Eating in Yerevan (Armenia)

Armenia - this is not something every foodie will have on their agenda. Yet, there is a lot happening in and around the bustling capital Yerevan that is exciting and worth discovering.

From modernized Armenian countryside cuisine to stylish cafes, impressive farm-to-table dining, cosmopolitan cocktails, and delicious breakfast creations, this city has endless opportunities for exploration. This guide should help you spend a few satisfying days in Armenia's capital ...

Tip: If you're serious about trying, check off as many Armenian specialties from my checklist at the end of the article as you can!

The best-rated restaurant in Armenia, according to internet reviews, is just a few minutes on foot from Republic Square: the Sherep Restaurant! But reviews are one thing; does it actually taste good?

... YES! Popular with locals and tourists alike, this ultra-stylish but huge establishment is a true haven for modern Armenian and Georgian cuisine. It belongs to Yeremyan Projects, dedicated to numerous culinary services, restaurants, and support programs for Armenia.

Sensational hummus, freshly baked lavash, whole grilled trout carved at the table, braised pepper salad, boiled or fried khinkali (irresistible soup dumplings from Georgia), and an alcohol-flambéed chocolate lava cake at your table... and there is so much more to discover on the enormous menu. Tip: Be sure to check out the open kitchen!

The Collective is the culinary neighbor and offshoot of the hip cocktail bar Minas, located on the bustling Pushkin Street. Chill music, relaxed people, stylish décor, and incredibly fantastic coffee creations not only energize you, but also fill you up: Fantastic Eggs Benedict in various styles, a delectably sweet strawberry cream croissant, pastries, and fluffy pancakes will want to keep you here. A casual spot with extremely friendly staff and the most beautiful HiFi speakers in Europe - truly!

Tip: Not on the menu, but if you ask politely, the bar will whip you up a cool Bumble: espresso with orange juice! I also had a "Sparkle," a double espresso with tonic water. Sounds like leftover drinks, but tastes excellent!

The The Club (the website is currently offline, try checking through Tripadvisor and send an email for reservations) signifies the most exciting culinary development in Armenia right now: as one of the first farm-to-table restaurants, Chef Andranik Grigoryan only uses products that he has personally grown in his gardens. This "brutally local" trend originated in Scandinavia, where more than ten years ago, the "Scandinavian Cuisine Manifesto" emphasized the value of local products and seasonal ingredients.

In ten courses, young Chef Hayk Shakaryan presents a showcase of Armenian products, including zucchini flowers stuffed with peas and green pepper hummus, cherry tomatoes with fermented tomato juice, grilled wild mushrooms with roasted garlic puree, and grilled figs with - surprisingly! - beluga caviar. All of this is still affordably priced, mind you.

All around the establishment, various pickled, marinated, and fermented products flourish like in a laboratory.

The charming host primarily serves natural wines. He knows his stuff, as his first project, which established Grigoryan's culinary name in the city, is just a few minutes' walk away and practically invites a nightcap...

Lahmacun showcases the Arabic influence in Armenian cuisine. Soft flatbread, onions, and boldly spiced ground meat are all you need on top.

Just a few hundred meters from Republic Square, you will find the city's best pizza, inconspicuously hidden under an apartment staircase: "Lahmajo" is a so-called "hole-in-the-wall" eatery and an absolute hidden gem! For just a few Armenian drams, you can enjoy a delicious, hot, and absolutely fresh lahmacun, the quality of which one can probably only find in Berlin's best Turkish grills. Pair it with a refreshing ayran, and your day can begin!

Address: 19 Moskovyan Street, Yerevan 0009

Just outside - only 20 minutes from the well-known Lake Sevan, which you will likely visit - lies the small but gastronomically significant village of Tsaghkunk. The larger region has no more than 2,000 inhabitants, the roads have been built from private investment, and children come here after school to work in restaurants and follow in culinary and tourist footsteps.

Here you will find some incredibly interesting restaurants, including the restaurant of the same name Tsaghkunk Restaurant, where you must have lunch.

The beautifully designed restaurant opened in 2021. Here, you can enjoy not only delicious Armenian tapas like chili pepper dips, an enticing aveluk salad (sorrel), and Vanahash - a kind of "cheese spaetzle" beloved on our journey - but also try your hand at baking lavash.

Young chef Arevik Martirosyan knows how to transition the ancient traditions of Armenian cuisine into the new millennium with just a few actions - and almost without wild experiments, foams, or self-involved fusion attempts. The absolute highlight was the fish dolma: stuffed grape leaves that are usually rolled with vegetables and pork shine here with white fish in exquisite glory. Addictive!

In a hut directly behind the restaurant, traditional lavash baking in an underground oven is authentically recreated, and if you want, you can try your hand at it. But beware: It looks easier than it is...

Attention, absolute hidden gem! Hidden behind the façades of a souvenir shop, you can breathe wonderfully: The Dalan Art Gallery hides behind its artistic gates the beautifully green Cafe Abovyan 12. Here, you can enjoy a coffee, a cold beer, or even small bites like lahmacun, all while surrounded by trees in front of the open bar and a small stage with live music. Definitely a must-visit!

We love visiting markets on our travels. Here you get a great glimpse of people, cultures, and interaction, and you can overview the cuisine of the respective country.

In Yerevan, this is particularly true at the Gum Shuka Market in the south of the city. Here, you can happily meander for about three-quarters of an hour through the many stations between fish, meat, cheese, and the vast produce and fruit offerings, while the grandmothers at the stands gladly provide you with little samples...

Address: 35 Movses Khorenatsi Street, Yerevan 0018, Armenia

Saryan Street is popularly known as "Wine Street": here, wine bar follows wine bar. However, it hasn't always been this way: one of the first to decide on a wine-only concept was Andranik Grigoryan - then still mocked - in 2012, who opened with two friends at In Vino. This inspired many others, so today, you can enjoy fine wine here! Naturally, the best place to do this is at the mother of all wine establishments ...

Back then, Grigoryan started with ten different Armenian wines; today, there are nearly 250 - and the number continues to grow daily! Be sure to stop by and let the extremely friendly and English-speaking staff pour you ... uh, taste some wines.

The Vostan is dedicated to traditional Armenian cuisine. Once you step through the beautiful, ancient door, a true culinary gem opens up right in the bustling center of Yerevan.

Here you can enjoy ... well ... everything?! The aveluk salad made from crispy sorrel leaves is to die for, but so are the various thin and beautifully smoky BBQ meat pieces; particularly salmon and lamb are of a quality you won't find everywhere.

During dinner, we met Armen Yeritsyan, a real celebrity in Armenia. His art and fashion are extraordinary - as is he as a person. Perhaps you will also cross paths with him?

Just a few minutes' walk from Vostan lies the hip Minas Cocktail Room, right next to the "Collective". Here, world-class cocktails are mixed for you, accompanied by modern art and laid-back music. You can spend a few hours here and immerse yourself in the nightlife of the Armenians, which can certainly go on until the early morning hours...

A big thank you to Lena Koshemjakina and Yulia Ivanova, our food experts in Yerevan!

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