Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.06.2018, Blaðsíða 14

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2018
14
Best Cheap Meal
Icelandic Street Food
Lækjargata 8
You can’t really beat the incredible prices at this tiny spot with a big
heart. All the soups are offered in a bread bowl version—and wait for
it—unlimited refills! In a country that prides itself on the quality of
its free-range lamb, kjötsúpa is a must try. It’s a hearty bowl of lamb
chunks and vegetables that’s old school in a good way. The fisher-
man’s meal is also popular—a tasty plokkfiskur of mashed potato
and fish, with bread and butter. The soups start at 1,390 ISK—if you’d
like to try Icelandic food without breaking the bank, this is the spot.
Runners Up
Noodle Station
Laugavegur 103
Walking down Laugavegur, towards
Hlemmur, the inviting scent of cinna-
mon, star anise and coriander leads
one to Noodle Station. In this more spa-
cious location, they continue to serve
up bottomless bowls of intense broth,
with either meat, chicken or veggies,
the cheapest veggie soup coming in at
less than 1,000 ISK.
Bike Cave
Einarsnes 36
The cheeseburger at Bike Cave is still a
steal at just 995 ISK. There are plenty of
vegetarian and vegan options, a friend-
ly residential Sphinx cat, and a darn
good view of the airstrip still warrants a
trip to the ‘other’ side of town.
Previous Winners
2017: Bike Cave
2016: Noodle Station
2015: K-Bar
2014: 10-11 after 14:00
2013: “Sub of the month” at Subway
Best Vegetarian Meal
Mat Bar, Shalimar
Joint winners
Mat Bar
Hverfisgata 26
This stylishly designed restaurant has
an interesting variety of vegetari-
an dishes that go way beyond the
standard salad and side-dish options.
Their grilled carrots are as good as
any grilled meat we’ve had, and the
radicchio salad with toasted nuts and
goat cheese or spicy bok choy with
fermented oranges are the stuff of
vegetarian dreams. Seasonality is a key
focus at Mat Bar, so be warned that
favourites may vanish suddenly when
the menu changes, but something
surprising and new will spring up in
their place.
Shalimar
Austurstræti 4
The vegetarian thali at Shalimar comes
chock full of seasonal veggies in a me-
lange of flavours, spices, and colours.
Unlike the à la carte menu, the thali
offerings change every day, so expect
beetroot cooked in a savoury, tangy
stir-fry one day, or gourds and squash
in a heady gravy on another. It’s home-
style cooking, with restaurant flair, and
the kitchen puts effort into the simple
desi buffet. Don’t waste your krona on
the mango lassi—it’s an unnecessary
distraction from the food.
Runner Up
Pallett
Strandgata 75, Hafnarfjörður
It might seem odd to give this award
to a place with only one permanent
vegetarian option on the menu, but
the veggie sausage roll at Pallett is the
stuff of dreams. With melt-in-the-mouth
flaky buttery pastry and a tasty, spicy
filling, it’s a true Grapevine favourite.
Also, the coffee is so good it’d be worth
the trip to Hafnarfjörður alone.
Previous Winners
2016-17: Kaffi Vínyl
2015: Teni
2013-14: Gló
Best Vegan Meal
Skál!
Hlemmur, Laugavegur 107
Since its opening, Skál has served up
vegan versions of almost their entire
menu. We’re currently crushing on
the smoked carrots with avocados,
seaweed salt and lovage mayo, piled
atop a gorgeous seeded Danish rye
bread. The portions are tapas-size, so
feel free to try multiple dishes, but
whatever you do, don’t leave without
trying the roasted broccoli—smoky,
tender broccoli halves, doused with a
creamy sauce and nutmeg. So, so good!
While the menu may not explicitly mark
out the vegan options, just ask, and the
kitchen will oblige.
Runners Up
Kaffi Vínyl
Hverfisgata 76
Reykjavík’s only fully vegan café is
Kaffi Vínyl. They offer wholesome fare
in generous portions, with soy-based
Oumph meat substitute, and various
non-dairy milk options for the beverag-
es. The food has been hit and miss—a
reflection of changes in the kitchen, no
doubt—but regulars swear by the Pad
Thai and the Oumph sandwiches.
Út í Bláinn
Perlan, Öskjuhlíð
Newcomer: Sitting pretty atop Öskjuhlíð,
Út í Bláinn is the new restaurant in
Perlan. With 360 views of nature and
the city—reason enough to warrant a
visit—the restaurant also offers vegan
dishes put together by chefs with fine
dining experience. We recommend the
cauliflower dish with capers.
Previous Winners
New category!
BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2018
Dining
Make it worth the wait
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