Armenia’s capital Yerevan boasts a great dining scene, in which you can find plenty of restaurants offering local cuisine in both traditional and modern incarnations. And for those who prefer to have international culinary options, the capital won’t disappoint either. Here are the best eateries for an enjoyable dining experience in Yerevan.
Mer Taghe
In order to try the local dish lahmajun, you have to come here. Lahmajun is like a pizza, with a thin crust and fresh ground meat topped with onions, tomatoes, and parsley. This fast food spot is a popular place for many locals, offering delicious food at affordable prices. In addition to lahmajun, you can order manti, but be prepared that this will not be a typical manti dish in lots of broth. Instead, you will get dumplings in less broth, but with lots of yogurt dressing spiced with sumac.
Dolmama
Dolmama is the number one place to go to try the traditional Armenian staple – dolma, or tolma. Established in 1998, the venue offers its guests authentic dishes from eastern Armenia. The main focus of the restaurant is dolma, a dish made from ground meat mixed with rice and herbs and wrapped in grape leaves. What makes Dolmama’s dish so special is that they have replaced the ground meat with a piece of sirloin and added chili and rosemary. Another of their special dishes to try here is khashlama, a meat stew cooked in sweet wine and crème fraîche instead of water. Make sure to also try their Easter Pilaf, a rice dish with raisins, dried fruit, and nuts.
Malkhas Jazz Club
By far the best place in Yerevan to enjoy jazz music while having dinner or drinks, the Malkhas Jazz Club is a popular and laid-back place that often requires advanced booking. The service, food, and atmosphere are excellent and so is the music. Their food menu includes steaks, pasta, and pork chops, and they also have an excellent cocktail and cigar menu. The restaurant was named after the owner and best jazz pianist in the country, Levon Malkhasyan, who regularly performs here a little after midnight.
Tapastan
As the name suggests, Tapastan is a place where Armenian cuisine meets Spanish tapas and creates somewhat unusual appetizers with the blend of both cultures and traditions. Here, you can try various tapas from the menu full of meat and vegetarian options. However, if you’d like to have a more traditional meal, the Anti Tapas page of their menu features an Armenian noodle dish called arishta, along with tolma, salads, and other dishes prepared with chicken, beef, and pork.
Tumanyan Khinkali
Khinkali, a kind of meat dumpling, is a national dish of Georgia that found its way to the very center of Yerevan. Tumanyan Khinkali offers its patrons a sneak peak of not only Georgian cuisine, but of local and regional cuisine as well. In addition to khinkali, you can the try famous Russian pelmeni, another much smaller dumpling, along with various soups, salads, vegetable dishes, and desserts.
Anoush Restaurant
Anoush restaurant is another place to try authentic Armenian cuisine made from fresh ingredients. With its cozy atmosphere and vintage accessories, the restaurant is a favorite spot for many locals. The dishes are prepared according to old recipes. Come here to try manti, a dumpling dish served with tomato and strained yogurt or nuts and chickpeas, their special dolma, ghapa, or palatial, just to name a few.
Our Village / Mer Gyugh Restaurant
If you’d like to try Armenian dishes made just like home, head to Our Village restaurant. Similar to most of the restaurants mentioned above, this one also offers the main dishes of Armenian cuisine. But to try something else, choose a dish from the ‘Village Cuisine’ section of the menu, offering somewhat different dishes from the rest of the restaurants, including kerusus, chanakh, vanakhash, or garni yarakh.
Pandok Yerevan
The Pandok Yerevan restaurant and tavern is a comfortable and relaxing place that can accommodate up to 30 guests in the main dining room, and smaller groups of four to eight in smaller rooms, all decorated in Armenian style. The cushions and tablecloths are covered in Armenian ornaments, and pictures of Armenia’s most notable sights can be seen all around. ‘Calm’ best describes the atmosphere of this spot, where guests can enjoy the best of Armenian cuisine. A must-try is the homemade apricot and peach vodka.