Top 5 Best Faroe Islands Restaurants: Where to Dine

by Food & Drinks, Faroe Islands24 comments

For travelers who aim to go off the beaten path, one great destination that should be high up on your list are the unspoiled landscapes of the Faroe Islands. It’s a far-flung domain for sure, but for the foodies out there — don’t fret! After all, there are an array of brilliant Faroe Islands restaurants that will cater to any palate. From cozy diners up to fine dining establishments, you will definitely find dining spots where you can taste not only traditional Faroese cuisine but other international cuisines as well.

Top Things to Do in Faroe Islands?

Check out my detailed Faroe Islands itinerary guide!

More to this, did you know…? The islands have been referred to as the “new Nordic food frontier“, so that should already hype you up on the gastronomical wonders that it holds.

With that in mind, I can go and whip up an extensive dining guide for you; however, I find it best to streamline the top 5 Faroe Islands restaurants available that you should NOT miss out on.

Tp[ Faroe Islands Restaurants

NOTE: Faroese cuisine is composed primarily of lamb and fish which are prepared and served in a variety of ways. Other important foods are: skerpikjøt (type of dried mutton), other seafood, whale meat, blubber, garnatálg, Faroese puffins, and potatoes. Food preservations normally used are: brine, drying and the maturing of meat and fish, called ræstkjøt and ræstur fiskur.

1. KOKS

As the first Michelin-star restaurant in the islands, I can assure you that this accolade is well deserved. In fact, this is one of the Faroe Islands restaurants that truly left a lasting impression on me!

Led by the young 26-year-old chef, Poul Andrias Ziska, KOKS is a fine dining restaurant that is greatly influenced by Faroese traditions; that’s why you would expect seasonal dishes that use as much Faroese produce as possible (if other ingredients are needed, they are sourced from other Nordic countries).

To date, their menu is quite simple: you can choose from their (1) tasting menu at 1,400 DKK, (2) wine pairing with champagne, coffee/tea, and sweets at 1,100 DKK, or (3) juice pairing with coffee/tea and sweets for 500 DKK.

I dined at KOKS at a time when I was not allowed to consume alcohol, so when I saw how they have a juice pairing menu… I was intrigued. I’ve ate in various fine dining restaurants all over the world and I have never encountered such a concept. Without missing a beat, I ordered it… and boy, I was blown away! I never imagined that certain fruit juices can have so much amplifying effect on the dishes that were laid before me.

If not for its Michelin rating, I hope my experience will make you curious enough to try KOKS when you’re in the Faroe Islands!

• • • WEBSITEhttps://koks.fo
• • • ADDRESS: Í Geilini, 13FO-175, Kirkjubøur
• • • OPENING HOURS: Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat from 6:30PM to 10:00PM
• • • CONTACT: [email protected] / +298 333 999

2. Barbara Fish House

If you’re looking for Faroe Islands restaurants that can serve the best local seafood, Barbara Fish House is a place that you should consider!

First of all, it’s a charming house that is cut between rocks and tucked away between turf-roofed houses in the olden part of Tórshavn so it makes for quite a spot to dine in. And when it comes to food, apart from locally-caught Faroese seafood produce such as mussels, salmon, and scallops, they also have a great tasting menu available.

If I have to mention a dish that you must try, it would be their salmon because it’s just so delicious and juicy!

• • • WEBSITEBarabara Fish House
• • • ADDRESS: Gongin, 4-6FO-100, Tórshavn
• • • OPENING HOURS: Every day from 6:00PM to 12:00AM (but kitchen closes at 10PM)
• • • CONTACT[email protected] / +298 331010

3. Ræst

This might just be the world’s 1st ‘fermented‘ restaurant! After all, ræst means ‘fermentation’ in the Faroese language and as one of Faroe Islands restaurants, it is entirely dedicated to serving traditional Faroese fermented dishes consisting of ingredients like lamb, fish, rye bread, blood sausage, rhubarb and more.

So what is ræst exactly? In these islands, this kind of process of fermentation is made by drying the meat and fish outdoors in hjallur (or food-drying sheds) so as to allow aging to occur.

It’s a delicate process though because if the temperature is too warm, it might spoil the goods; if it’s too cold, it will make it all tasteless. Nevertheless, Ræst prides itself in procuring this unique taste that will appeal even to non-Faroese diners.

Opened just last 2016, you will find Ræst in the capital, Tórshavn.

• • • WEBSITEhttps://visitfaroeislands.com/en/whatson/places/place/rast0
• • • ADDRESS: Gongin 8 , FO-100, Tórshavn
• • • OPENING HOURS: Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat from 6:00PM to 10:00PM
• • • CONTACT: [email protected] / +298 411430

4. Áarstova

Áarstova is actually a part of the restaurant group where Barbara Fish House and Ræst belongs to. If Barbara’s specialty is on seafood dishes and Ræst is on fermented food, Áarstova is a mix — meaning that it serves meat and seafood dishes served in varying styles (both local and international).

A bit of trivia: local poets Janus and Hans Andrias Djurhuus grew up in a humble house named Áarstova (the house by the Brook) that is situated between Havnará (the Tórshavn Brook) and Áarvegur, the main street (by the Brook) in old Tórshavn. So basically, this is how the restaurant got its name as it is built upon such a historic building!

When it comes to their best dishes, I would certainly recommend their braised lamb!

• • • WEBSITEhttps://visitfaroeislands.com/en/whatson/places/place/aarstova0
• • • ADDRESS: Gongin, 1FO-100, Tórshavn
• • • OPENING HOURS: Every day from 6:00PM to 12:00AM (but kitchen closes at 10PM)
• • • CONTACT: [email protected] / +298 333000

5. Etika

If you’re looking for fares from the east, the sushi restaurant of Etika will quench your cravings! Using fresh Faroese seafood, you will surely feast upon sushi dishes that will make you crave for more.

It’s a fairly popular place in the city though, that’s why I highly recommend that you reserve beforehand in order to secure your seats.

For ideas on what to order, I would suggest their salmon sushis (I can’t get enough of salmon there!) and their meat skewers.

• • • WEBSITEhttps://www.etika.fo
• • • ADDRESS: Áarvegur, 3100, Tórshavn
• • • OPENING HOURS: Every day from 11:30AM to 10:00PM
• • • CONTACT: [email protected] / +298 319 319

  • In case you don’t want to dine in Faroe Islands restaurants and are rather searching for a more intimate or ‘home-cooked’ dining experience, you can check out the following options:
    Heimablídni: translated as ‘home hospitality’, this program lets you dine in the homes of Faroese families (however it’s mostly available for groups).
    Anna and Óli’s Supper Club: for lesser numbers, you can try this and book a spot at their supper club

• • •

Faroe Islands Restaurants

Overall

There’s one thing that I am sure of: Faroese dining does NOT disappoint.

So if you ever find yourself in these group of islands, go and enchant your senses with flavors from each of these five (5) restaurants that I hope you will come to love and recommend too!

• • •

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24 Comments

  1. otlaat

    It’s Seems a good list, Thnk u Aileen Adalid l’ll keep it in my mind next time when decide to visit Island

    Reply
  2. Liza

    Wow, I didn’t know there is a Michelin Star restaurant in the Faroe Islands, I definitely need to give it a try on my next visit there. I will just try to stay away from the puffin dishes. I don’t have the guts to eat such a cute bird.

    Reply
    • Aileen

      Sure enough, there will be lots of choices for you! :D

      Reply
  3. David Elliott

    All of those restaurants do look absolutely incredible. I had never heard of fermentation when it came to cooking before, to be honest. I know that with wines and cheeses that there is some fermentation involved, but never thought it had its own brand of methodology as far as cooking. If I make it out to those islands, I am certainly going to have to try out a couple of these places. Love the pictures too.

    Reply
    • Aileen

      I’m glad to hear that you’re interested, David :D

      Reply

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