A safe bet

www.grillmarkadurinn.is

This downtown Reykjavík restaurant has been a success story ever since it opened in 2011, more or less bustling every day since then, and for a good reason.

A wide ranging menu of various influences and focusing on open fire using coals and logs. Coming into the place there is something slightly medieval about it, in a warm and secure castle kind of way though. High walls and a long bar greet you coming in and the main dining hall is downstairs open and bright but with lots of nooks and crannies for planning crusades or feasting on tasting menus. They have a reputation for picking out quality local produce and having connections enough to have the best pickings of each delicacy. Original pairings such as squid and traditional dried fish. Great presentations of the slightly exotic such as puffin and minke whale. And absolutely fabulous steaks from the grill. The night we went there we had the tasting menu which was creative and delicious. The rib-eye was so good that it left me wanting more on a seventh dish, like some long-awaited rendez-vouz made all too brief by time and circumstances. The place has an undeniable vibe about it which made me want to come back soon with some hungry friends in the mood for fun, food and drink. A centerpiece of the ever growing Reykjavík restaurant scene.