Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur is a Reykjavík hot-dog stand chain known for its lamb-based Icelandic sausages and signature order with all the condiments.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, whose name translates approximately as “The Town’s Best Hot Dogs,” is a small Icelandic chain of hot-dog stands based in Reykjavík. The business has operated continuously since 1937, when Jón Sveinsson established its first stand on Austurstræti in the center of the city. It remains a family-run operation and has passed through four generations of the founding family. The brand’s central product is a hot dog made primarily from lamb, with pork and beef also included in the sausage blend. Customers can order the sausage in a bun with combinations of ketchup, sweet mustard, remoulade, crispy fried onions, and raw onions. The best-known order is “eina með öllu,” meaning “one with everything,” which combines the full standard set of toppings. This focused menu, fast service, recognizable preparation, and relatively informal street-stall setting have made the chain a distinctive part of Reykjavík’s food culture. The original location moved in the 1960s from Austurstræti to Tryggvagata, where the principal stand remains near the city center and across from the area of Harpa Concert Hall. The company later added three further Reykjavík locations. Although it is a modest local operation rather than a large international restaurant group, the chain serves both Icelandic residents and visitors, with the locations collectively selling more than one thousand hot dogs on a busy day according to reference material. International awareness increased after former United States president Bill Clinton visited the stand in August 2004 during a trip to Iceland for a UNICEF conference. Clinton ordered a hot dog with mustard only, an unusual choice by local standards that became a recurring part of the stand’s popular story. The visit helped bring Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur to the attention of travel writers and guidebooks. In 2006, The Guardian named it the best hot-dog stand in Europe, further strengthening its profile among international travelers. The stand has also attracted other celebrity visitors, including Metallica singer James Hetfield, actor Charlie Sheen, and television personality Kim Kardashian. It appeared in the first season of Anthony Bourdain’s travel program No Reservations, and author and YouTube personality John Green later discussed the business in The Anthropocene Reviewed after visiting Reykjavík. These appearances have reinforced the brand’s association with Reykjavík tourism without changing its fundamentally local business model. Following the death of longtime owner Guðrún Björk Kristmundsdóttir in September 2025, operational control passed to her son Baldur Ingi Halldórsson, representing the fourth generation of the family’s involvement. Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur continues to operate as an active Reykjavík food-service brand centered on a narrow, traditional product range, high visitor recognition, and family continuity.
History
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur began in 1937, when Jón Sveinsson opened a hot-dog stand on Austurstræti in central Reykjavík. The business was established as a small food stall rather than as a broad restaurant concept, and its identity developed around a single, easily recognizable product: an Icelandic hot dog served quickly with a choice of familiar sauces and onions. The business remained in the founding family. During the 1960s, the stand moved two streets north to Tryggvagata. That location became the chain’s enduring flagship and remains in the central Reykjavík area, near Harpa Concert Hall. The move placed the stand in a prominent urban and visitor district while preserving its street-food format. Under the leadership of longtime owner Guðrún Björk Kristmundsdóttir, the operation expanded from its historic central stand into a small chain with three additional Reykjavík locations. The product is distinguished by its Icelandic sausage blend, which is primarily lamb-based and also contains pork and beef. It is served in a bun with toppings including ketchup, sweet mustard, remoulade, fried onions, and raw onions. The phrase “eina með öllu,” or “one with everything,” describes the best-known fully dressed order. The limited menu and standardized preparation have helped the chain maintain a recognizable offering across its locations. Bæjarins Beztu’s reputation grew substantially through international media and celebrity attention. In August 2004, former United States president Bill Clinton visited while attending a UNICEF conference in Iceland. His request for mustard without the other toppings was widely noted because customers commonly associate the stand with the complete combination of condiments. The visit helped the business enter tourism guidebooks and made it a frequently recommended stop for visitors to Reykjavík. In August 2006, The Guardian selected Bæjarins Beztu as the best hot-dog stand in Europe. The recognition reinforced the company’s position as a destination food business, while its popularity with Icelandic residents continued. Other public figures who have visited include Metallica frontman James Hetfield, actor Charlie Sheen, and reality television personality Kim Kardashian. The main stand also appeared in Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. John Green later reviewed the stand in The Anthropocene Reviewed, drawing further attention from an English-speaking audience. The chain currently consists of the historic flagship and three other Reykjavík locations. Reference material describes combined sales of more than one thousand hot dogs on a busy day, although the business remains small compared with international quick-service restaurant companies. Its appeal comes from the contrast between a simple local product and a strong international reputation. Guðrún Björk Kristmundsdóttir died in early September 2025. Her son, Baldur Ingi Halldórsson, then assumed control, marking the transition to the fourth generation of the family. The company’s continuing operation under family leadership preserves its long-running identity as a Reykjavík institution rather than transforming it into a mass-market global chain.
- 2025
Fourth-generation leadership
[1]Baldur Ingi Halldórsson takes control after the death of longtime owner Guðrún Björk Kristmundsdóttir.
- 2006
European hot-dog recognition
[1]The Guardian names Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur the best hot-dog stand in Europe.
- 2004
Bill Clinton visit
[1]The former U.S. president visits the Reykjavík stand, increasing international attention.
- 1960
Flagship relocates to Tryggvagata
[1]The business moves two streets north to Tryggvagata, where its principal stand remains.
- 1937
First stand opens on Austurstræti
[1]Jón Sveinsson establishes the first Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur stand in central Reykjavík.
Products and positioning
A compact, family-run Reykjavík street-food institution offering a distinctive Icelandic hot dog at the intersection of everyday local dining and international tourism.
Hot dog · 1937
Icelandic hot dog
The chain’s core product is a sausage made primarily from lamb, with pork and beef, served in a soft bun. Customers can select individual toppings including ketchup, sweet mustard, remoulade, crispy fried onions, and raw onions. The combination of all standard toppings is commonly ordered as “eina með öllu,” or “one with everything.”
Recent events
- 2025
Fourth-generation family leadership begins[1]
Leadership change
After the death of longtime owner Guðrún Björk Kristmundsdóttir, her son Baldur Ingi Halldórsson assumed control of the business, continuing the family’s four-generation connection to the chain.
- 2006
The Guardian names Bæjarins Beztu the best hot-dog stand in Europe[1]
Other
The British newspaper The Guardian selected Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur as Europe’s best hot-dog stand, contributing to its visibility in international travel coverage.
- 2004
Bill Clinton visits Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur[1]
Other
Former United States president Bill Clinton visited the Reykjavík stand during a UNICEF-related trip to Iceland and ordered a hot dog with mustard only. The appearance helped raise the stand’s international tourism profile.
Sources1 sources
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