Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.09.2023, Blaðsíða 12

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2023
12
Hafnartorg Gallery welcomes you to over 30 stores
and restaurants in the downtown harbour district,
with some of the best food and wine Iceland has to oer.
Hafnartorg Gallery Geirsgata Open Every Day
Spicing up
the Harbour
We are proud to be counted among the
best dining experiences in Reykjavík
BEST OF REYKJAVÍK
BEST NEWCOMER FOODHALL
BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2023
Dining
It's not all shark and sheephead
Best Family Restaurant
Osushi
Tryggvagata 13
Like many curious things about Iceland, sushi has managed to become a common
culinary love easily shared between generations. A firm panel favourite, what makes
Osushi tick is that it is “perfect for the younger kids who love sushi, to the teen who
still likes going out with the parents.” The sushi is freshly rolled before being sent
out on the conveyor belt, which means there is zero waiting time before everyone
can tuck into their favourite bite. The staff is attentive and is happy to entertain
their young guests’ many requests, be it wanting mochi ice cream before dinner, or
sending out those mango hosomaki stat.
Runners-up
Hornið
Hafnarstræti 15
Hornið has been around so long now
that chances are you went there as
a child and you’re taking your own
kids there now. One of the first to
introduce Italian food to Icelanders,
this restaurant knows that pasta is a
secret comfort food and they cater to
this nostalgia with unabashed pleasure.
Think Italy by way of Iceland. And the
pizzas are an ode to simplicity. Sure,
rings of raw onion may sometimes
mysteriously appear on a pie, and the
service can sometimes seem harried,
but Hornið remains ideal for when
nothing but the comfort of familiarity
will do.
Jómfrúin
Lækjargata 4
“You wouldn’t think that a Danish
smorrebrauð place would be super
child friendly, but Jómfrúin not only is,
but is also accommodating of picky
eaters,” mused a panellist. “I’ve been a
regular for over six years now,” added
another, “and from my 70-something
grandmother, to my teenagers, there is
something for everyone. But the atten-
tive service and genuine consideration
for kids is what makes this a hidden
gem for families.” How can we argue
with testimonies like that?
Previous Winners
2022: Kaffi Lækur
2021: Osushi
2020: Hamborgarafabrikkan
Best Vegan Meal
Joint winners
Hnoss
Harpa, Austurbakki 2
While chef Fanney Dora’s legendary
smoked carrot dish inspired copycats
everywhere, she herself has moved
onto focussing her attention to
showcasing vegetables and legumes
front and centre at her Harpa restau-
rant, Hnoss. This is one of a handful
of restaurants that borrow from
non-European cuisines, successfully
marrying them with Icelandic produce.
Take the grilled miso rutabaga, for
instance. Hefty chunks of this often
overlooked vegetable is marinated with
savoury Japanese miso, then branded
on the grill; the smokiness a lovely
foil to the spicy peanut-sesame-chilli
based sauce at once recalling both
West African stews and South Indian
chutneys. The Omnom praline cake is
perhaps “the most sumptuous dessert
in town right now,” gushed our panellist
dreamily. This is food both vegans and
non-vegans can enjoy heartily.
Fönix
Bíldshöfði 12
Long before the city caught up to veg-
an dishes, let alone full-fledged menus,
Fönix was the first to have a menu
dedicated entirely to vegan classics at
their industrious industrial outpost, a
secret many kept to themselves and
with good reason. The vegan mapo
tofu overshadows the original, the
darkly sweet braised eggplant arrives
blistering hot, their velvety slinkiness
perfect to scoop over rice. The dump-
lings are hand-pleated parcels of love,
stuffed with glass noodles and chewy
wood ears and shiitake, a wonderful
juxtaposition of texture and flavour.
Don’t sleep on Fönix. Here you’ll find no
battered cauliflowers pretending to be
chicken in sight.
Previous Winners
2022: Sono Matseljur
2021: Sono Matseljur
2020: Veganæs (RIP)
Best Brunch
Brút
Pósthússtræti 2
The brunch at Brút is so of-the-moment
chic that makes it worth waking up
early-ish on a weekend. Brút shakes
things up by leaning into that fresh,
good for you energy without any of the
crystal healing vibe. There is a salad
for every preference, a couple of warm
dishes, often an excellently prepared
fish, plenty of fruit juices, mimosas
and cocktails, and always something
thoughtful for the vegan too. It’s at the
dessert table that Brút loses their mind
and there are whole cakes running the
gamut from cheesecakes and pies to
tarts and macarons.
Runner-up
Hnoss
Harpa, Austurbakki 2
Hnoss channels generousity of spirit,
transforming into a laid-back yet
elegant family-friendly brunch over
the weekend with long rows of fresh
salads, steamy soup, fried to order
eggs and a house-made dessert table
often surrounded by eager kids and
adults alike. What sets Hnoss apart from
the other brunches besides the usual
suspects is their love for Icelandic
classics.
Newcomer
The Roof
Bryggjugata 6
If a decadent location is non-nego-
tiable for your brunch pals, then The
Roof is certain to please. With a large
wrap-around terrace, floor to ceiling
windows and breathtaking views, this is
a place that impresses even before the
food arrives. “Perfect for a hangover,”
the menu is very American — there
are crispy waffles, stacked with fried
chicken and eggs, avocado toast and
mac and cheese. The boozy milkshakes
are “slightly strange at first, but mad
delicious once you try them.” This isn’t a
hurried affair but a fashionable brunch
lightened with the playful menu.
Previous Winners
2022: Coocoo’s Nest (RIP)
2021: Coocoo’s Nest (RIP)
2020: The Coocoo’s Nest (RIP)