Words by

Desirai Thompson

Photo by

Art Bicnick

Dill Restaurant is holding onto their Michelin Star for the second year in a row, reports Vísir, maintaining its place as the only Icelandic restaurant with this recognition.

Located at Laugavegur 59 in Reykjavík, Dill is dedicated to serving its guests a unique and ever-evolving culinary experience of Iceland. They’ve achieved this designation by striving to push the boundaries and employe new techniques, all while staying true to the simplicity of native Icelandic ingredients.

Dill was founded in 2009 and was first awarded a Michelin star in 2017. They lost their star in 2019, only to gain it back the following year in 2020. This year, they’re holding onto it again.

This is especially impressive considering the unprecedented challenges restaurants and bars have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The service industry has faced some of the strongest restrictions, with Dill itself having to reduce service in June 2020 due to domestic and travel restrictions.

Gunnar Karl Gíslason, founder and head chef of Dill, told a reporter at Vísir, “I personally think it’s like a victory for me, the staff and the restaurant because we work hard to try to create something that matters and something that we love and hopefully our guests love it, too.”

Gunnar Karl, Dill owner. Photo by Art Bicnick

While Dill is the only Icelandic restaurant holding a Michelin Star, four other restaurants, ÓX, Matur og Drykkur, Sümac and Moss, have received the Michelin Plate. This symbol demonstrates that an establishment serves very good food but has not yet achieved a Michelin Star or a Bib Gourmand. The Michelin Guide states that restaurants often start off here and may rise to receive a star in following years.

“It’s incredibly fun to get this recognition and I hope that in the next few years we will see more restaurants in Iceland get this star,” Gunnar Karl said.

Dill Restaurant has been awarded the Best Place for a Fancy Meal in The Grapevine’s Best of Reykjavík 2021 Guide, which comes out tomorrow.

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