Yerevan

Anteb

A family-run cafe that serves a huge variety of kebabs in a very casual cafe-type setting. The Adana and Urfa are a bargain at about 800 dram each and the Iskender, though slightly more expensive for 3,000 dram (May 2015) rivals the best. The rice pudding is pricey but tasty. Cheap drinks and free fresh hot pocket bread.

Artashi Mot

Cheap shaurmas, soups and kebabs upstairs, fancier but still well priced sit-down restaurant underground. Great place to have BBQ and to meet your traditional fast food cravings. The fancier part is considered by many to be the finest place for khorovats (BBQ) in Armenia. Judge for yourself, but not before trying the horti (beef) and sunki (mushroom) barbeques. They are both delicious, when they have them. Other nice alternatives include the fish barbeque and the piti soup. Whichever barbeque you get, get some of the tomato sauce mix that Artash makes to put on your meat, or just to dip your bread into.

Opens 11AM

Asador

Surf and turf. Steaks from around the world, and fresh seafood flown in. Excellent wine selection as well.

Daily 12:00-00:00

Caucasus Tavern

Кавка́з

Extensive menu of Caucasian dishes in 5 languages plus photos. You can order fish straight from the aquarium.

Dolmama

Fusion Armenian-World cuisine. Excellent food, service and ambience. The outdoor seating out back is a way to experience the old courtyards that filled central Yerevan in the past.

Daily 11:00-23:30

Gini Pig

Wine, beer and pizza in a small, rustic space, run by an Australian-Armenian fellow. A favorite of many for the food and vibe.

2,000–4,000 dram

Grand Candy Ponchikanots

Ponchikanots

Ponchiks are a regional type of donut. Fried dough stuffed with a custard and topped with powdered sugar. Grand Candy took over the old space of a popular former Soviet "ponchikanots", or place of ponchiks and this is a popular spot for a fresh, hot, and very cheap treat. Lots of locally made candy and chocolate for sale as well. Grand Candy's big competition in the ponchik realm came down from Gyumri and opened up a few blocks away. So if you want to try a ponchik with a chocolate custard filling as well, head to Ponchik Monchik.

10am-8pm

Ktoor

Typical Armenian menu, done very well, reasonably priced, with a very large outdoor patio in front on the far end of Saryan Street. They have some ridiculously large dishes that are perfect for large groups.

Lahmajun Gaidz

Good cheap Armenian fast food, run by a kind and hard working Syrian-Armenian woman.

Lavash

Very good menu of traditional Armenian cuisine. The large room upstairs is a more refined white-tablecloth experience, but prices are the same. Can be busy on weekend nights, reserve ahead. Absolutely end the meal with the famous millefeuille cake (layers of fillo and pastry custard); trying to save some space for it is a lost cause, however - the one-serving slab is enormous even for two (and sometimes they will bring the entire 3-foot-long creation, fresh from the oven, to carve at your table).

Limone

Great Napolitano pizzas, nice salads and sandwiches, fancy drinks and desserts, located right by Cascade.

Closed · opens 8:30 am

Master Class

Angus beef kebab sandwiches for 1000 drams (Dec 2021), and a few other items on the small, focused menu.

Meghedi

Cheap cafe, lots of food options and drinks. Very central, next to the Opera at the Freedom Square. Free Wi-Fi.

daily 10:00-midnight (possibly later closure on Sun)

Mer Taghe

A small lahmejun joint on Tumanyan, and their lahmejuns have a big following. If you have some extra time and want to splurge, try the manti dumplings or the norahars, a kind of regional lasagna.

OST

Cheap cafe, lots of food options and drinks. Very central, try the Ajarakan khachapuri or the lahmejun. Free Wi-Fi.

daily 10:00-22:30

Old Erivan

Hin Yerevan

Offers traditional food, songs, dances and the décor will make you think Disney has come to town. Almost a must for any visitor.

Tavern Yerevan

Պանդոկ Երևան

The place for traditional Armenian cuisine. You'll have to rub shoulders with an occasional government function, a wedding shower or a busful of tourists, but the food is the real thing. Do not be scared by the names of the dishes - the more unpronounceable, the tastier (tzhvzhik, for example, is fegata alla veneziana, offal with fried onions - delicious!), and the English menu has helpful descriptions and pictures. You can go as high as 15,000 dram for an entire baked veal shoulder, but most (and best) mains are in the 2,000-4,000 dram range. (Jan 2018) Do not miss putuk, lamb soup in an individual crock sealed with baked dough, and tolma (any one) is almost like homemade. A very good native wine selection. Live music from 19:30 daily, but the place is so big that getting a quieter nook is not a problem. Three more (smaller) branches in the city - Amiryan 5, Paronyan 7 and Khorenatsi 29.

Mains 1,500-15,000 dram (Jan 2018)

The Club

Has some excellent Western Armenian dishes, including manti, su borek and the amazing midia dolma. The underground space is very hip, and the tea room, when not too smoky is a good place to sit on a bean bag and chat.

For a budget option, you can order one of their very filling thin crust pizzas, starting at US$5

The Coast

Great international food menu at Cascade. Good breakfast, lunch and dinner options.

Tumanyan Khinkali

Khinkali (sturdy soup dumplings, similar to xiao long bao that came to Caucasus over the Silk Road) with meat or cheese filling is the name of the game here. You can have them boiled or fried; they are priced per dumpling, and 6-8 should be enough for an average appetite. If you try using knife and fork, you'll end up with a pool of soup on your plate; grab the dumpling by the bunched top, bite out a notch in the side and slurp in the liquid, then eat the rest (tops are not for eating, and the dough in them may even come out undercooked). Appetizers (soups, salads and a variety of homemade pickles) are delightful too. There are two bronze figures at the entrance welcoming you to step down, and a giddily over-the-top interior in plush and chintz, with televisions playing Armenian music programs of the Soviet era.

Tumanyan Shaurma

Yerevan style shawarma. A local chain with a dozen restaurants around Yerevan.

Tun Lahmajo

uper affordable lahmajo (Armenian pizza) and always packed with locals

Twelve Tables

12 Tables

Very cozy spot with 12 tables, smoke-free, good menu with nice salads, soups, comfort food, and great desserts and teas. Non-smoking.

Gata Tavern

Hearty portions, feels like a homestyle kitchen.

Jengyalov Hac

Ժենգյալով Հաց

Bakery. Excellent Armenian zhangyalov hats.

Voskevaz

Wine Time

Good menu of meats, salads, starters, and wine.