Further Information

HÆ!
We want to open a first of its kind in Iceland all vegan diner, inside of a rock bar & live music venue. And wait there's more, we wanna convince YOU to help us make it reality!

FIRST OFF, WHO ARE WE?
Linnea is a vegan chef from Sweden, Krummi is a vegan musician and Örn is a vegan artist/painter/rapper, they are both from here. If you want to find out more about us you can click on our bios in the team description.

We are on a mission to lay down some new ground for the new wave of other vegans in Iceland, as well as cater to the steadily increasing stream of tourists coming through here looking for plant based treats. Automatically we hope to get non vegans into our eats as well, after all this is intended for anyone who's into good food.

We are three different animals but share the traits that matter here, hardcore herbivores who thrive on creating something new or out of the expected, being a hamburger, song or painting, it's comparable because they're compatible.

Also, we want you to join us! Veganæsing is besides food a state of mind and a way of life. Take anything, focus on what's good about it, and make it better.

Beyond selling a product we want to provide a powerful platform and inspire you to veganæs yourself.

CRUELTYFREE COMFORTFOOD FOR EVERYONE!
So us three have been discussing for years now how best to combine our forces, and we've come up with a plan that we're excited to share with you now.

Most urgent is to make and serve vegan food that can unquestionably stand up to “normal” food. Simultaneously cancel out maximum counter arguments about flavor, texture or bacon, and we want to do it with næs vibes.
If you disagree with vegans or feel our food can't be good enough to skip eating body parts, fair enough right, but then what if we made a great place with great food that also happens to be vegan, give you the chance to find out for yourself.

It all comes down to good food.
This doesn't have to change your life at all, but who knows it might, especially if change is made tasty and easy enough. The whole masterplan is making it more cool to be kind. It's a delicious way to live, at least we are in good health, our tastebuds are always partying, and we can look every kind of animal in the eyes.

SO WHAT'S ON THE MENU?
For those who tried Linneas food before you'd be right in assuming some of what's to come, and for those of you who haven't you can always expect flavorful & colorful food that doesn't hold anything back, but will hopefully make you crave coming back.

Focus on comfort foods that suits both a rock bar and Veganæs rockers; juicy, well seasoned and saucy.
Our favorite kind of food is unpretentious and imaginative, all about balance, and all about the sauce.

Not to give away too much of the menu, it will include our own seitanic burgers, and potato omelettes the ultimate veganesti snack!

Linnea has got some treats saved up for a special time, like right now.
Gyðja for example, our melty, sliceable, out of this world vegan cheese. Named after the godess who bestowed its powers upon Linnea, thank you Gyða!

There will be hints at the fact our kitchen is next to a bar with a few alcoholic twists in the menu. Some things will definitely be pickled, some fermented, all will be made from scratch, on site and with lots of love.

And yes, you can get any of it slathered in Linnea's veganæs sauces and mayonæs!

GROW AS WE GO
One of Linnea's long time wishes is doing weekend brunches with live music, which she finally will get the ideal set up to do now.
Plans are also in motion to make weekday vegan lunches to eat in or take out, adding new exciting options to the downtown workers lunch break.
And of course we will serve soup, it's generally pretty cold here and soup is just scrumptious.

BUT, IS IT HEALTHY?
Our mission is making it meganæs to veganæs, if you think that vegan food is less tasty or filling, more boring or dry, or just on a general lower level than any conventional comfort food, we want to challenge you on that with compassionate comfort food.

Veganæs is not health food even though it´s automatically healthier than animal based foods. This is not because we have anything against healthy food, but rather we feel that health conscious vegan food is already quite available if you want to find it, but when it comes down to juicy, saucy vegan foods it's still underrepresented. We want to add to that side of the spectrum, and bring you dishes delicious enough to crave when waking up with or without a hangover. For whatever reason you might feel like indulging yourself without any immediate worries about your own health or even more importantly the health of others not given the choice, Veganæs got you covered.

We simply want to create the same fair chance at a gluttonous feast for vegans as everyone else get, a feast without missing out on anything.

Veganism is not a diet and comes in as many versions as persons.

OK SO WHERE IS THIS PLACE?
We are building a small diner inside of Gaukur á Stöng or Gaukurinn, one of the oldest live music venues in town and one of the first bars to serve beer after the prohibition ended in 1989. They actually used to serve food there at one point, we think it's time again.

Gaukurinn is a beautiful old house smack in the middle of downtown, exactly where we want more vegan food to be at. The best part is the beautiful people inside of this house like our friends Starri & Sólveig, owners and vegans themselves. They have improved the place immensely since taking it over in 2012 by creating a friendly non discriminatory environment for both guests and staff, their philosophy is kindness without compromise. It's clearly stated at the door 'racists, sexists, homophobes and other assholes aren't welcome', while other signs read 'gender neutral bathrooms', 'let us know if you ever feel harassed or unsafe and we'll help', or 'tampons at the bar, of course for free!'. They think outside of the box for a bar, and we love that.

By Krummi working as their booker they host some of the best contemporary local artists regularly, and opportunity often presents to bring foreign acts to town through the net of being a long time musician himself. Gaukurinn also welcomes a wide variety of more alternative events such as drag shows, karaoke, yoga & meditation, movie nights, poetry nights and pop up markets, there is a big bright smoking terrace and a couch corner dedicated to board games and video games. Basically they are already making creative use of their space as it is, but now we want to collaborate, and really maximize it.

There used to be a second bar upstairs next to the main bar and stage, where we are now building a kitchen with bar side serving. Veganæs the diner will seat 20 people and also offer takeaway, with the additional space of the rest of Gaukurinn available, seating up to 80 people.

THIS SOUNDS NÆS, WHY ISN'T THIS PLACE OPEN YET?
Kindness, fairness and collaboration is key to making this as great as can be, and already the keywords at the heart and soul of Gaukurinn.

Our host house supporting us in every way they can is a huge help, and a collaboration based on mutual benefits and good intent that we hope will end up elevating the entirety and everyone.

But of course it costs more money to set up than a bunch of artists got lying around.
Besides any capital we got between ourselves, calling in all favors we got, and calling out to all the friends we got, we need your help to get this going!

FUTURE FOODS
Our vision is building an even better Gaukurinn by adding Veganæs, a place within a place that also ties together into an all around multipurpose platform for great vegan food, all kinds of exciting events, great vibes and generally a great place to be.

Longterm we want to open up a Veganæs place of its own, but feel strongly that opening a smaller place sooner is better than waiting for an ultimate place to come around later. Linnea has been on an extensive tour in search of a kitchen to call home, so when opportunity comes along to work with likeminded people and combining more good things than one, it's not something she's gonna pass on.

We sincerely hope you agree, and if you want more tasty veganfood available in Reykjavík on a regular basis, we hope from the bottom of our hearts you will support us in this project!

If you're anything like us and lack in money what you make up for in enthusiasm, just tell all your friends about us instead.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH MY MONEY?
To date, we are building the physical kitchen, and will be keeping everybody posted on the progress throughout the campaign.

We got the company set up now and are currently collecting the remaining kitchen equipment, utensils, serving gear. We plan to use the funding mainly to install proper ventilation which is one of the biggest costs so far, also towards covering plumbing, electricity, permits, initial stocking up on ingredients, and of course, staff.

In conclusion, some already received support acknowledgements:

Vilhjalmur Hernandez, thank you for building this with us
Hrund Andradóttir, thank you for cofunding this company
Ómar Sverrisson, thank you for taking these Veganæs photos
Frosti Jón Runolfsson, thank you for editing this Veganæs video
Moji & the Midnight Sons, thank you for lending us your music for this Veganæs video

Everyone, your help is crucial and much appreciated in advance.

Let's make this happen!

Best wishes and veganæs vibes,
Linnea, Krummi & Örn