Restaurants in Western Iran
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Chelokababi Tavakol
This would be the backpacker meeting place, if there were any backpackers. Excellent value Iranian food is served in an atmospheric once-grand old bathhouse that’s slightly gone-to-seed. Charming owner Ali Rahban looks somewhat like Dudley Moore, speaks good English and can rustle up eggplant delights for vegetarians. Head downstairs through white-framed doors with coloured glass panels.
reviewed
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A
Kourosh
Kourosh wins no prizes for décor but offers numerous typical Gilani dishes including dill-rich bagilah qotoq, zeitun parvarden (olives in walnut paste) and garlic mast. On a good day the mirza ghasemi (mashed eggplant, squash, garlic, tomato and egg, served with bread or rice) can be superb but the fesenjun (chicken with walnuts) is rather tart.
reviewed
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Homa
Combining the atmosphere of a teahouse with the calm elegance of an upmarket restaurant, Homa has embroidered tablecloths and blue-brick dining niches ranged around a gently trickling fountain. Though not a patch on homemade equivalents, the semi-sweet fesenjun (IR30,000) is ideally complemented by their acidic dugh (churned sour milk or yogurt mixed with water).
reviewed
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Jamshid Restaurant
Surveyed by a gigantic bronze eagle and huge samovar, this unusual dining room is cut in two by an artificial ‘stream’. Try the local speciality khoresht khalol (lamb stewed with almonds) rather than the three-skewer dandeh kabab (IR65,000), which is famous more for its excessive size than for its flavour.
reviewed
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B
Baliq
Fish, fish, fish. Fresh whole fish, fish kababs, fish köfte balls in the IR20,000 salad bar, fishing nets on the ceiling, little aquariums between the tables and even fish-shaped souvenir pens. Standards are excellent, the enticing décor includes log-and-rope chairs and a cave-wall trickling with water.
reviewed
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Chaykhuneh Baharestan
This atmospheric, if decidedly down-market 100% male teahouse is charmingly adorned with metalwork, sepia photos and Quranic murals. It’s ideal for a greasy fried-egg breakfast, cheap abgusht (aka dizi) lunch or a puff on the qalyan, and is populated by photogenically haggard old white-beards.
reviewed
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Delta Sofrakhane Sonati
Tea (IR5000) comes in ceramic Lalejin pots, women can smoke qalyan on carpeted bed-seats without undue attention and the chicken ‘biriyani’ comes on a flaming plate. Don’t miss the scrumptious kashka bademjan (IR12,000), eggplant paste with yoghurt, mint and roasted red peppers.
reviewed
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C
Modern Tabriz Restaurant
This good-value favourite serves great kababs and excellent fried trout in a large, basement dining hall that somehow finds a successful blend of olde-worlde charm, 1960s retro and idiosyncratic kitsch. Meal prices include ‘service’, ie salad, soft drink and delicious barley-and-barberry soup.
reviewed
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D
Revolving Restaurant
A Plexiglas elevator fires you through the Hotel Elgoli’s atrium like Charlie in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory for predictably great views. The basic charge of IR50,000 entitles you to raid the soup-n-salad bar. Then add main courses including steaks, sturgeon kababs and fried shrimp.
reviewed
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E
Bijan’s
Soft Mediterranean music, sepia photos and displays of olive-oil bottles create a delightful atmosphere in this very un-Iranian Italian bistro where talented chef Bijan (trained in Sheffield rather than Sorrento) turns out scrumptious pastas served with huge bowls of Parmesan.
reviewed
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F
Yalda
Moulded ceilings, pastel-toned wall paintings and a gently upmarket feel make this a congenial place to taste chelo-gusht (IR40, 000). Opt for baqelipulau (herb pilaf) when selecting the type of rice. Mast (yogurt) sets off the flavours perfectly.
reviewed
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G
Castle Teahouse
This vaulted stone chamber has the obligatory carpeted bed-seats and serves lovely cinnamon tea in china pots. However, it's a little touristy and the only food, a delicately flavoured ash (IR5000), comes disappointingly in disposable plastic bowls.
reviewed
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H
Kumeh
The most interesting of a huddle of restaurants in the Park-e-Shahr area, Kumeh has Irano- Hawaiian covered dining platforms outside. Inside is more standard but sharing a post-prandial qalyan here is an ideal way to meet friendly regulars.
reviewed
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Hezardasan
Hezardasan makes a valiant attempt at giving its cellar room that sofrakhane sonati feel, but the overall effect is a little too neat to be memorable. Its delicious qimeh nasar comes mounded into barberry rice.
reviewed
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Hezaroyek Shab
This cosy if slightly garish restaurant is quite a trek from the centre (IR5000 dar baste taxi) but there’s a wide Irano-European menu and owner Pari Bakhtiyari speaks fluent English. Call ahead.
reviewed
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Snack Stalls, Motahhari Blvd
Near Ojak Crossing; snack stalls and confectioners selling Kermanshah's archetypal Nan Berenji cookies (literally 'bread-rice'; a round semi-sweet confection that's usually yellow and flavoured with safron).
reviewed
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I
Honarmandan
Vaulted underground eatery with an amusing if tacky ‘sculpted’ centrepiece water-feature and a choice of tables or carpeted sitting platforms. Decent kababs and rich dizi (IR15,000).
reviewed
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J
Restaurant Tatly
Ceilings soar to five-pointed star lamps in this renovated older building. Pizzas are typically Iranian but the ash (thick vegetable and noodle soup) is most hearty and excellent value (IR5000).
reviewed
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Eram Restaurant
Eram’s staff are as eccentric as its wavy brickwork interior, which culminates in green-bronze framed copies of the Bisotun reliefs. It serves mainly kababs, but does fesenjun at lunchtime.
reviewed
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K
Linette
Warm wood tones, a pseudo-Swiss wooden chimney-breast and glass-topped inset- tables create a congenial atmosphere despite the slightly cutesy Christmas theme. Try the creamy mushroom stroganoff.
reviewed
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Nobahar
This is a fairly large, comparatively low-stress bazaar eatery that serves stews (including qimeh nasar ), which you can choose by pointing at the relevant kitchen cauldron.
reviewed
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Snack stalls, Azadi Sq
Snacks, and confectioners selling Kermanshah's archetypal Nan Berenji cookies (literally 'bread-rice'; a round semi-sweet confection that's usually yellow and flavoured with safron).
reviewed
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Eghbali
Prices are high and despite the odd fake stone frieze there isn’t much atmosphere. Nonetheless it’s popular with travellers for its English menu and reliable food.
reviewed
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L
Talar Bozorg Elgoli
This busy, surprisingly unpretentious family restaurant serves Tabrizi köfte, a local home-cooking speciality like a giant Scotch egg. Order ahead in winter.
reviewed
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Kaktus
Down easy-to-miss stairs, Kaktus remains one of Hamadan’s most popular middle-class kabab restaurants. It’s tastefully lit if not imaginatively decorated.
reviewed
