The Luxury Travel Magazine
The Luxury Travel Magazine
For those willing to brave the extreme cold, Icelandic winters have a lot to offer. Snow-covered ridges slope up and down along craggy mountain tops. Icy black rivers are transformed into mirrors for the brooding skies. Yet, despite the otherworldly beauty that comes along with it, winters in Iceland can be brutal. With frigid temperatures and polar nights, one would be forgiven for wishing for a taste of summer, even amidst the dazzling wintry landscapes. And like a genie, Friðheimar – among the best restaurants in Iceland – grants this wish.
At this family-run farmhouse restaurant, tomato-based dishes offer a refreshing burst of colour amid a wintry backdrop. Entering into the greenhouse where you will feast amongst tomato plants, their earthy aroma greets you alongside a rush of warmth. Set tables sit within a maze of vines, amongst which bursts of orange and red appear intermittently. While its glass-paned ceilings offer views up unto a frozen sky, inside Friðheimar’s greenhouse, the atmosphere is balmy and filled with life.
Based in Reykholt along the Golden Circle, Frðheimar is no stranger to the aforementioned severity of Iceland’s darkest months. Yet here, tomatoes are the star of the show in every season. All ingredients are grown in the on-site greenhouses, allowing for fresh produce year-round. Guests will dine among creeping green tomato vines under the glow of the greenhouse lights. For those willing to brave the extreme cold, Icelandic winters have a lot to offer, especially when considering the various travel packages in Iceland that cater to adventurous spirits seeking to explore its winter wonderland.
As if this dining experience isn’t unique enough, the property that houses Friðheimar is also home to a family of Icelandic horses. Upon pulling up to this country property, the sight of the ponies famed for their furriness greets you. This combination of tomatoes and horses – while unconventional – lends Friðheimar its distinctive identity. Furthermore, it marks it out as belonging to the ranks of the best restaurants in Iceland.
Friðheimar has its origins in a love story between an agronomist and a horticulturist. When Knútur Rafn Ármann and his wife Helena Hermundardóttir purchased the farmhouse that would become Friðheimar in 1995, they did so with the goal of combining their primary areas of interest. While his expertise lies in crop production, hers lies in garden cultivation. Thus, the perfect marriage of ideas was born in Friðheimar.
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"With frigid temperatures and polar nights where darkness stretches out for days on end, one would be forgiven for wishing for a taste of summer, even amidst the dazzling wintry landscapes. And like a genie, Friðheimar – among the best restaurants in Iceland – grants this wish."
The couple work the greenhouse and restaurant together alongside their five children. Friðheimar is therefore the epitome of a family affair. The farmhouse and two greenhouses existed before Knútur and Helena acquired the land. Yet, it wasn’t until 2006 that their innovative changes enabled them to begin growing tomatoes all year round, ensuring the taste of summer last through the winters.
Green Growing Practices
Despite its seeming bareness, Iceland’s preternatural landscape is actually a treasure trove for natural resources. The country’s plentiful rivers and volcanic matter do more than contribute to the otherworldly atmosphere of the island. In fact, they can be harvested and used to create sustainable alternative energy sources, such as hydro-electric and geothermal energy.
These energy sources are in turn utilized in the greenhouse at Friðheimar in a variety of ways. Light and porous pumice from the volcanic Mount Hekla, known in Norse as ‘the Gateway to Hell’, is used as growing media in the place of soil. Natural steam rising off the waters in the south is converted into electricity and helps produce carbon dioxide, both of which are used to improve the process of photosynthesis for the plants grown at Friðheimar.
Friðheimar has taken their commitment to practicing earth-friendly growing and harvesting practices a step further, partnering with Kolviður to offset their carbon omissions by planting trees. Their mission to maintain eco-quality standards in their growing practices has earned Friðheimar a Vakinn certification. As the official quality and environmental certification for Icelandic tourism, this award is a solid marker of commitment to ethical and environmentally sustainable practices. This is just one more reason to count Friðheimar amongst the best restaurants in Iceland.
From Farm to Table
While the family is responsible for the growing the produce, Friðheimar’s chef Jón K.B Sigfússon transforms the fresh harvest into something delectable to the taste buds. With three different varieties of tomato cultivated in the greenhouses, it is no surprise that nearly every dish on the menu gives the tomato top billing. Chef Sigfússon offers an array of both classic tomato creations and innovative inventions, impossible for the average mind to dream up.
There is a warming tomato soup on offer, served with fresh home-baked bread and aromatic herbs grown on-site. Other quintessential comfort dishes include the stone-baked tortilla with tomato, basil, and mozzarella: the perfect mix of crispy golden wrap and indulgent cheese. Those wishing for something a bit more upscale may opt for the ravioli pillows layered with homemade pesto and a fresh tomato sauce. Another option is the fresh mussels prepared in ‘special’ tomato seafood sauce, combining the salty taste of the sea with the earthy umami of the greenhouse produce.
Those keen to try something new and unexpected are in for a treat with Chef Sigfússon’s more unorthodox creations. The ‘apple pie à la Friðheimar’, for example incorporates green tomatoes into the otherwise classic autumnal dessert. In addition to this surprising yet satisfyingly sweet and tart dessert, intrepid diners are encouraged to try the homemade tomato ice cream. The rich cheesecake, swirled with cinnamon, lime, and green tomato jam, is another unanticipated winner.
Unsurprisingly, the drinks menu does not escape the tomato craze. The options range from understated – (a variety of beers brewed using tomatoes) – to the outlandish – (an entire tomato hollowed out and filled with the distinctly woody Icelandic Birch schnapps).
Luckily, Friðheimar’s farmhouse shop means that the adventures in tomato tasting do not have to end at the greenhouse doors. Visitors can take home a variety of goodies, such as green tomato jam and dessert sauce featuring green tomato and vanilla.
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" Friðheimar is sure of its two trades – tomatoes and horses – and – there can be no doubt about it – it is most certainly their master."
A Love of Horses
Given their clear championing of tomatoes above all, it is hard to imagine anything else standing out as equally important to the Friðheimar brand. Yet, there is an additional element that acts as the cherry tomato on top. Carving an even deeper place for the restaurant in the hall of distinctive peculiarity and solidifying its status as one of the best restaurants in Iceland is their collection of Icelandic horses.
Icelandic horses are known for being small, yet sturdy, with a notably furry coat to keep them warm even in the harsh winters. During the summer months, the family running Friðheimar put on a horse show, where guests can not only admire the beauty of these magnificent creatures, but also get a lesson into the history of their journey into Iceland in 900 AD. The shows are offered in 14 different languages, so visitors from all over the world can enjoy them, alongside an accompaniment of exuberant Icelandic music.
The unique nature of Friðheimar’s concept has by now been well-established. It does not take from trends or fads but sticks to what it does best. The restaurant thus epitomizes the idea that a jack of all trades is a master of none. Friðheimar is sure of its two trades – tomatoes and horses – and – there can be no doubt about it – it is most certainly their master.
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