Reykjavík Grapevine - nov. 2021, Side 29

29The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 11— 2021
Hé"inn
Seljavegur 2, 101 Reykjavík
If the restaurant scene in Iceland
was a multiverse, Hé"inn would
be the one with the elegance of Dr.
Strange and flashy, cool vibe of Tony
Stark. The interior design at the
place is out of this world but at the
same time grounded and firm. The
restaurant has half of the Icelandic
national team of chefs at the helm
and produces mind-bending dishes
that could unexpectedly tear a rift
in your universe. Hé"inn is one of
Reykjavík most ambitious projects
and a must-visit. VG
Skuggabaldur
Pósthússtræti 9, 101 Reykjavík
It’s rare that a bar elicits as much
excitement as new jazz haunt Skug-
gabaldur. But since its opening, it’s
basically blown up and was unani-
mously voted a Best Newcomer by
our diverse Best of Reykjavík pan-
el. “It’s a great place to sit outside;
they’ve got really nice jazz music.
You need to go on Monday, when
they have Mánudjazz, which used
to be at Húrra. It’s so nice,” said
one panel member. “Yes, they’re
bringing something that Reykjavík
needed,” another panellist agreed.
“We needed a jazz bar that was com-
mitted to doing jazz (and all that
that entails) well, but this place has
cracked the code. [The building it’s
in has] been a rather cursed spot,
but I remember when I first walked
in, I thought ‘This is what was born
to be here.’”
Mikki Refur
Hverfisgata 18, 101 Reykjavík
Mikki Refur offers an imported se-
lection of natural wines that truly
show off their mastery of wine cu-
ration. This of course landed them
a lot of praise in our latest Best of
Reykjavík issue, and deservingly
so. The panel said that they cater
to both those that know a lot about
wine and those that just want to try
new and exciting things. Another
one said that it has a boutique vibe
in that respect. It feels like you’re
in London. So, queen up and have a
natural sip. VG
Bál at Borg 29
Borgartún 29, 105 Reykjavík
Now, here is a secret we don’t want
to keep—even if we recently named
it one of Reykjavík’s best kept se-
crets. Bál Vín og Grill is located in
the Borg29 food hall and, in addi-
tion to serving up absolutely deli-
cious food, their wine list is unpar-
alleled. “It’s really hard to compare
it with anywhere else in the city,”
explains one Best of Reykjavík pan-
ellist. “The environment is rather
casual but you’ve got just such an
incredible wine selection—it’s bet-
ter than what you’d find at high-end
restaurants. And of course, it’s good
to get a few little things to eat along
with it.” We’d recommend their beef
tartare.
Chickpea
Hallveigarstígur 1, 101 Reykjavík
If you're hurrying into the down-
town branch of Kronan for an es-
sential or two, it would be easy to
miss Reykjavík's freshest falafels
nestling next door. The unassum-
ingly-fronted Chickpea was started
mid-pandemic by a trio of culinary
creatives, who realised that the
falafels they made for friends were
not just delicious but also a major
business opportunity. And it's not
just the falafels that are made from
scratch, the pita bread is also made
from dough that Team Chickpea
creates at the start of every day. JP
Hosiló
Hverfisgata 12, 101 Reykjavík
Also earning a best newcomer nod
is Hosiló, which recently took over
the location that once housed Dill.
With their weekly changing menu,
the chefs prepare the most mouth-
watering dishes with the fresh-
est produce. According to regular
customers, whatever is placed on
the table is definitely something
creative and enjoyable, and the veg-
gie options in particular are always
a hit. The place is small and cozy,
and the staff is the most welcom-
ing around. Though the pandemic
has been rough on the restaurant
scene all over the world, Hosiló is
going strong—which should indi-
cate that they are doing something
right. RH
Food
H
ve
rfisgata 12
Happy hour / 4–7pm
Beer / Wine / Cocktails
RÖNTGEN
BEST OF REYKJ AVÍK
REYKJAVÍK GRAPEVINE
T H E
BEST NEWCOMER BAR