Best Vegetarian Meal: Joint Winners

Mat Bar

Hverfisgata 26

This stylishly designed restaurant has an interesting variety of vegetarian dishes that go way beyond the standard salad and side-dish options. Their grilled carrots are as good as any grilled meat we’ve had, and the radicchio salad with toasted nuts and goat cheese or spicy bok choy with fermented oranges are the stuff of vegetarian dreams. Seasonality is a key focus at Mat Bar, so be warned that favourites may vanish suddenly when the menu changes, but something surprising and new will spring up in their place.

Shalimar

Austurstræti 4

The vegetarian thali at Shalimar comes chock full of seasonal veggies in a melange of flavours, spices, and colours. Unlike the à la carte menu, the thali offerings change every day, so expect beetroot cooked in a savoury, tangy stir-fry one day, or gourds and squash in a heady gravy on another. It’s home-style cooking, with restaurant flair, and the kitchen puts effort into the simple desi buffet. Don’t waste your krona on the mango lassi—it’s an unnecessary distraction from the food.

Runner-Up

Pallett

Strandgata 75, Hafnarfjörður

It might seem odd to give this award to a place with only one permanent vegetarian option on the menu, but the veggie sausage roll at Pallett is the stuff of dreams. With melt-in-the-mouth flaky buttery pastry and a tasty, spicy filling, it’s a true Grapevine favourite. Also, the coffee is so good it’d be worth the trip to Hafnarfjörður alone.

Previous Winners

2016-17: Kaffi Vínyl

2015: Teni

2013-14: Gló