Iceland’s Dining Scene Heats Up
See what's hot in Iceland's dining scene.
By:
Rina Rapuano
Elizabeth Parker
Chef-owner Gunnar Karl Gíslason is on the forefront of New Nordic Cuisine, a movement that is transforming the way diners think of Icelandic food. During lunch, the restaurant keeps things simple and casual. By night, the tiny dining room becomes a glowing laboratory for Gíslason’s imagination, where he experiments but never strays too far from his earthy cooking style. A new 7-course menu with wine pairings is created each week; diners can also opt for a 3- or 5-course tasting. With such frequent menu changes, you’re guaranteed to have a new cultural experience each time you visit.
Kiersten Chou, flickr
This little brother of another beloved Reykjavik restaurant, Fishmarket, puts an emphasis on sourcing ingredients, giving credit to each farmer and purveyor for their role in creating their dishes. Sitting at the bar upstairs gives diners a peek into the open kitchen -- but beware, it gets hot when the grill fires up. Eat your way around the menu, which includes everything from skewered meats to crispy duck salad to “big steaks,” or order the chef’s tasting menu. Before leaving, be sure to head downstairs for a cocktail in the beautiful lounge. It might be the last civilized thing you do before heading out into Reykjavik’s thumping nightlife.
Rusty Blazenhoff, flickr
Not only does chef Viktor Örn Andrésson offer creative and modern versions of Icelandic classics -- such as a sophisticated bowl of the normally rustic fish soup and a gorgeous filet of cod with lobster sauce -- but it’s all served with one of the most stunning views in the world. Imagine milky, baby-blue pools with steam rising up among the surrounding piles of dusky volcanic rock, which sport an occasional streak of bright green moss. It’s positively otherworldly.
Elizabeth Parker
Groups can arrange to have the restaurant’s chef prepare sweet, moist rye bread baked with geothermic heat, and eggs are hard-cooked in one of the nearby heated pools. The bread is served with a heavy smear of rich Icelandic butter, herring and those eggs, as well as a frosty bottle of Icelandic schnapps. It’s a memorable experience, if you can swing it. When the wind gets the better of you, head inside for an outstanding buffet that includes crisp-skinned roast pork and luscious salmon. The floor-to-ceiling windows in this lodge-like room allow diners to take in the rugged hillside opposite the geyser area -- and on blustery days makes you even more glad for the coziness of the stone and wood room.
Getty Images
Down the street from one of Reykjavik’s most iconic structures, the Hallgrímskirkja -- a tall, pale, austerely designed church that can be seen from just about anywhere in town -- sits this, one of the city’s newer landmarks. Since opening in 2011, Sjavargrillid has made a name for itself with its nightly ode to Iceland in the form of a menu that puts modern spins on some of the country’s most beloved ingredients. The corrugated metal behind the bar was salvaged from a fish-freezing plant found during chef-owner Gústav Axel Gunnlaugsson’s travels through Iceland, and several dishes bear the names of friends and purveyors, giving a personal touch to the seasonal menu.
Sure, the a la carte offerings of sushi and “grilled catch of the day from Jón the fisherman” sound tempting. But it’s much more fun to get a group together and take advantage of the restaurant’s multicourse, family-style grill dinners, which might include puffin served with European shag (a species of cormorant) and minke whale or grilled Icelandic lobster with golden perch and mussel sauce. With these festive meals, the restaurant “promises to leave no one hungry.” Sounds like a challenge this restaurant can meet, if you ask us.
Next Up
What to Do in Reykjavik on a Budget
Fear not, cost-conscious travelers: The land of fire and ice has plenty for you, too.
The Road Trip Through Hell Continues... Destination Fear Returns With All New Episodes
New episodes include terrifying sleepovers inside haunted abandoned locations and the team's first-ever international investigation, beginning Saturday, November 6 on Travel Channel and discovery+.
Discover Positano: Italy's Enchanting Coastal Village
Take a photographic tour of one of the country's most picturesque destinations.
A Swiss Filmmaker Talks Travel and Good Luck Charms
The Paris Opera director Jean-Stéphane Bron talks about his latest documentary and his travel obsessions.
Escape Tuscany’s Crowds at These Under-the-Radar Spots
Find local treasures, amazing food and wine and Italian hospitality at these out-of-the-way spots.
Take a Dip... in a Beer Pool
This Austrian brewery doesn't have just one pool of beer: it has seven.
Lingering Secrets of Pompeii
Though the spectacular city met its tragic end nearly two thousand years ago, archaeologists are still hard at work unearthing its story. What might the next chapter be?
7 Hacks to Keep From Going Broke on a Trip to Iceland
Yes, you can see Iceland’s glaciers, waterfalls and volcanoes without breaking the bank.
What to Know About Moving to France
Are you about to pack your bags and move to France? Get the information you need before you make the move.
The Bone-Chilling Haunted History of Ireland’s Spike Island
The “Destination Fear” crew spent 14 terrifying hours alone on an abandoned Irish prison island with human occupation dating back 1,300 years.
_Tor_Johnson_Makawao_Maui_Upcountry.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.231.174.suffix/1530226208137.jpeg)
