Buns and Icelandic pastries first, chain coffee later at KEF T1
Bakaríið sits airside in Terminal 1 at Keflavik, and it’s where people go when they want real Icelandic-style baked goods instead of wrapped candy bars. Expect prices in the mid $$ range by Iceland standards: a pastry and coffee combo easily hits 1,200–1,800 ISK, but reviews average around 4.5 stars, mostly on the strength of the baking.
The headliners are the cinnamon buns and other Icelandic pastries; multiple Google reviews single them out as “great” and “worth it” even with KEF pricing. Coffee is fine but secondary, so spend most of your krona on buns, braided loaves, and flaky things rather than extra espresso shots. Regulars say they grab a bag of mixed pastries before boarding and skip the airline snacks altogether.
Seating is limited, and people mention a queue during morning banks when several flights leave between 06:00 and 09:00. If you hit Bakaríið around those times, assume a 10–15 minute wait to order and don’t bank on finding a table. Takeaway works well: packaging is sturdy enough that pastries survive a 3–5 hour flight without turning into crumbs.
Selection drops later in the day, especially after the midday departures window, so that 15:00–17:00 pass-through may mean fewer choices and more plain items left in the case. If you care about specific things like cinnamon buns, go early in your layover instead of “later before boarding.” Prices feel high but are in line with other KEF food outlets, and portions are decent enough to share one pastry between two people.
Tip: Landing from North America into KEF T1 around 06:00–07:00? Walk straight here after passport control, grab pastries to-go, and then sort out coffee and seating near your gate while everyone else queues at the big chains.