If you’re thinking of visiting the Faroe Islands, stop, drop everything, and book a table at KOKS now. The Michelin-star restaurant is guaranteed to be one the most sensational, memorable meals of your life, and it can book up a whole season in advance – so get on it!
With Poul Andrias Ziska at the helm, the avant-garde chefs at KOKS focus on bringing the smells and tastes of the Faroese landscape to life through ancient practices like drying, fermenting, salting, and smoking. The dining experience begins lakeside at the restaurant’s ‘hjaller’, a traditional Faroese drying shed designed with slits on both sides to allow the North Atlantic winds to whip through, curing any meat or fish hanging inside. From there, you’ll hop into the KOKS’ old Land Rover and head around the hillside to the restaurant to embark on a culinary journey like no other.
The evening starts when you step foot out of your taxi lakeside in the remote hills 20 minutes outside of Tórshavn (Tórshavn Guide Here). A restaurant staff member stands smiling ready to greet you, with nothing else insight except the the cool vintage Land Rover parked alongside the shed and some pretty epic scenery.
From the host, you’ll learn all about the design and history behind the hjallers, and how they’re still used today in the curing and fermenting processes of Faroese meats and fish.
Next you’ll head inside to see cod and lamb (skerpikjøt) that has been curing for months in the salty Atlantic winds. Then, your host will lead you through a door into the back section of the hjaller, which has been converted into a cozy dining area with brilliant views.
Take a seat and enjoy this unique, private moment with a glass of local beer or kombucha and a bowl full of savory lamb consommé served by your host, while marveling at the fairytale-like topography.
After the hjaller experience, you’re ushered into the Land Rover and driven around the bend to the KOKS. Nestled into the hillside with a black wood facade and traditional grass roof, the restaurant blends effortlessly into the surrounding landscape.
After a welcome outside by the manager, you’re escorted inside to your table. The dimly-lit space consists warm wooden features, separate rooms much like a home, and low ceilings – often characteristic of centuries-old buildings.
Now, let the meal begin! The tasting menu consists of 17+ innovative and exquisite courses, each reflecting the nature of the Faroe Islands from sea to land to air. Driven by the freshest local ingredients, the dishes are masterfully created using both modern and ancient culinary methods.
The salted cod skin sandwich is an immediate standout, as is the skerpikjøt, a Faroese delicacy of wind cured lamb.
Continue on to enjoy excellent plates of halibut with watercress and fresh crab with leek and foam. And in between, dishes like rhubarb and fresh cheese with meadowsweet serve as refreshing palate cleaners.
Perhaps best of all, and their signature dish, the grilled langoustines melt in your mouth with a euphoric blend of sweetness, saltiness and smokiness – grilled and flavored to perfection.
Dessert unfolds into multiple courses, as well (happily so!), and includes heavenly ingredients like wild thyme, blueberry, crowberry, and more.
All along the way, your meal is paired with an equally impressive wine selection with an old-word focus. The well-curated wine pairings range from a 1999 Sake “Bidden” from Fukuoka, Japan to a 1997 Moulin Touchais from the Loire Valley, France.
The service at KOKS is impeccably seamless and refreshingly friendly. As a seasonal restaurant, most of the staff hails from Northern Europe and top notch culinary schools. Different servers deliver and explain the dishes throughout the meal, with at least two servers always present to simultaneously set plates before you and your dining companion. They’re even kind enough to provide a portable phone charger, should your iphone runs out of juice 
After your amazing meal, the restaurant calls a taxi while you enjoy an espresso or after-dinner adult beverage in the Nordic-style lounge area.
This meal will undoubtedly be a highlight of your culinary year. It’s a must-do for any foodie looking for an exceptional, unique restaurant to try. KOKS is not just a restaurant, though, it’s a world-class experience.
Faroe Islands Guide | Where to Stay | The Ultimate Faroe Islands Hike | Saksun
MORE PHOTOS
