Dill

Dill holds a special place in Iceland's food story. It was opened in 2009 by the chef Gunnar Karl Gíslason, just after the financial crash, when investors pulled out and he famously kept the project going on his own credit cards. The restaurant began in the Nordic House, the modernist cultural centre designed by Alvar Aalto near the university, and moved in 2015 to its current home at Laugavegur 59, in the middle of the main shopping street. In February 2017 it became the first Icelandic restaurant to receive a Michelin star; it lost the star in 2019 and regained it in 2020.

The cooking is New Nordic, built around Icelandic nature, fresh ingredients, wild herbs and sustainability. Vegetables and herbs play a central role, although the restaurant is not vegetarian, and the kitchen makes extensive use of smoking, drying and other traditional techniques for preserving food that have long been necessary in Iceland. Local producers supply ingredients such as barley and blue mussels. The meal takes the form of a single tasting-style DILL menu that aims for simplicity and lets the ingredients speak for themselves. Drinks pairings focus on organic wines, with a mixed pairing and a non-alcoholic pairing also offered.

The dining room interior, by the designer Hálfdán Pedersen, was nominated for a Restaurant & Bar Design Award in 2015. Because of the way the menu is structured, it cannot be made without dairy, but the restaurant will try to accommodate other allergies if told in advance.

Dill suits food lovers, couples celebrating a special occasion and anyone who wants to see how Iceland's ingredients can be treated at the highest level. It is a significant splurge, so plan it as a highlight of your trip. Book well ahead through the restaurant's online booking system, especially for weekends and the summer season, and mention allergies when you reserve. Gift vouchers are also sold through the same booking platform.

Laugavegur 59 is in the busiest part of the shopping street, a few minutes' walk from Hallgrímskirkja and the hotels of the centre. Arrive early for a drink in one of the nearby bars, or walk down to the harbour afterwards to see the lights on the water.