Iceland's hot dog is made mostly of lamb, not pork or beef - and the only way to order it is 'one with everything', layered with raw and crispy onions and three sauces.
About Pylsur
The high-precision Icelandic hot dog featuring a blend of grass-fed lamb; pork; and beef; best ordered 'eina með öllu' (one with everything) to experience the 'shatter-crisp' crunch of fried onions against a velvety remoulade and sweet brown mustard; an iconic street-side staple since Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur opened in 1937.
A Hot Dog of Lamb
The Icelandic hot dog, pylsur, is unlike most: it is made largely from Icelandic lamb, blended with pork and beef, which gives it a richer, slightly smoky flavour. It is the country's great cheap street food, sold from stands across Reykjavik and at petrol stations nationwide. In an expensive country, it is the reliable bargain.
“The Icelandic hot dog, pylsur, is unlike most: it is made largely from Icelandic lamb, blended with pork and beef, which gives it a richer, slightly smoky flavour.”
One With Everything
The correct order is ein med ollu, one with everything: the dog tucked into a steamed bun with both raw and crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard and a mayonnaise-based remoulade. The layering, crispy onions at the bottom, raw on top, is part of the ritual. Asking for it any other way marks a newcomer.
The Famous Stand
Reykjavik's best-known stand has been serving pylsur since the late 1930s and counts a long line of locals, tourists and even a visiting US president among its customers. The simple wooden kiosk has become a genuine institution. Eating one there, standing in the cold, is a small Icelandic rite.
The Best Value
What makes pylsur beloved is as much its price as its taste. In a country where eating out is costly, a hot dog with everything is the cheapest filling meal going, available at any hour from a petrol station or street stand. The lamb in the blend gives it a flavour no ordinary hot dog matches.
“What makes pylsur beloved is as much its price as its taste.”
