Restaurants in Central Iran
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Yord Cultural Complex
In an enormous colourful yord (tent) about 8km northwest of town, this complex not only offers the chance to enjoy some fine Iranian-nomad food, but also to experience the Qashqa’i culture. The warm atmosphere, colourful costumes, live music and delicious food afford a dreamy escape from modern life into a Qashqa’i tented embrace. Yord is almost impossible to reach by public transport, so ask your hotel to write the name in Farsi and get a taxi (about IR25,000); it is also worth paying the taxi to wait for you (about IR70,000 total) as taxis out here are rare indeed.
reviewed
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Bastani Restaurant
In the shadow of the Imam Mosque, the Bastani is the best-located restaurant in Esfahan. That, however, is where the compliments end. In recent years the quality of the food has been less consistent. Which is a pity, as the menu is full of interesting-sounding dishes. If you do eat here, the billing can be confusing so check it carefully. It’s a pity, as the menu is full of interesting-sounding dishes and it used to be good. Hopefully it will pick up.
reviewed
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Seray-e Mehr Teahouse
This is a serendipitous place to find after wandering through the Bazar-e Vakil. Hidden away through a small door behind the Serai Mushir Bazar, the split-level teahouse has a small menu of tasty favourites (think dizi, kubideh, zereshk polo ) and a delightfully relaxed atmosphere in which to sit, sip tea and puff on qalyan.
reviewed
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Hammam-e Khan Restaurant
Deep in the heart of the old city, this restored underground hammam is one of the original historic restorations in Yazd and deserves its ongoing popularity. The interior is all tranquil pools, arched ceilings and fine tilework, and the food is delicious (as long as it’s not too busy).
reviewed
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110 Hamburgers
The best, however, is this place to which Shirazis come like moths to a neon flame (two glowing palm trees). Their version of the shwarma, with meat sliced off a spit and shovelled into a bread roll with healthy bits like tomato and pickle (IR18,000), is good.
reviewed
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Khangostar Restaurant
Located in Julfa Hotel, Khangostar Restaurant offers probably the best food in Esfahan – locals, our own experience and overwhelmingly positive reader feedback can attest to this. Servings are enormous here, (even by Iranian standards!) and the menu large and varied, but mainly Iranian. It’s busy rather than romantic, and the salad and dessert bars might seem a bit Sizzler, but hey, you won’t complain when you get there.
reviewed
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Sharzeh Traditional Restaurant
Talk about atmosphere! The night we ate at the Sharzeh it was going off like the proverbial frog in a sock, with diners singing and clapping along with musicians playing traditional music in the centre of the two-level space. Great fun! The Iranian food was well-prepared, tasty and plentiful. It’s diagonally opposite the entrance to the Vakil Bazaar. There’s no English sign; look for the man in costume outside an arcade.
reviewed
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Sadaf Hotel
The Sadaf Hotel’s restaurant is especially recommended between June and October when you can eat on the rooftop. The food, including steak with mushroom sauce (IR30,000), and the usual range of tasty kababs, is consistently good and complements the rooftop views (when you stand up) across the Old City. It opens indoors during the rest of the year.
reviewed
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Shater Abbas Restaurant 1
The low light, open kitchen, bustling staff and modern design touches create an atmosphere that is hugely popular with middle-class Shirazis. The menu mixes the classic range of kababs with some less familiar dishes – turkey kabab and mushroom steak, for example. Prices seem to have climbed with demand, sharply. Look for the flame torches outside.
reviewed
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Restaurant Shahrzad
The opulent Qajar-style wall-paintings, stained-glass windows and mirror work contribute to the Shahrzad’s reputation as the best restaurant in Esfahan. And on a good night, it’s excellent – strip lights notwithstanding. Too often, however, it’s packed with tour groups and the service (and food) feels factory produced.
reviewed
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Hammam-e Khan
Down a few stairs from the bazaar (look for the sign), this old bathhouse is now a genuinely local teahouse, complete with tweeting birds, neon lights, disco ball, plastic-covered cushions and…locals (plus the odd Iranian tourist). Be sure to specify if you only want tea, not the accompanying biscuits and dates, which cost extra.
reviewed
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Sofreh Khaneh Sonnati
Just off Imam Sq, this restaurant uses stained glass, colourful tiles and takhts (day beds) to create a Qajar-era (if slightly touristy) ambience. The food makes it memorable, with Esfahani biryani and khoresht-e bademjan (aubergine or eggplant stew) some of the well-prepared and reasonably priced recommendations.
reviewed
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Yavar Restaurant
For traditional Shirazi food, local prices and character, the Yavar is excellent. The eslamboli (rice and tomato) and khoresht bademjan (eggplant stew) make a refreshing alternative to kababs (which it also has). There’s no English sign; look for Hossein riding a white horse across the front wall.
reviewed
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Gavara Restaurant
The subterranean Gavara is an old-style local – an unpretentious, neon-lit hall divided into sections for men, and women and families. The menu is big and the food unsophisticated but very tasty; kababs, khoreshts, fish (sometimes) and a decent ghorme sabzi.
reviewed
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Fast Food
The lower end of Chahar Bagh Abbasi St has the greatest concentration of Iranian fast food joints, selling pizza, sandwiches, burgers, ice cream and, occasionally, real kababs. The roads leading into Imam Sq also have a few options, but not the square itself.
reviewed
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Nobahar Restaurant
Nobahar Restaurant has been around forever because it serves reliably good, reasonably priced staples like kababs and zereshk polo ba morgh. It’s not stylish and service isn’t great, but that’s not what you’re here for.
reviewed
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Garden Restaurants
The garden restaurants lining the road before Fin Garden are the best places to eat and are hugely popular with Kashanis, especially in the evenings. Most have water running soothingly through the eating area and the whole experience is quite social.
reviewed
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Pizza Gole Sorkh
- Yazd, Iran
- Restaurants › Pizza
After working for almost 30 years as a pizza chef in Australia, the owner returned home to open a modern, busy restaurant serving arguably the best pizzas in Iran and a range of Italian classics. His serve of Aussie slang is pretty good, too.
reviewed
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Confectionery Shops
Esfahan's famous speciality is gaz, a delicious nougat usually mixed with chopped pistachios or other nuts. It's available pretty much everywhere, but especially in confectionery shops along Chahar Bagh Abbasi St and around Imam Sq.
reviewed
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Marco Polo Restaurant
Set like a crown atop the Orient Hotel, this glass-sided restaurant serves up sumptuous views of the Masjed-e Jameh and surrounding blue-tiled domes and delicious Iranian food that’s fit for the setting. Ideal for a romantic dinner.
reviewed
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Malek-o Tojjar
- Yazd, Iran
- Restaurants › Hotel
The evocative surrounds and fine Iranian dishes here are complemented with several regional classics, including some delightful soups, bademjan and other vegetarian dishes. And it’s very reasonably priced considering the surrounds.
reviewed
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Aroosh Khorshid
Convenient to the cheap accommodation, the Aroosh has plenty of old paraphernalia hanging about and the big space can have a decent atmosphere when it’s busy. The food is decent if unadventurous; check the bill carefully.
reviewed
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Mozaffar Traditional Restaurant
A recent addition to the sonnati scene, the Mozaffar is set in and around a particularly large courtyard, with both private rooms and takhts. To the standard Iranian menu, add (brace yourself) pizza.
reviewed
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Yazd Traditional Cookie
Sweet shop extraordinaire! A huge array of shirin (sweets) is made in front of you by a team of busy men who will happily let you taste a few offerings; the pistachio-flavoured loz-e peste is supreme!
reviewed
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Silk Road Hotel Restaurant
- Yazd, Iran
- Restaurants › Hotel
While the Iranian food here is very good, the delicious (if not super-hot) subcontinental curries are the most popular dishes among travellers who can’t face another kabab. Relaxed, social atmosphere.
reviewed
