Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.09.2023, Side 16

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2023
16
Laugavegur 27, 101 Reykjavík
We open new,
Low intervention,
fantastic, juicy,
bubbly bottles
every night!
Tapas until closing
Best Food Hall
Hlemmur Mathöll
Laugavegur 107
What Hlemmur Mathöll lacks in size, it makes up for in the quality of its establish-
ments. The OG, it is precisely its size and careful curation of cuisines on offer that
underlines its cool-beyond-trends vibe. While other mathölls are dealing with
deafening decibels and toe-tripping crowding, Hlemmur is still a comfortable
haunt. From uber cool Skál to truly Danish smorrebrauð at Tivoli, to the champagne
selection at Kröst, hearty Vietnamese pho or some Napoli pizza by Flatey, this is the
best place to sample a cross-section of Icelandic restaurant fare without having to
worry about reservations and wait lists. We still miss the fresh produce stand, if that
could be brought back, it’d be golden, baby.
Newcomers
Pósthús Mathöll
Pósthússtræti 5
The cross stitch art on the wall says
“Sorry, this is yet another food hall” —
but that brash declaration belies the
selection on offer at Pósthús. “Cannot
get enough of the heritage details of
this place,” cooed our panellist. Reyk-
javík’s youngest mathöll is perhaps the
prettiest, too. Once a post office, now
a refurbished food hall, the room by
room layout allows guests to meander
and discover for themselves the broad
selection on offer. Moving beyond the
now tired formula of the usual suspects
offering the trifecta of sameness —
burger, pizza and some insipid “Asian,”
Pósthús gives one hope that perhaps
ambition in the F&B industry isn’t dead
yet. There is fresh pasta at Enoteca, fun
drinks at Drykk, fresh sushi and poke
bowls at Djúsi Sushi and Indian food via
Scandinavia at Funky Bhangra.
Hafnartorg Gallery
Geirsgata 17
The design of this mathöll left our panel
split between “cushy comfy” to “sport
bar vibe” to “airport lounge” — it's a
good thing we are the food panel and
not the design panel. The aesthetics
aside, what seemed to win the panel
over was the selection of food on offer
, proximity to ample parking and the
comfortable seating. Hrefna Sætran’s
behind La Trattoria, an Italian restau-
rant, there is Brand, by the same team
as Bál, Mexican tacos at Fuego, NY style
slices, and a poke bar.
Previous Winners
2022: Borg 29
2021: Hlemmur Mathöll
Best Late Night Bite
Arabian Taste
Laugavegur 87
“The service is so friendly!” seems to be
the common refrain one hears about
Arabian Taste. The Syrian family-run
restaurant has been channelling their
pain into joy for us on their plates of
torpedo lookalike kibbeh — pounded
bulghur wheat stuffed with spiced
minced meat, deep fried to crusty
goodness — smokey lamb kebabs,
spectacular baba ghanoush and fresh
tabbouleh. We strongly recommend
getting a side of pickles, and some
extra spicy sauce alongside your falafel
wrap. Late nights don’t translate to a
grift here; the family is all smiles no
matter the time of day.
Runner-up
Devitos
Laugavegur 126
Even bad pizza is good pizza and Devi-
tos is better than bad, it’s good. Another
staple of the Icelandic late night bites
for over 25 years, this place is sure to
sort you out at the end of a long shift
at the hotel or a long line at the bar
bathroom. Now stop your yapping and
grab a slice with pepperoni, pineapple
and cream cheese like a real native.
Previous Winners
Renewed category
Best Newcomer
Óx
Laugavegur 55
After a few years as a speakeasy
restaurant tucked away inside another
restaurant, Óx has grown wings and
leaves its old nest behind, with a newly
minted Michelin star in tow, and has
moved to a new location further up the
high street. The sense of arrival is intact
as a non-descript graffitied wall spares
no hints as to the gastronomic delights
awaiting diners inside. A speakeasy bar,
named in honour of chef Þráinn Freyr’s
grandmother, Ammadon, is the sort
of welcome that is a sign of all good
things that are yet to come. Now seat-
ing 16, the new space is ambitious and
the food just as memorable. Reykjavik
fine dining has arrived, and how.
Runners-up
Fröken Reykjavik Kitchen & Bar
Lækjargata 12
“Didn’t expect anything and was
pleasantly surprised,” has been the
consistent feedback about Fröken,
Reykjavik’s newest restaurant. Housed
in the new Íslandshotel, the art deco
flourishes carry on from the lobby to
the restaurant. Perhaps it is a sign of
a booming economy, or the post-pan-
demic longing for beauty, but restau-
rant decor has firmly moved away
from industrial grunge-chic to plush
velours and gilded accents. The menu
may sound like usual suspects, but the
delivery is near-perfect.
Funky Bhangra
Pósthússtræti 5
Indian-ish burgers? That’s exactly what
Yesmine Olsson’s Funky Bhangra does.
Inspired by India by way of Sweden, this
mathöll restaurant sets its sights firmly
on Northern Indian cuisine and is loose-
ly based on chaat flavours. The popular
burgers are lamb or vegetarian, served
with a mint chutney, fried papads and
raita. The grilled skewers of meat are
rather delicious too.
Previous Winners
2022: Brut
2021: Dragon Dimsum
2020: Makake (RIP)
BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2023
Dining
At this point we're just waiting for a viking-themed
foodhall. Working title: Foodhalla