waffles.

And we enjoyed sitting outside in the sun. We had absolutely great weather and great view at the harbour, the mountains, the old coffee house and the old bus. A really nice visit!

[Translated from here.]