Forréttabarinn

Tasty tapas with an Icelandic twist

Offering a new spin on traditional Icelandic cuisine and boasting an extensive selection of local beer, Forréttabarinn – or “the starters bar” – is more than worth seeking out when you’re in need of a bite to eat or a place to start your night out in Reykjavík. Whatever dish you choose from the refreshingly creative menu, your taste buds are in for a treat.

On any given evening at Forréttabarinn, you’re likely to find people lining the bar sipping on cocktails and locally brewed beer, old friends catching up over dinner and tourists refueling after enjoying an exhibition at one of the nearby galleries. With its high ceilings, buzzing open kitchen and walls adorned with work by contemporary artists, this joint could well be in downtown New York, rather than across the road from the harbour in central Reykjavík.

“The idea was for people to be able to pick from a variety of dishes and experience lots of different flavours without having to pay too much,” says Róbert Ólafsson, the owner and head chef at Forréttabarinn. “You can try lots of different dishes in one evening or alternatively just come and have a couple of glasses of wine and choose a few starters.”

Unusual combinations that work

With classic numbers like beef carpaccio and more experimental dishes including hot smoked salmon with potato rosti and wasabi yogurt, there is something on the menu to suit all tastes. If you’re in need of some guidance, go with one of the set menus, which the chefs have compiled according to what they think works best together. As well as the delicious and diverse range of appetisers, there are also some tempting larger dishes from which to choose, such as the toasted cod and pork belly with celery root puree and tomato compote.

“You’ll taste flavours you’ve never tasted before,” promises Ólafsson. “We do everything we can ourselves in the kitchen – from smoking the salmon and duck to making our own desserts – using fresh ingredients of the highest quality.”

Rather than falling into a tourist trap when you find yourself in Reykjavík, head ever so slightly off the beaten track and venture to Forréttabarinn in the oldest, most charming part of town. With its vibrant atmosphere, warm service and tantalizing menu, this is casual dining at its finest.