Wednesday newsletters at all times function a lodge or flight evaluate.
I just lately loved my first cruise vacation—a superb journey round Iceland and the Faroe Islands aboard the Seabourn Enterprise, the world’s most luxurious expedition cruise ship. You’ll be able to learn my journey stories right here:
Overview: PAZ Restaurant, Faroe Islands
That is solely the second restaurant evaluate on my weblog—the primary being Central in Lima—and I’m excited to share my expertise at PAZ Restaurant, the culinary crown of the Faroe Island. Led by Chef Poul Andrias Ziska, PAZ is a contemporary, elegant restaurant, which earned two Michelin stars simply weeks after opening in April 2025. Raised within the Faroes, Ziska educated at world-renowned kitchens like Geranium and Mugaritz earlier than redefining Nordic nice eating at KOKS. At PAZ, he brings that ambition again house—crafting a multi-course tasting menu rooted deeply in native traditions, specializing in sustainability and storytelling by way of taste. His dishes honor a time-honored method referred to as ræst—fermentation within the chilly, salty Faroese air—which imparts fermented depth, like blue-cheese notes on meat and seafood. Impeccable service, intimate ambiance, and thoughtfully curated wine and non-alcoholic pairings full the expertise. PAZ doesn’t simply serve meals—it conjures the Faroe Islands on a plate.
A dinner at PAZ Restaurant options in my high 10 checklist of the very best issues to see & do within the Faroe Islands.
Have you ever ever had dinner at PAZ Restaurant? In that case, what was your expertise? Depart a remark.
Right here’s my evaluate of PAZ Restaurant, which I predict will quickly seem on lots of the world’s finest eating places lists. You can even watch my eating expertise at PAZ within the YouTube video which I made concerning the Faroe Islands (the eating scene begins at 32:28). On this evaluate:
The Chef’s Story
PAZ Restaurant is the imaginative and prescient of Chef Poul Andrias Ziska, a Faroese-born culinary expertise whose journey has introduced trendy consideration to the archipelago’s wealthy meals tradition. Raised within the Faroe Islands, Ziska’s path into nice eating was unconventional. He stumbled into the sector virtually by probability—beginning out working at a pizzeria throughout his faculty years, and later deciding to attend culinary faculty based mostly on that early expertise.
Following his formal coaching, he honed his craft in a few of Europe’s most prestigious kitchens, together with Geranium in Denmark and Mugaritz in Spain. These experiences solid his technical basis and deepened his culinary perspective. Returning to the Faroe Islands, Ziska co-led KOKS, incomes the restaurant its first Michelin star in 2017 and a second in 2019, establishing it as some of the revered Michelin-starred institutions on the earth.
In 2022, Ziska launched into an adventurous detour—relocating KOKS to Ilimanaq, Greenland, a tiny settlement on the 69th parallel north accessible solely by boat or helicopter. There, he experimented with Greenlandic components similar to musk ox, snow crab, whaleblubber, and native berries, providing diners an Arctic tasting menu set in opposition to a backdrop of fjords and icebergs.
By early 2025, Ziska returned to the Faroe Islands and redirected his culinary vitality into opening PAZ. In a daring transfer that demonstrated each consistency and ambition, the restaurant secured two Michelin stars inside just a few weeks of its April debut—making it one of many few eating places on the earth to earn this distinction so quickly after opening.
Location
PAZ Restaurant is situated inside 62N Lodge in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. It’s an unassuming property which simply 13 rooms you would virtually miss from the road, with minimal signage and a modest façade. The understated setting makes the transition from exterior to the eating room really feel deliberate and low-key. The restaurant, located on the lodge’s floor flooring, opened as just lately as April this 12 months and was awarded two Michelin stars only a few weeks later, making it the one Faroese restaurant presently holding this distinction and essentially the most distant Michelin star restaurant on the earth. The well-known KOKS restaurant, now closed, was the primary within the Faroe Islands to obtain a Michelin star.
Inside & ambiance
The eating room – which has an open kitchen at its middle – displays a minimalist Scandinavian aesthetic with delicate Faroese touches. Gentle wooden, clear strains, and a restrained palette create a relaxed, uncluttered house. Native supplies similar to wool and stone add heat and create a connection to the encircling panorama, whereas massive home windows permit loads of pure daylight to enter. The result’s each modern and distinctly rooted within the islands.
PAZ’ eating room options 8 tables, together with a communal eating desk with eight seats, reserved solely for solo vacationers. The latter is a considerate association that permits people to benefit from the full tasting menu within the firm of others, fostering dialog and a way of inclusion with out compromising the intimacy of the expertise. I selected this feature myself and extremely loved it, because it added an additional layer of connection and made the night much more memorable.
On arrival, friends are first welcomed on the open kitchen. The crew explains the construction of the menu, key components, and any differences due to the season. This transient introduction units expectations and establishes a direct connection between diners and the cooks getting ready the meal.
The tasting menu at PAZ is a exact exploration of the Faroe Islands’ pure bounty, balancing native custom with modern method. Dishes prominently function seafood, lamb, seaweed, and seasonal greens, all sourced from the islands’ pristine surroundings. The menu is structured as a fastidiously curated development, guiding diners from lighter, more energizing flavors to extra strong and earthy notes.
A signature aspect of the delicacies is the usage of fermentation, a way deeply rooted in Faroese culinary custom. Substances similar to lamb, fish, and greens are fermented to develop advanced umami flavors, including depth and a delicate tang to the dishes. This strategy permits the chef to spotlight the islands’ distinctive local weather and surroundings, which naturally shapes the fermentation course of.
Plates are visually minimalist, reflecting Nordic aesthetics, but every chunk delivers layered textures and contrasts—crispy seaweed paired with tender fish, or fermented lamb complemented by seasonal herbs. Occasional worldwide influences and trendy strategies—similar to sous-vide cooking or smoke infusion—are utilized sparingly, at all times in service of the native flavors.
Throughout my go to, this was the 16-course menu at PAZ Restaurant:
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Scallop, caviar, hazelnut – a fragile starting combining wealthy seafood flavors with a delicate crunch.
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Sea urchin, cod, wasabi – an umami-driven course with mild warmth and contemporary ocean notes.
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Horse mussel, varot, candy potato – native shellfish paired with candy and earthy components.
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Sea snail, skate, root greens, gooseberry – a dish balancing briny flavors with tartness and texture.
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Lagoustine, celeriac, brown butter – luxurious seafood complemented by nutty, roasted flavors.
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Cod, cabbage, seaweed – a refined nod to conventional Faroese components.
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Ræstur fiskur og garnatálg – fermented fish and lamb fats, a signature of the islands’ preservation traditions.
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Fulmar, beetroot, garlic – wild chook ready with earthy and fragrant accompaniments.
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Skerpikjøt, rye bread – air-dried mutton served merely but powerfully.
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Ræst kjøt, rutuba, lingonberry – fermented meat paired with root greens and tart berries.
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Chervil, rhubarb, burnt cream – a refreshing interlude balancing natural, tart, and candy flavors.
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Seaweed, blackcurrant – a inventive pairing highlighting coastal and forest components.
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Ice cream, pine – a palate cleanser with fragrant, woodland-inspired flavors.
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Chocolate, whiskey – wealthy and warming, a basic dessert mixture.
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Caramel, kombu – an creative use of seaweed to reinforce candy umami notes.
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Macaron, crowberry – a fragile, tangy, and native end to the tasting journey.
Whereas I’m not normally an enormous fan of fermented dishes, I discovered myself genuinely impressed by how the flavors had been balanced and executed. The ræstur fiskur and fermented lamb fats—conventional Faroese preparations which may intimidate the uninitiated—had been surprisingly approachable and scrumptious, showcasing the chef’s mastery of method and his skill to raise native traditions.
Last ideas
Eating at PAZ is an expertise that lingers lengthy after leaving the restaurant. The mix of the understated setting at 62N Lodge, the minimalist but heat inside, and the considerate presentation of the tasting menu creates an environment that feels each intimate and elevated.
Each course felt deliberate, with a cautious development of flavors, textures, and aromas that highlighted the pure bounty of the Faroe Islands. Even small touches, just like the communal desk for solo diners, enhanced the sense of connection and made the expertise really feel private and interesting.
PAZ is greater than only a restaurant—it’s a assertion of Faroese culinary id, executed with precision, creativity, and respect for the islands’ components. For anybody visiting Tórshavn, it’s an unforgettable journey by way of taste, custom, and trendy Nordic method.
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