Kattakaffihúsið (Reykjavik, Iceland)

Kattakaffihúsið is a fun stop if you want to combine a coffee break with some cat watching! It's Reykjavik's only cat café.

Exterior of Kattakaffihúsið, a pink ground floor shop.

Iceland loves its cats. In fact, seeing them meander around town is so typical that there are even CatWalk city tours in Reykjavik.

If you’re a cat lover visiting the city, make sure to swing by Kattakaffihúsið, Reykjavik’s cat café (which is also a stop on the cat walking tour).

Pink door frame with window and Kattakaffihúsið sign painted on it.

What Should I Know About Visiting Kattakaffihúsið?

First, let’s get a few things out of the way.

Yes, there is cat hair everywhere. Want to purchase a t-shirt? It comes with free cat hair (courtesy of Batman, the cat who was napping on the shirt piles during our visit). It was also on the café chairs, probably from various cats that had napped there.

Black and white cat lying on pile of t-shirts. — Batman

If you’re allergic to cats, you should skip this stop.

That said, the pastries were protected by glass, and my coffee seemed cat hair free (yay!).

Second thing to know: this place does get a little crowded. It wasn’t too packed when we arrived, but by the time we were finishing up, a line of eager cat lovers were arriving, and there weren’t quite enough seats for everyone.

If it seems too full, just try again a little later.

Tabby cat walking toward ordering counter at Kattakaffihúsið.

Third thing to know: Although you might envision yourself happily cuddling all the cats in sight, some of them will either be sleeping or just not in the mood to interact. So it's a kindness to keep a little distance and let them do their thing.

List of rules for Kattakaffihúsið cat cafe.

All the cats in the café are up for adoption, and you can see brief bios of them on the coffee shop website. (Their names and photos are also displayed in the café so you know who you're looking at!)

Photos and names of cats at Kattakaffihúsið.

Meeting the Cats

When we arrived, we were greeted (sort of) by the aforementioned Batman kitty, who was waiting by the door and seemed open to being petted. He also didn’t mind having his photo taken.

We ordered coffees and took a seat. Lúna was on hand to make sure our orders were correct.

Tabby cat sitting on counter at Kattakaffihúsið. — Lúna

A little black kitty named Nala lounged nearby. She was a bit feistier than Batman, and chattered unhappily if anyone tried to pet her.

Soon, our coffees and pastry arrived!

While we enjoyed them, we watched as Nala leapt up to the window above the front door.

Black cat standing on wooden rack next to window.

We didn’t get to meet the fourth kitty, Mikasa, as she was napping UNDER a cat bed behind the couch, a clear sign that she was not in the mood for visitors that day.

The café is set up so that the kitties can make the place their own. They have multiple places to climb and hang out.

Ramp and wooden planks attached to wall at Kattakaffihúsið.

The décor is quirky, cute, and really leans into the theme. We loved the floral cat mural. There's also fun merchandise for sale.

Colorful cat and flower mural on pink wall at Kattakaffihúsið.

What's on the Menu

There's a wonderful amount of cakes, waffles, and other goodies on the menu to have with your coffee. This is mainly a vegan café, but it does have dairy milk or whipped cream available on request.

If you want more than just a coffee break, they do also offer a couple of sandwich options.

If you’re in Reykjavik and are missing your cat back home, this is a great stop!

For slightly more typical dining in Reykjavik, try Cafe Loki, Salka Valka, Messinn, or the coffee shop Brikk. Iceland is a foodie experience to remember!