Coming across an early bird café, let alone a café in general, while traveling the entirety of Iceland is harder than you’d think. Most places, including coffee shops, open its doors by noon. In fact, you’ll find very few coffee shops beyond Reykjavík. If you’re someone with a morning ritual that starts with coffee, let this be a warning to bring a compact coffee maker for the days with no coffee in sight—even the gas stations! Luckily, Faxi Bakery in Hvolsvöllur opens from 9 AM until 4 PM everyday to cure that coffee headache.
If you’re in the area, Faxi Bakery opens early for those who need a pick-me-up before hiking. This café has a bakery section, along with food items, and obviously, lots of coffee options! For drinks, they serve Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino, Cafe Latte, Chai Latte, Matcha Latte, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Iced Coffee, Baileys Coffee, and Flat White. For their specialty drinks, Faxi Bakery offers Iced Oreo Latte, Iced Strawberry Matcha Latte, Homemade Iced Tea, Homemade Lemonade, Soda, and Energy Drink. In terms of their bakery, you can anticipate loads of sweet treats! Now, for a rundown on the food menu, expect different types of soups, sandwiches, and bagels.
For full transparency, don’t count on great hospitality and customer service. Asking questions about the menu felt like pulling teeth, and quite frankly, normal queries such as “what type of milks do you have?” (which aren’t stated in their menu) were met with hostility and frustration. In the short time I spent in the bakery, I witnessed the person behind the register be rude to even children. And I don’t say this lightly: There is a difference between being blunt and being rude. Other than that, the food, coffee, and desserts were delicious. Keep in mind, while it may seem like you can order where the baked goods are, you can’t. Browse the sweet treats, then form the line at the register! This bakery becomes packed with people, so if you’re able to get a window view, the mountains appear incredible as the coffee warms you right up.
