Ending Iceland with a Bang: Dinner at ÓX

We decided to end our Iceland trip with a bang: dinner at ÓX in Reykjavík, a one Michelin star restaurant. Mark and I have traveled to cities just to eat at specific restaurants, but it never dawned on us to look up Michelin star restaurants in our starting and ending ports to kick off or end a cruise. ÓX was recommended by our friends, and what a recommendation it was (thanks, Matt and Wes!).

The Shortest Commute in Reykjavík

We picked our hotel so it was within walking distance of the restaurant. When we went to dinner, we walked out of the hotel entrance, made an immediate right, and the restaurant was the very next door. Come to find out, it was actually in the basement of our hotel. When the meal was over and done with, we took the elevator straight up to our room. Within walking distance, indeed!

Ring the Lion

Finding ÓX felt like finding a speakeasy. There is no real sign. Just a small brass plaque that says “Amma Don” and a lion’s head doorbell. You press the lion and wait for someone to let you in. Turns out, Amma Don is a cocktail bar that opened in 2022 alongside ÓX, billed as Reykjavík’s first and only speakeasy. So it didn’t just feel like a speakeasy. It was one. Amma means grandma in Icelandic, which made a lot more sense once we got inside.

Once inside, we walked down a long, dark hallway with candles, family photos on the wall, and a glowing doorway at the end. It set the tone for the whole evening.

Grandma’s Living Room

We were escorted into a recreation of the chef’s grandmother’s living room. It felt like we walked back in time to the 1970s, or something reminiscent of The Brady Bunch. Wood paneling. Knickknacks. We sat in low padded armchairs around a cocktail table with another couple, enjoying the first four courses and chatting. The first course was a seasonal salad, and that is when I knew the plating would be whimsical. The salad was made into a brush that you dipped into the dressing to take a bite. The rutabaga was rolled into a cigar and served on a bed of lava rocks. The living room doubles as the Amma Don bar. Grandma’s living room with a full bar. Why didn’t my grandmothers think of that?

Grandma’s Kitchen

From there, we moved into a version of the chef’s grandmother’s kitchen, complete with her actual cabinets. He had them relocated to the restaurant, worn paint and all.

We all sat around the chef’s counter, a bar-height table that surrounds the area where the chefs finish cooking and plating every course. For me, this is always the best place to experience a meal. We have sat at the counter at several restaurants, and it never gets old. A dinner like this is already an experience, but sitting at the counter, watching the plating and interacting with the chefs, turns it into a show you get to be part of.

🍴 Dining Tip: Counter seats are worth asking for. Some restaurants, like ÓX, é by José Andrés, and Sushi by Scratch, only have counter seating. Others, like Surrell and The Kitchen in Sacramento, offer both regular tables and a chef’s counter. If you have the choice, ask for the counter when you book. Planning a romantic dinner? A regular table may be the better pick. It’s hard to gaze into each other’s eyes when you’re both watching the chefs.

Twenty Courses, Five Hours

Mark summed it up best: a 20-course meal served over a leisurely evening that lasted five hours. The food was incredible, and the attention to detail and presentation were spectacular.

Course nine was rye bread with butter and trout. The rye bread was baked in the hot springs, buried in the ground and slow-cooked by Iceland’s geothermal heat. They recommended we eat it with equal parts bread to butter. Chef’s orders. Who am I to argue?

Some courses came with surprises. The chocolates, made with Icelandic Omnom chocolate, came hidden inside a ceramic pig. And the final course, pine miso and lemon, was shaped like green leaves with white chocolate underneath, resting on a bed of stones.

It was a very memorable evening, and a perfect way to end our trip. We went home with the menu and a wooden spoon branded with the ÓX logo as souvenirs. The menu is now in my binders, of course.

Good to Know

A seat at ÓX is ISK 72,000 per person, prepaid when you book. That covers the food, the drink pairing (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), coffee, and service, so there is nothing more to pay at the end of the night unless you request extras ahead of time. We chose the alcoholic pairing, which was a mix of champagne, wine, beer, and cocktails, with coffee or tea at the end.

Dinner is Tuesday through Saturday, with lunch on Saturdays. Dinner starts at 18:15 for everyone, and the door opens at 18:00 if you want a drink beforehand. The website says the experience takes about 3.5 hours. Ours took five. No regrets. Reservations open 90 days in advance.

ÓX · Laugavegur 55, Reykjavík · ox.restaurant