Many tourists point to a great variety of cafes, restaurants, and bakeries in Yerevan. However, real foodies can discover Armenian food beyond the bustling streets of the capital city.
While Yerevan is culinary heaven, this guide will unveil less-explored spots and dishes awaiting food enthusiasts. With an increasing flow of tourists during the last decade, more high-quality restaurants and cafes are opening in Sevan, Dilijan, Tsakhkadzor, and other popular tourist destinations.
Each place has its unique story. Sevan lakeside restaurants offer dishes from local fish, including crayfish kebab, a popular dish among tourists. Meanwhile, the cuisine of Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city, can surprise you with flavors that you have never tried before.
Since Armenia is famous for its high-quality fruits and vegetables, a culinary tour in the region will help you discover the country’s farm-to-table culture. Regardless of the region, the dishes contain a lot of local herbs and greens, so be ready for unusual tastes.
Shirak Cuisine Delights
The traditional cuisine of the Shirak region is diverse, but it is known for its meat dishes. Gyumri stands aside with its unique humor and mentality. This also refers to the local dishes, as some of them are typical for this city and can hardly be found in other regions.
One of the most popular dishes is chanakh, a stew made of beef, vegetables, and beans. However, many foodies are traveling to Gyurmi for qyala, the most popular and yet the most unusual dish served in many restaurants in the city. It is made from lamb or beef head and is served as a whole, not cut into pieces. The locals traditionally eat it with their hands without a knife and fork.
Gyumri is also considered the homeland of chechil, Armenian string cheese.
Desserts are also locals’ favorites. There are traditional gata, pakhlava, and others. However, the locals also have another culinary delight to be proud of. It is called yaghli, a local dessert made of a layered dough with sugar powder on the top.
Dining in Lori
The cuisine of the northern province of Lori stands out for using a lot of vegetables and greens. Seasonal produce is the basis of the Lori dishes as gathering wild berries and mushrooms in the mountains is popular among locals. There are many vegetarian soups, meat dishes, and of course dairy products.
Those who love unusual flavors and vegetables would definitely like nettle soup or sorrel soup which are among the popular dishes here. Red or green beans, groats, and corn are usual ingredients as well. If you are searching for culinary delights, try a cornel soup or a dried fruit soup which may sound weird but it is something that you would hardly find in other regions.
The forests of “a green province” are a pasture for cows, pigs, and sheep. Therefore, there is a lot of meat in local restaurants. Just as in Shirak province, Lori villagers make string cheese – chechil and motal, cheese made of goat or sheep milk complemented with herbs.
Lunch in Sevan
The highlight of Sevan’s dining culture is lakeside cafes and restaurants so that tourists can be as close to the lake as possible. There are some awesome places to eat around the lake. Some of them have a history of 15 years, but the recently opened ones like Yasaman resemble stylish European restaurants.
Ishkhan or the Sevan trout is an endemic variety of trout found only in this mountainous lake. It has a distinctive pink color and is ideal for grilling and baking. It can come with a sauce made of spices, lemon, and pomegranate juice. Another local freshwater fish is sig which is also grilled, fried, or baked. All premium Armenian wine brands produce white wine that is a perfect match for fish.
The specialty dish here is crayfish kebab served in many local cafes. Do not worry, you can find meat dishes like ordinary kebab or khorovats as well.
Restaurants in Dilijan
The Tavush cuisine is also a unique combination of meat and vegetable dishes with a lot of herbs from the local mountains. The farm-to-table concept here is interpreted as “forest-to-table” since nuts, berries, mushrooms, and herbs are the basis of the local cuisine.
The resort town of Dilijan has recently hosted a food festival and is rapidly becoming a culinary hub. Eco-friendly produce is used in dozens of restaurants that have been opened over the last decade. From the well-known Dolmama restaurant to coffee spots and wine bars – Dilijan has it all.
Most of the restaurants offer Armenian authentic cuisine in European-like restaurants with unique designs and great service. In short, Dilijan with its cozy cafes and upscale dining caters to various tastes.
Where to Dine Outside Yerevan?
Delicious Armenian food and gourmet restaurants extend beyond the vibrant streets of Yerevan downtown. Therefore, to find more tastes food enthusiasts must visit lesser-explored regions. The provinces offer distinctive flavors, each reflecting local traditions and agricultural abundance.
It is no coincidence that gastronomy tours have been so popular among tourists. Coupled with the degustation of Armenian white and red wine as well as visiting a brandy factory, the gastronomic journey in the regions can become a real adventure for notorious foodies.
Reach out to Levon Travel agency for a great experience and custom-made itinerary. It stands out as the ideal companion offering journeys to all regions where you can savor Armenia’s diverse culinary landscape. From Gyumri to Dilijan, explore Armenia’s culinary treasures with our experienced guides.