IranWhat to eat in Iran: top 10 dishes
Traveling to Iran? These are the ten dishes it is best known for, from everyday staples to festive classics, with a short background and a tip on where and when to eat each one. Ranked by how widely they are known around the world.
02Pilaf
Pilaf (US: or pilau UK: ) is a rice dish, or in some regions, a wheat dish, whose recipe usually involves cooking in stock or broth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as vegetables and meat, and employing some technique for achieving cooked grains…
Travel tip Rice dishes are the heart of Iranian meals and are served at restaurants and family gatherings. Ask whether the rice comes with the crispy bottom layer called tahdig.
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03Ayran
Ayran ( eye-RAHN, also ayryan) is a cold savory yogurt-based beverage found throughout Central Asia, the Balkans, and the Middle East. The drink is a heterogeneous mixture that has been consumed by Turkic peoples for approximately 1,000 years.
Travel tip A cold salty yogurt drink, served with kebabs and rice dishes. It is also refreshing in hot weather.
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04Sorbet
Sorbet is a frozen dessert made using ice combined with fruit juice, fruit purée, or other ingredients, such as wine, liqueur, or honey.
Travel tip Cold fruit and flower flavored drinks and frozen sweets are enjoyed in summer at cafés and traditional shops. Try the local flavors such as rose water or sour cherry.
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05Rock candy
Rock candy or sugar candy, also called rock sugar or crystal sugar, is a type of confection composed of relatively large sugar crystals. In some parts of the world, local variations are called nabat, navat, or novvot.
Travel tip Often served with tea in Iran, where people sip tea through or alongside a sugar crystal. Look for it at teahouses and sweet shops.
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06Falooda
A falooda or faluda is a Mughlai cold dessert made with vermicelli. It has origins in the Persian dish faloodeh, variants of which are found across West, Central, South and Southeast Asia.
Travel tip A cold dessert served in summer at ice cream and dessert shops. It is eaten with a spoon, often with rose water and a scoop of ice cream.
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07Laksa
Laksa is a spicy noodle dish popular in Southeast Asia. Laksa consists of various types of noodles, most commonly thick rice noodles, with toppings such as chicken, prawns or fish.
Travel tip Laksa is more associated with Southeast Asia than Iran, so look for it in Malaysia, Singapore or Indonesia instead.
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08Ghormeh sabzi
Ghormeh sabzi (Persian: قورمه سبزی, lit. 'Preserved Meat in Fat with Leaf vegetable') or Khoresht Sabzi (Persian: خورشت سبزی ) is a traditional Persian herbal stew. It is considered the national dish of Iran and is a very commonly served dish.
Travel tip One of Iran's best-loved stews, usually made at home and served at traditional restaurants with rice. Order it with plain rice and a side of yogurt or fresh herbs.
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09Samanu
Samanu, samanak (Persian: سمنک), sümelek, sumanak (Tajik: суманак), sumalak, or sümölök is a sweet paste made from germinated wheat (young wheatgrass) and wheat flour, which is prepared especially for Nowruz (beginning of spring) in a large pot (like a…
Travel tip Prepared for Nowruz, the Persian New Year, as part of the haft-sin table in many homes. It is a seasonal specialty rather than an everyday food.
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10Mehallabiyya
Muhallebi (Persian: مهلبی), or muhalabiyya (Arabic: مهلّبية), is a milk pudding commonly made with rice, sugar, and milk, thickened with either rice flour, starch or semolina. It is popular as a dessert in the Middle East.
Travel tip A milk pudding served as a dessert, often flavored with rose water or cardamom. You will find similar puddings in dessert shops and at home.
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