About Lyst

LYST was founded by chef Reynir Gretarsson and opened its doors in April 2022 in one of Iceland’s most beautiful houses Reynir had been working both domestically and abroad at numerous restaurants, and held a position as production manager at OMNOM, before moving up north to open his own restaurant.

At LYST we put great emphasis on simple dishes, made from the best available ingredients, served in a good vibe atmosphere. Fish and vegetables during lunchtime is a specialty, as is toasted sourdough bread and all sorts of sides. Moreover, we try to collaborate with other outstanding companies in the business, honourable mentions being Brauð & Co., OMNOM, Reykjavík Roasters and more.

We also put great effort into having fun at LYST and the Botanic Garden, and so we have been quite active in hosting all sorts of interesting events. So far we’ve done concerts, poetry slams, all sorts of promotions, burlesque shows and more. Our biggest event, hands down, is still the LYST Beer- and Summerfest, were we invite the country’s best breweries over and they introduce their greatest offerings, while guest chefs cook for passerby’s and entertainers keep the party going.

Please do give us a visit and enjoy fantastic food and drinks in these fascinating surroundings that the house and park have to offer – we look forward to seeing you!

The building that houses LYST was opened during the Botanic Gardens 100th anniversary, and was designed by the architect firm Kollgáta. In 2013, they were nominated for the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture and won the Cultural Prize of DV that same year, for outstanding design.