Tales of the Table · Tales of the Table
Sjáland (2020–2023) – Lost Tables
Sjáland opened in May 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, in a new building by Zeppelin Architects on the Arnarnesvogur bay where Garðabær's old docks once stood. Restaurateur Stefán Magnússon, also behind Reykjavík Meat and Mathús Garðabæjar, ran it with executive chef Ólafur Ágústsson, serving re
Sjáland opened in May 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, in a new building by Zeppelin Architects on the Arnarnesvogur bay where Garðabær's old docks once stood. Restaurateur Stefán Magnússon, also behind Reykjavík Meat and Mathús Garðabæjar, ran it with executive chef Ólafur Ágústsson, serving relaxed, generous 'elevated comfort food' and wood-fired pizzas to 90 diners, with a 180-seat banquet hall next door. With its bay views it quickly became a favourite for weddings, concerts and parties. But the operator and the building's owners had been in a long dispute over the lease, partly because of the pandemic, and in early October 2023 the operating company was declared bankrupt over a tax debt and the venue closed overnight – leaving several couples unsure whether their booked wedding receptions could go ahead.
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