Chic new Italian with stunning view in downtown Reykjavik

This weekend saw the opening of Essensia , a new Italian restaurant on Reykjavik’s up-and-coming Hverfisgata street run by award-winning Icelandic chef Hákon Már Örvarsson.

“A good Italian is what was lacking in Reykjavik,” says Örvarsson, “and this place suits that to a tee, being so open and bright.” The restaurant is located at the end of Hverfisgata, with a stunning view of Árnarhóll hill over to the sea.

The kitchen features a real fire oven and Essensia offers a range of familiar and more experimental Mediterranean pizza and pasta dishes.

The place has been entirely renovated and it has taken fifteen months to complete the work and secure the appropriate permits.

“We want Essensia to have a fun and light atmosphere, where people can come in and, for instance, share a round of starters,” Örvarsson explains.

“Hverfisgata as a whole has been given a facelift and we see the numbers of people walking by grow by the day. I am very excited about this location and the view from the window is stunning.”