Grillmarkadurinn is a very stylish restaurant and located right downtown. So from our hotel to the restaurant it was only a two-minute walk. This was the view that greeted us upon entering and I was rightfully impressed by the big light fixture.
light fixture @Grillmarkadurinn
Grillmarkadurinn bar with open kitchen @Reykjavik
Too bad that our table was located on the lower floor and that we were looking at the stairs instead of this beautiful bar. To begin with we ordered a drink. What better place to waste money than here in Reykjavik. It was the first evening and we definitely deserved something good. Should have stayed with G&T though, mine was not great. The one with Rosemary was good though.
drinks at Grillmarkadurinn @Reykjavik
If you think the pictures are dark, this is because it was rather dark in our corner. Oh, and the handbag in front is my new clutch from Ina Kent which I got for my birthday! A rather excellent gift if I may say so! From the kitchen we received fresh bread and churned butter. No really fond of butter this way, but the bread was delicious.
Curious as I was I ordered the mini burger trio with whale, puffin and lingoustine as a starter. What a disappointment. The burgers were way to small to taste anything. Furthermore the buns were dry and flaky and overshadowed any taste of the fillings. The only thing I can say for certain is that the whale meat was sinewy. Don’t know if it was just my luck or if the meat is always like this.
trio of mini burgers with whale, puffin and lingoustine @Grillmarkadurinn
The second starter was a selection of deep-fried vegetables in crispy dough. The dressing on top appears to be herbal. what ever it was, it was delicious. My friend ate it all and lauded the variety of the selection. Not your average sweet potato, pepper and carrot mix here.
deep-fried vegetables in crispy dough @Grillmarkadurinn
Surrounded on all sides by water, as is typical for an island, I decided to go for fish as main dish. I picked cod which was served with a shellfish sauce and topped with rings of fennel and apple spirals. The kitchen grilled the fish to perfection, it was moist and tender, with the right amount of seasoning. A delicious dish!
cod with shellfish sauce and apple and fennel rings @Grillmarkadurinn
The peanut steak, which was the only vegetarian option by the way, was also fantastic. The dish is quite filling though and you probably don’t need a starter when choosing this. All the protein will do the trick. The accompanying salad was absolutely heavenly, tasted super fresh and the pomegranate seeds gave it a slight crunch.
peanut steak @Grillmarkadurinn
The restaurant is on the higher end of the price range, even for Reykjavik. It’s definitely a place to see and to be seen. Vegetarian options are limited like almost everywhere in Reykjavik. But you will always find something to eat. Service was efficient if not overly friendly. Overall a good place to eat. Yours, Pollybert
Grillmarkaðurinn
101 Reykjavik, Lækjargata 2a
Tel: +354 571-7777
Email: info@grillmarkadurinn.is
Mo-Fri: 11:30-14:00, Mo-Sun: 17:00-22:30
https://www.grillmarkadurinn.is/en/
