Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.08.2019, Síða 25

Hipstur
Bíldshöfði 9
The mushroom bread, ohhhhhhhhhhh
the mushroom bread!!! Newcomer to
Reykjavík’s expanding foodhall scene,
Hipstur serves delectable gourmet
street-food dishes. Tossed with nuts
and topped with aioli, the grilled cab-
bage and cauliflower salad is savoury
and sumptuous. And did we mention
the mushroom bread?! Garlic-fried
fungi + red onion + kale + grated horse-
radish = sitophilia! AR
Hraðlestin
Hverfisgata 64a / Lækjargata 8 /
Hlíðasmári 8 / Kringlan
Pakodas, samosas, and bondas, oh my!
Hraðlestin’s dinner menu features
aloo gobi matar spiced for the gods
(or, ahem, deities). And you’ll thank us
for this PSA: Vegan Wednesdays! This
home-grown franchise has a special
offer on their vegan thali every hump
day. AR
Ísbúðin Brynja
Engihjalli 8, Kópavogur
If ever you’ve consumed dairy in Ice-
land, you’re likely to have indulged in a
towering swirl of soft-serve dipped in
chocolate and sprinkled with assorted
confections. Vegans don’t have to miss
out on this classic treat at Brynja in
Kópavogur. The Akureyri-transport
has three vegan soft-serves on tap (the
coconut is divine!) and a range of clear-
ly marked vegan toppings. What are
you waiting for? CF
Kaffi Laugalækur
Laugarnesvegur 74a
Vegan cheese that achieves a satisfy-
ing consistency on pizza is a unicorn
for vegan foodies. Kaffi Lækur skips
this problematic topping altogether,
instead crowning their vegan Skrúður
and Frú Lauga flatbreads with the likes
of pesto, pickled onions, chickpeas,
greens and cashews. It goes down easy
on its own or with a happy hour brew at
the hippest café outside of 101. CF
Shalimar
Austurstræti 4
Reykjavík’s evergreen Pakistani res-
taurant will fill your vegan belly with
fragrant, flavourful fare. Their Curry
in a Hurry lunch special (a steal at 1,290
ISK) always has a plant-based option or
two, but make room in your day for the
vegan set menu, and tuck in to fluffy
onion bhaji, impeccably spiced saag
aloo and vegetable masala, naan, and a
sweet bite to end the meal. CF
SKÁL!
Hlemmur Mathöll
One of the (many) beautiful things
about Hlemmur Mathöll’s standout and
Bib Gourmand recipient SKÁL! is its
creative use of plant-based ingredients.
A seasonally-focussed New Nordic out-
post with a welcome sense of flair, the
menu is constantly being refreshed;
but at the time of writing this vegan
can’t get enough of the smoked carrots
or the mainstay crushed potatoes. CF
Sumac
Laugavegur 28
Though there’s been a surge in vegan
fast food of late, those looking for more
upscale cruelty-free fare are in good
hands at Sumac. The vegan-optional
Meze seven-course tasting menu is
a festival of Moroccan and Lebanese
flavours, beautifully highlighting the
versatility of mushrooms, legumes,
cauliflower and courgette. It’s a meal
you won’t soon forget. CF
Veganæs
Tryggvagata 22
For gooey grilled cheese sandwiches,
bearnaise-topped steaks, fried fish
burgers, and heaping piles of mashed
potatoes, look no further than the dim
dive Veganæs. Currently taking resi-
dence in the back of the Gaukurinn bar
and music venue, the low-key joint’ll
convince you wholeheartedly that veg-
an food is for more than yogis. HJC
Whiskey Cocktails, Whiskey Fligths, Whiskey Shots, Whiskey School, Happy
Hour, Draft Beer & Exterior Patio
25The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 13— 2019