Armenian Food and Drink: A Traveler's Guide to Dishes, Street Food and Wine

Why Armenian food deserves your attention

Armenian cuisine is one of the oldest in the world, built on fresh herbs, lamb, wheat and fruit. Meals are generous, social and slow. In Yerevan you can eat brilliantly for very little, and the further you travel into the regions, the more homemade and personal the food becomes.

Signature dishes to try

• Khorovats - Armenia's beloved barbecue, usually pork or lamb grilled over vine cuttings. Eaten wrapped in lavash with grilled vegetables and onions.
• Dolma - vine leaves or vegetables stuffed with spiced meat and rice. The vegetarian Lenten version, pasuts dolma, is excellent.
• Khash - a hearty winter broth of slow-cooked beef leg, eaten in the morning with garlic and dried lavash. A true ritual.
• Harissa - a thick porridge of wheat and chicken, comforting and deeply traditional.
• Ghapama - a whole pumpkin baked with rice, dried fruit and nuts, often served at celebrations.
• Spas - a warm yogurt soup with wheat and herbs.

Bread, cheese and street food

Lavash, the thin flatbread baked on the wall of a clay tonir oven, is UNESCO-listed and present at every meal. Pair it with chechil (string cheese), fresh herbs and tomatoes for a simple, perfect plate.

For street food, look for zhingyalov hats, a flatbread stuffed with up to twenty wild herbs, a specialty from Artsakh. Bakeries also sell gata, a sweet buttery pastry, and ponchik, custard-filled doughnuts popular in Yerevan.

What to drink

• Armenian wine - the Areni valley has been making wine for over 6,000 years. Try reds from the indigenous Areni grape.
• Brandy (konyak) - Ararat brandy is the national pride. A tour of the Yerevan Brandy Company is worth it.
• Oghi - strong fruit vodka, often made from mulberry or apricot.
• Tan - a salty yogurt drink, the perfect partner for khorovats.
• Strong Armenian coffee, served in small cups, often with fortune-telling from the grounds.

Practical dining tips

• Tipping around 10 percent is appreciated; check whether service is already added.
• Meals are meant to be shared. Expect many small plates and toasts.
• The host or eldest often leads the toasts; it is polite to join.
• Tap water in Yerevan is excellent, and the city's pulpulak drinking fountains are free and safe.
• Vegetarians do well thanks to Lenten and herb-based dishes.

Stay connected in Armenia

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