A stunning new restaurant opens at The Pearl in Reykjavik

It's safe to say that the views from The Pearl …

It's safe to say that the views from The Pearl are the most stunning in the city. Photo/Kaffitár

This summer, The Pearl has reopened after undergoing an extensive facelift. The new restaurant on the top floor is run by the owners the popular coffee roastery and cafés, Kaffitár. The restaurant is called Út í bláinn (Into the blue), a name selected to reflect the restaurant’s unique character as the sky is wholly visible from the inside.  The Pearl now offers a fascinating and extensive exhibition on Iceland’s natural history, a beautiful gift shop, a coffee shop and the restaurant Út í bláinn on the top floor.

The new Út í bláinn restaurant offers an airy, bistro …

The new Út í bláinn restaurant offers an airy, bistro feel. mbl.is/Golli

The  atmosphere of the new coffee shop and restaurant is much lighter and airier following the refurbishment,  and as a consequence more modern and sophisticated.  The architect designed an open kitchen and elevator building in the middle of the restaurant which will be covered with live plants, giving the interiors  an atrium style or greenhouse feel. The furnishings are a mix of marble and wood giving it a slightly French bistro-esque air.  The greenery indoors  will reflect the woodlands outside and one could say that nature will reach into the glass dome to create a warm and truly unique setting.

The view from the restaurant is undoubtedly the best in Reykjavik, spanning 360 ° of cityscape, woodland, beaches, mountains and ocean. Interestingly, the hill Öskjuhlíð, where The Pearl is located, is also the setting of the first Ásatrú pagan temple to be constructed in Europe for a 1000 years.  The temple, designed by architect Magnús Jensson is a stonesthrow away from The Pearl and will be another incredible site to visit in the area.

Photo/Kaffitár

These stunning views are accessible on the outdoor viewing deck on the 4th floor,  but now, inside the new restaurant there will be a new indoor viewing deck on top of the central elevator building.

The restaurant Út í bláinn and Kaffitár café were designed by architect Páll Hjaltason and Alba Solís at PlúsArk architects. The restaurant is bright and airy making the most of the unique views on offer. The glass dome of the Pearl serves as the sky above both the restaurant and the Kaffitár coffee shop.

Photo/Kaffitár

The menu of Út í bláinn is inspired by Icelandic tradition that meets European cuisine using Icelandic, seasonal ingredients. The culinary team is headed by Atli Þór Erlendsson who was a member of the Icelandic culinary team for two years and was voted chef of the year in 2015 in Iceland.

At the Kaffitár coffee shop that's also in Perlan, visitors can enjoy a variety of coffee drinks and snacks such as sandwiches and pastries, and six flavours of fantastic ice cream including the wonderful Krakatá coffee flavour made from their own roast and brew.

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