Would you visit a restaurant dedicated to fermentation on the remote Faroe Islands by a Mexican chef? It certainly sounds like a niche concept, and that is exactly what the website promises. Combined with a tiny historic building from the 1600s with room for just 16 guests, it sounds like one of the most unusual restaurants in the Nordics.
In reality, though, Raest is something even more interesting. Fermentation is certainly present, but this isn’t a restaurant built around a single technique. Instead, it’s a deeply personal kitchen where outstanding Faroese ingredients meet the chef’s Mexican background. That combination is exactly why you should visit.
The restaurant has grass on the roof and is tucked away in the historic part of Tórshavn. When you enter, it feels like a house for Hobbits straight out of Lord of the Rings, and that feeling never really goes away. The ceiling is low, while the walls are filled with personal memorabilia from both Mexico and the Faroe Islands, reflecting both the personality of the chef and the history of the building. It’s a unique combination that I absolutely loved. Fine dining restaurants are rarely this small, cosy or full of personality.
The menu starts simply with scallop, preserved turnip, a light milky sauce and elderflower oil. A delicate introduction with the focus firmly on the outstanding local produce. The presentation becomes more elaborate with mahogany clam, a clam typically harvested after more than 100 years. Its long life is evident in both its texture and flavour. Served with seaweed, mustard flowers and horseradish cream, the chewy clam was perfectly matched by the texture of the seaweed.
Horse mussel was another product I had never tried before. It arrived with carrots that had been both dried and pickled in elderflower vinegar, together with red currant and koji sauce. It was a great example of a dish that looked simple but revealed remarkable technical preparation and layers of flavour.
Langoustine is one of the finest products from the Faroe Islands. They are exceptionally large, often served the same day they are caught, while the cold waters keep the texture wonderfully firm. Here, the langoustine remained the clear star, while a sweet hibiscus and chipotle sauce added both sweetness and gentle spice, and a sauce built on the shells, liver and koji added impressive depth. It was an elegant dish where the Mexican influence felt completely natural, creating a flavour profile very different from the classic butter-based preparations.
The following monkfish with meadowsweet butter sauce and lightly kombu-cured Gastrounika caviar was richer and more classic in style, but equally delicious.
The kitchen itself deserves a mention. It is the smallest fine dining kitchen I have ever seen—smaller than most dorm rooms—and they proudly invite every guest inside. Here they served a chicharrón made from sea cucumber skin. It was a fun surprise and made the entire team even more impressive. Producing a menu of this complexity from such a tiny space feels almost impossible.
The next two dishes explored Faroese tradition more directly. First came skærpekød, the famous dried lamb, served on brioche. Interestingly, the execution almost felt more Spanish than Faroese. Next came ræst meat, the fermented lamb that had been slowly cooked for several hours. This was one flavour I simply didn’t enjoy. It was extremely potent, with an intense sourness that genuinely resembles meat that has gone bad—although, of course, in a carefully controlled way. The locals sitting next to me confirmed that the flavour was completely authentic and that they loved it. I couldn’t help smiling at the contrast of seeing one of the Faroe Islands’ oldest traditions served as perhaps Mexico’s most iconic dish: a taco.
The final savoury course returned to the style that defined most of the menu. Grilled lamb heart with jus, a purée of fermented meat and preserved currant leaves was a restrained dish that allowed the quality of the lamb to shine.
Dessert continued the same creative approach. First came a refreshing rhubarb ice cream with a juice made from white currant leaves and branches. Like several dishes before it, it looked deceptively simple but revealed surprising layers of flavour. The final dessert pushed the creativity even further by exploring potato in multiple textures and preparations. Since potatoes and caviar are such natural partners in savoury cooking, caviar also appeared here. The attention to detail was remarkable, with every tiny potato leaf arranged perfectly.
From the moment I stepped into the restaurant with its low ceiling, personal memorabilia and modern furniture, I was completely charmed. With room for just 16 guests spread across three small dining rooms, the experience naturally becomes intimate. The service mirrors both the room and the food: professional during the presentations, yet relaxed and genuinely personal in between. There is plenty of time for conversation, creating the same cosy atmosphere as the dining room itself.
The wine pairing alone is worth the trip. Head sommelier Karin Visth has won several awards for the programme, and it is easy to understand why. The pairing moves confidently from a young Château d’Yquem with the langoustine to organic wines and sake. The non-alcoholic pairing was perhaps even more memorable. Inspired by the fermented grass traditionally used as winter feed for sheep, they ferment fresh grass with herbs before adding it to kombucha to extract flavour. The result is both funky and delicious, while perfectly illustrating how the Faroe Islands’ harsh climate continues to inspire creativity.
From beginning to end I loved my experience at Raest. The website talks about a menu centred on fermentation, but that isn’t really what they serve. Instead, this is a highly personal menu built around outstanding Faroese seafood, subtle Mexican influences and only occasional references to local fermentation and tradition. That balance makes perfect sense. It would be almost impossible for a Mexican chef with only a few years in the Faroe Islands to cook traditional Faroese cuisine more authentically than the locals—and more importantly, why should he? The result is something far more interesting: a restaurant that feels entirely personal while remaining deeply rooted in its surroundings.
Practical information
Location: Torshavn, Faroe Islands
Head Chef: Sebastian Jimenez
Menu: 8 course tasting menu 1700kr (300$)
Website: www.raest.fo
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