Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.09.2017, Page 10

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2017
10 BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2017
Dining
Iceland's not cheap so it better be good
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Best sushi
Fiskmarkaðurinn
Aðalstræti 12
Helmed by one of Iceland's best-known chefs, Hrefna Sætran, Fisk-
markaðurinn (The Fish Market) is hands down our panel's favour-
ite sushi restaurant in town. We suggest making a meal of just the
sashimi platter: beautifully presented at the table with a lot of flair,
deftly sliced fatty salmon and trout, glistening scallop are mercifully
left unadorned, with a sprinkle of roe here and a delicious mound of
wakame there. Pair this with the wasabi cocktail and you have a light,
refreshing meal.
Runners Up
Sakebarinn
Laugavegur 2
Housed in a beautiful old timber house
in the heart of downtown, Sakebarinn's
window seats alone should be reason
enough to drop by. They do a variety
of sauce-laden sushi rolls—the local
favourite—but we recommend sticking
to the sushi and sashimi platter.
Sushi Social
Þingholtsstræti 5
This Japanese/South American fusion
place had to change names recent-
ly—but there’s still plenty of samba in
the menu. Everything comes with lots
of lime, sauce and chilli, their tempura
batter is pleasingly light, and the cock-
tail menu should help any sushi purists
through the fusion-cooking trauma.
Previous Winners
2016: Fiskmarkaðurinn
2015: SuZushii
2014: Sushisamba
2013: Sakebarinn
2012: SuZushii
Best vegetarian
Kaffi Vínyl
Hverfisgata 76
Reykjavík now has a dedicated vegan
café. Kaffi Vínyl offers wholesome
vegan fare in generous portions, with
soy-based Oumph meat substitute, and
various non-dairy milk options for the
beverages. They have a huge record
collection and DJs several times a
week, with the crackle of vinyl lending
a warm atmosphere—Vínyl is also one
of our preferred places to start a night
out. It’s casual in all ways, so the service
can be patchy, but one bite of an
Oumph sandwich makes up for it.
Runners Up
Bergsson Mathús
Templarasund 3
It isn’t all-vegetarian, but Bergsson
championed the salad bar trend—think
Ottolenghi. The homemade hummus,
pesto, and freshly baked bread are
great, but it’s the hearty soups and
spinach lasagne that make it a firm and
lasting favourite.
Gló
Laugavegur 20 & more
Gló’s busiest days are the first days
of the week, when people make a col-
lective promise to eat clean and stay
healthy after the weekend. They serve
the occasional chicken dish, but vege-
tarians won’t be short of options—try
the fresh pressed juices, fresh salads,
raw lasagna and specials on rotation.
Previous Winners
2016: Kaffi Vínyl
2015: Teni
2014: Gló
2013: Gló
2012: Gló
Best place for a fancy
meal
Dill
Hverfisgata 12
If you’re a gourmand looking for a mem-
orable meal when in Reykjavík, Dill has
to top the list. Dill showcases the best
of Iceland with seasonal menus, paying
homage to the island’s bounty, often
found no place else, executed with
all the tweezer-precision of modern
cuisine. Don’t even think twice about
splurging for the seven-course menu—
it’s the only way to do it. Top-notch
service and friendly sommeliers round
off an already perfect experience.
Runners Up
Grillið
Hótel Saga, Hagatorg
Grillið‘s sweeping panoramic views and
stable of seasoned chefs, along with
old-school fine-dining flourishes like
the crisp linen, have us swooning with
delight. So great is this place, we’ve
never stopped talking about a luscious
chocolate mousse with olive oil we had
there years ago.
Grill Market
Lækjargata 2a
The tasting menus with produce
sourced from local purveyors have
been a hit with diners since Grill Market
opened its doors. We suggest choosing
one of the set menus and letting the
chefs go to town.
Previous Winners
2015: Dill
2015: Dill
2014: Dill
2013: Gallery at Hótel Holt
2012: Grill Market