The idea
WHAT
We usually serve a great menu based on basque traditional recipes with icelandic ingredients & inspiration.
Our mission is to rediscover and promote the connection between the Basque Country and Iceland.
WHEN
Sumendi will be open a few days per year, mostly during Restaurant Day.
Restaurant Day happens up to 4 times per year (Feb, May, Aug and Nov) but if you give us you email we'll let you know in advance.
WHERE
We want you to feel at home eating at Sumendi and the simplest way to do it is using our own home!
We will be hosting lunch and dinner at our place in Holtsgata 13. Here is a map to find us.
Be the first to know!
Given the incredible experience we had in previous editions, we try to make new Sumendi events a few times per year. We like to keep our friends up to date of what we are planning… can we count you in?
You'll be the first to know about new editions and we'll give you the chance to book before the public announcement.
Basques & Icelanders
Basques and Icelanders are sea people. Actually the first contact between our two nations was the direct consequence of fishing activities. Basques were hunting whales and catching fish in Icelandic waters as early as 1610. With time we started to understand each other better and even created a shared pidgin. There were some bumps on the road but, hey, no hard feelings.
LANGUAGE
Our languages are not precisely mainstream.
Coming from a long oral traditions in both cases, Basque's origin is a mistery even for professional linguists and Icelandic centuries-long isolation and small number of speakers makes it a linguistic treasure. (BTW… Sumendi means Eldfjall in basque).
TRADITION
We are small, weird nations.
Basques lift a stone and call it a sport. Icelanders are famous for their immense strength. Basques worship cod and have made long journeys to catch it. Icelanders portrayed this great fish on their seal for centuries. We respect our traditions and see them as a precious gift.
INNOVATION
But we're not stuck in the past.
Iceland made an amazing effort to introduce more civil participation in its new constitution (even if the thing is kinda frozen now). Basque Country is the home of world's biggest workers co-operative (even if they have some problems now). We do things and look forward.