The food truck loomed over us, casting a cold shadow as we placed our order: fish and chips. It had rave reviews and with only a day in Grundarfjörður, Iceland, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
“Fifteen minutes”, said the smiling girl behind the counter, so we found a place in the sun on a low whitewashed wall in the parking lot as we waited.
The queue at Mæstro Street Food was always the same length – as soon as someone received their order, another was placed, and one car after another pulled up on the gravel driveway to collect.
We’d made the right choice.
It was almost 1pm and this was to be breakfast. So to quell the grumbling of our stomachs, we tried to distract ourselves with the view.
It wasn’t difficult.
To our right we saw rolling green mountains, backed with taller, muted snow-dusted peaks. Behind us, the steeple of Grundarfjörður Lutheran Church jutted out amongst freestanding homes and to our left – Kirkjufell.
The Mountain
As the most photographed mountain in Iceland, Kirkjufell (or Church Mountain), stands boldly over the small fishing village like a sentinel on guard. On cloudless winter nights, the skies above the stone steeple dance with the Northern lights. But this was the heart of summer, where days are nearly 20 hours long and from where we sat, Kirkjufell was a flat green painting framed in a sky of bright blue.
We were lost in beauty.
So much so, that it took a gust of wind carrying promises of lunch to snap out of our reverie. We checked our watches and twenty minutes had flown by. It was feeding time.
The Fish
The fish was magnificent.
Wrapped in a delicate yet sturdy batter, the fresh cod was fried to golden perfection. As a rule, I usually eat the fries first and anything else on my plate later – but not this time. Yes, the fries were perfect (like everything else around there), but the fish was a masterpiece. Filling up on potatoes first felt like a crime.
This fish was fresh and flaky, and by far the best we’d eaten anywhere in the world to date. It is now the golden standard to which every parcel of fish and chips that comes our way is compared to.
In Iceland cod fishing is a year-round practice, and yet, it is done sustainably. In other regions where it is fished, cod populations are being decimated. Here, it thrives – most likely a result from fishing industry giants all the way down to small businesses working together.
Baldur Rafnsson, owner of Mæstro Street Food, recently took the difficult decision to remove the meal from the menu. Rather than let good fish go bad due to the lack of tourism in the region during the pandemic, he simply removed it. Only when there is reason enough (more traffic to the area), will he consider reinstating it.
But don’t despair. If you’re heading to Kirkjufell any time soon, try out other items on the menu. When regulars from Reykjavik drive 177km each way just to eat their hotdogs, you know you can’t go wrong. The food at Maestro’s is that good!
With lunch sadly over, we hit the road for a closer look at the waterfall we’d seen in the distance, planning on walking to just the end of the block to get a better photo. Well, we arrived an instant later and decided to go to the next block, then the one after that. And before we knew it, we were on an impromptu hike.
Something out there in the open Icelandic terrain called to us.
We passed beachfront homes with red roofs and little guesthouses in green fields. Horses frolicked behind fences in ankle-high grass and sheep grazed to their heart’s content.
People here seemed to have a wonderfully symbiotic relationship with nature. It was pure bliss.
The Waterfalls
We had reached our destination – or so we had thought. On closer inspection, we saw a heart-shaped waterfall nestled in green. Beautiful, but we wanted more.
So we headed further down the road towards Kirkjufellsfoss.
Never losing sight of Kirkjufell (or it never losing sight of us), we watched it transform. What was initially a trapezoid, slowly morphed into something else entirely. And by the time we reached the waterfall, it was completely conical.
Situated beside the mountain it derived its name from, Kirkjufellsfoss (Church Mountain Falls) was like everything else we’d seen in the surrounds – pristine. Being the most arguably Instagramable place in town, it was brimming with other tourists, and yet the atmosphere remained serene. The boom of rushing water overpowered conversations and no one bothered competing.
We sat down on a patch of grass and lost ourselves once again in the beauty of nature.
There’s something about expansive nature that’s quite alluring. Maybe it’s the fresh air, the serenity or the feeling of truly being free. Whatever it is, Anthony Bourdain said it best: “I think food, culture, people and landscape are all absolutely inseparable.” And it indeed holds true to Grundarfjörður.
How to get there
Grundarfjörður is accessible all year round. Rent a car in Reykjavik and take either a 2-hour scenic drive or a guided tour through the Snæfellsnes peninsula.
If you intend travelling there during the pandemic, read this first, as there are rules and restrictions.
Things to do in Grundarfjordur
Hike up Kirkjufell
At 463 metres high, it takes about one and a half hours to reach the top of the famous landmark. This practice is best only if you’re an experienced hiker, as there have been numerous fatalities over the years. Hiring a guide who knows their way around is recommended.
Visit the Saga centre
The cultural centre is home to a library, a small theatre showing slides and provides tourist information. It is also home to a museum, where artefacts include a wooden fishing boat from the early 20th century, a cannon from the early 1700s and more.
Go whale watching
This tour operator and conservationist believes in sustainable and responsible whale-watching. They’ve even created a code of conduct on how to approach whales so as not to disturb them in any way. Get amazing photos while staying environmentally conscious.
Where to eat Grundarfjörður
Mæstro Street Food! A seasonal business open from the end of May to mid-August. Keep an eye on their Facebook page, as even during the summer months they operate weather-permitting.
Where to stay in Grundarfjörður
For the best accommodation in Grundarfjörður, check out these hotels, guest houses, hostels and more.