Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
{{Short description|Hot dog stand chain in Reykjavík, Iceland}}
{{Infobox company
| name = {{lang|is|Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur}}
| logo = File:Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur Logo.svg
| logo_size =
| logo_alt = The logo of {{lang|is|Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur}}, featuring an anthropomorphic sausage and stylised red text reading the company name.
| logo_caption = Logo
| logo_padding =
| image = Bæjarins bestu.jpg
| image_size = 230px
| image_alt = An exterior photograph of the main stand.
| image_caption = The flagship stand in {{lang|is|Tryggvagata}}
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = is
| former_name =
| type =
| industry = Street food
| founded = {{Start date and age|1937}}
in Reykjavík, Iceland
| founder =
| hq_location =
| hq_location_city =
| hq_location_country =
| area_served = Reykjavík
| key_people =
| products = Hot dogs
| brands =
| services =
| owner = Guðrún Kristmundsdóttir{{cite web|author1=Jason Hesse|title=Meet The World's Most Famous {{sic|nolink=yes|Hotdog}} Vendor|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonhesse/2014/10/31/meet-the-worlds-most-famous-hotdog-vendor/|website=Forbes|accessdate=8 August 2015|language=English|date=31 October 2014}}
| website = {{URL|bbp.is/}}
}}
{{lang|is|Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur}} ({{IPA|is|ˈpaiːjarɪns ˈpɛstʏ ˈpʰɪlsʏr̥}}, {{langx|en|The Town's Best Hot Dogs}}) is a small chain of hot dog stands located in Reykjavík, Iceland.
History
The chain has been in continuous operation since 1937 when the first stand was set up on Austurstræti street at the very centre of the city by the grandfather of the current owner, Guðrún Kristmundsdóttir. In the 1960s, it moved two streets north to {{lang|is|Tryggvagata}}, across from the Harpa Concert Hall, where the current flagship stand remains today.{{cite web|author1=Alexandra Young|title=Bæjarins Beztu, Seriously|url=http://grapevine.is/culture/food/2010/07/07/food-baejarins-beztu-seriously/|website=The Reykjavík Grapevine|accessdate=8 August 2015|date=7 July 2010}}
In August 2004, the stand was visited by former United States president Bill Clinton while he was visiting Iceland for a UNICEF conference.{{cite news|title=Clinton fékk sér pylsu á Bæjarins bestu|url=https://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2004/08/24/clinton_fekk_ser_pylsu_a_baejarins_bestu/|accessdate=17 April 2018|work=Morgunblaðið|date=24 August 2004|language=Icelandic}}{{cite news|title=Fyrrum íorseti á Bæjarins bestu Clinton vildi bara sinnep|url=http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?pageId=5478135|accessdate=17 April 2018|work=Dagblaðið Vísir|date=25 August 2004|language=Icelandic}} This celebrity appearance led to a boost in popularity for the stand as it began appearing in tourism guidebooks on Iceland.{{cite news|title=Selur bestu pylsur í Evrópu|url=https://www.mbl.is/vidskipti/frettir/2016/11/02/baejarins_bestu_faerast_til/|accessdate=17 April 2018|work=Vísir.is|date=22 August 2006|language=Icelandic}} Two years later in August 2006, the British newspaper The Guardian selected {{lang|is|Bæjarins Beztu}} as the best hot dog stand in Europe.{{cite web|title=Five best European food stalls|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2006/aug/12/travelfoodanddrink.foodanddrink.guardiansaturdaytravelsection|website=The Guardian|accessdate=8 August 2015|language=English|date=12 August 2006}}
Today, the chain is popular with both tourists and locals. There are three additional locations in the city,{{cite web|title=Opnunartími|url=http://bbp.is/category/opnunartimi|website=Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur|language=Icelandic|access-date=2012-10-11|archive-date=2012-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020132522/http://bbp.is/category/opnunartimi|url-status=dead}} which together sell over one thousand hot dogs on a busy day.
File:2022-0816 Reykjavik - Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur - hot dog prep.webm
{{lang|is|Bæjarins Beztu}} sells hot dogs that are lamb-based with pork and beef. They are served in a bun with a choice of condiments: ketchup, sweet mustard, remoulade, crisp fried onion and raw onion. Customers who want everything often use the Icelandic phrase "{{lang|is|eina með öllu}}" ({{langx|en|"one with everything"}}).{{cite web|author1=Tori Haschka|title=Is This the Best Hot Dog in the World?|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/victoria-haschka/best-hot-dog-in-the-world-iceland_b_844305.html|website=Huffington Post|accessdate=8 August 2015|language=English|date=4 April 2011}}
{{As of|2022|May}}, a hot dog costs 600 krónur (€4,2).{{Cite web |last=Davíðsdóttir |first=Erla María |title=Bæjarins beztu hækka verð á pylsum |url=https://www.frettabladid.is/frettir/baejarins-beztu-haekka-verd-a-pylsum/ |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=www.frettabladid.is |language=is}}
Visitors
A number of celebrity patrons have visited the stand. In 2004, Former US president Bill Clinton ordered a hot dog with nothing but mustard.{{cite news |author1=David Segal |title=Restaurants’ Best Press: ‘Bill Clinton Ate Here’ |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/dining/27clinton.html?pagewanted=all |access-date=4 January 2024 |work=New York Times |date=25 October 2010}}{{cite web|date=2004-08-25|title=Fyrrum forseti á Bæjarins bestu|url=https://timarit.is/page/5478135#page/n29/mode/2up|publisher=DV}} At the time it was considered an odd request, so much so that it is still referenced.{{Cite web|date=2014-10-31|title=Vilja fá mynd eins og Clinton - myndband|url=https://www.ruv.is/frett/vilja-fa-mynd-eins-og-clinton-myndband|access-date=2020-12-06|website=RÚV|language=is}}{{Cite web|title=Íslendingar klofnir með staðsetningu remúlaðis|url=https://www.frettabladid.is/lifid/islendingar-klofnir-med-stadsetningu-remuladis/|access-date=2020-12-06|website=www.frettabladid.is}}
Other famous visitors include Metallica frontman James Hetfield, actor Charlie Sheen, and reality star Kim Kardashian.{{cite web|title=The Icelandic Hot Dog|url=http://wakeupreykjavik.com/icelandic-hot-dog/|website=Wake Up Reykjavik|accessdate=26 March 2017}} The main stand also appeared in the first season of Anthony Bourdain's travel program No Reservations. South Korean idols Go Won and Olivia Hye from the girl group Loona have visited the shop.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE8wZqTN-uk 고원TV EP.04 핫도그월드 플리즈~]
Author and YouTube personality John Green reviewed the stand in an episode of his podcast The Anthropocene Reviewed, as well as the book adaptation, having visited in 2008.{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=John |title=The Anthropocene Reviewed: Icelandic Hot Dog Stand and Signing Your Name 250,000 Times on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/icelandic-hot-dog-stand-and-signing-your-name-250-000-times/id1342003491?i=1000522165954 |website=Apple Podcasts |publisher=Complexly |access-date=18 May 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://bbp.is/}}
{{coord|64|08|53|N|21|56|16|W|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baejarins Beztu Pylsur}}
Category:Companies based in Reykjavík
Category:1937 establishments in Iceland
Category:Restaurants established in 1937
{{Iceland-company-stub}}