Famous Tehran Restaurants: From Luxurious Traditional Ones to Busy Food Court 

Being such a populated city, Tehran has to meet all residents’ demands for various restaurants and cafes, especially when people’s most popular hobby is nothing, but eating out! Tehran restaurants and cafes are the beating hearts of the city, making it a real soulful town. A broad range of cuisines that cater to many customers with a wide variety of tastes and palates are found in Tehran; from locals to Internationals, from traditional resorts to modern ones and from cozy eateries to busy food courts are all hosting desirous guests.

Tehran restaurants and cafes are mainly divided into traditional and modern. Most of the traditional restaurants in Tehran are buffet styles, serving different types of salads, soups, Iranian local foods, traditional pastries, desserts and drinks. Iranian classic music is often played, while you have your meal. Ali-Ghapou (Gandhi Street), Shabestan (Villa Street), Hezar Dastan (Abbas Abad), and Bagh-e Saba (Shari’ati Avenue) are among the most popular Persian restaurants, Tehran.

Tehran restaurants and cafes are the beating hearts of the city, making it a real soulful town. A broad range of cuisines that cater to many customers with a wide variety of tastes and palates are found in Tehran.

Sharaf-al- Eslami and Moslem are two popular restaurants in Tehran Grand Bazaar. A quick type of serving and very high quality cuisines on an acceptable price is attracting a large number of people to these reputed eateries daily.

Tehran food courts are other busy eateries where you can find fast foods such as pizzas, burgers, Kentucky, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, vegan options, see foods, etc. Milad Tower food court with an amazing view on the city is a very famous Tehran food court along with others in some popular shopping malls such as Palladium, Arg, Sana center, etc. and indeed Tehran Tabiat Bridge as well.
Being a populated historical pavement, 30 Tir Street is the concentration of Tehran street foods, where you can find many booths serving different types of dishes and beverages. You may find many people sitting and having various street foods such as Ash-reshteh, Kebab, sandwiches and other Tehran foods, specifically at weekends.

Some Top Restaurants in Tehran:

Among top restaurants in Tehran, serving a specific cuisine, Alborz restaurant is well worth mentioning. Being an old reputed restaurant, Alborz is so famous for its long, qualified and mouthwatering Kebabs. Word is that L’Entrecote on Shiraz Street is where you can find the best steak in Tehran, while Sushi khooneh (Dowlat Street) serves the most original Sushi in Tehran. If you are a fan of pizza, Tehran provides you with some proper options, where you can find your favorite meal. Street Art (Tajrish, Tandis Center), Bellamonica (Vozara Street) and Joe Grill Food (Shahrak-e- Gharb & Zaferaniye Street) are among Tehran famous pizzerias

Top Ten Tehran Restaurants:

Being curious about Iranian flavors and cousins, you may want to have an unforgettable experience in Tehran eateries. Keep up with this record to find the best restaurants in Tehran.

1. Mestoran Restaurant:

Inspired by the architecture of the Safavid era, but still contemporary, Mestoran (located on Niavaran Street) is one of the top restaurants in Tehran. Amazing appetizers such as Shirazi Salad and pistachio soup, and delicious Iranian Abgoosht and Kebabs are on its menu. International dishes such as steak, fish steak and shrimps are also served along with its wonderful yogurt flavored with ginger, spinach, garlic and eggplant. It is worth mentioning that the dishes are served in copper utensils.

2. Hestooran Restaurant:

While tasting the cuisines rooted in Iranian history, you can experience a non-repetitive oriental relish linked to the western one. The flavors here are floating you somewhere between past and present, between originality and innovation. Being truly cozy and delicate, Hestooran hosts you with all types of Iranian appetizers, foods, and drinks. It is definitely one of the top restaurants in Tehran, located on Fereshteh Street)

The flavors here are floating you somewhere between past and present, between originality and innovation.

3. Narenjestan Restaurant:

Being one of the most famous Tehran restaurants, this excellent International eatery serves you with all Iranian foods, sea foods, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Barbeque, Italian, French and European foods, along with Sushi, soups and salads. Narenjestan is located in Sa’adat Abad district.

4. Rouhi Restaurant:

With the beautiful traditional decoration, Rouhi restaurant serves breakfasts, lunches and dinners in a type of metal dish, called “rouhi”. Rouhi restaurants located on Tajrish Square, is known as one of the top ten Tehran Persian restaurants as well.

5. Kubaba Café Restaurant:

Being located on Jordan Street, Kubaba restaurant with its special interior design, bright terrace, oriental ambiance and prolific menu hosts you with Iranian foods, Middle Eastern, Arabic and Turkish foods. Its luxuriant Café menu gives you a large number of options for cold and hot beverages, pastries and amazing desserts as well. Kubaba is truly known as one of the best Tehran restaurants and cafes.

6. Rebelan Café Restaurant:

Located in Tandis Center, Tajrish, one of the most famous Tehran restaurants and Cafes is definitely Rebelan Café Restaurant. With a luxurious atmosphere, amazing outdoor seating and a wonderful view on Tehran mountains, Rebelan serves you with Iranian, Arabic, Lebanese, International foods along with exciting appetizers, salads, desserts, hot and cold beverages, pastries, and even hookahs.

7. Reyhoon Restaurant:

Located on Jordan Street, Reyhoon is one of the best restaurants in Tehran serving Kebabs. With its old atmosphere and beautiful arches, Reyhoon has been well reputed for many years. Kebabs are not served with Chelo (cooked rice) here, however you are welcomed with a hot bread, cheese and fresh basil (called reyhoon in Farsi).

8. Ghassab Restaurant:

As one of the best restaurants in Tehran, the Turkish restaurant Ghassab (or Kassab) is a luxurious eatery serving Turkish foods, steak, Dolmeh, Koofteh and Turkish desserts as well. The two branches of Ghassab restaurant are located on Tajrish Square and Fereshteh Street.

9. Shandiz Restaurant:

The most luxurious Persian restaurant, Tehran, is Shandiz-e Jordan with its classy decoration and traditional Iranian foods and appetizers.

10. Café Tehroon:

Located within an old mansion in Negarestan Garden (on Villa Street), Café Tehroon is combining traditional structures with contemporary designs. The menu which is regenerating Iranian dietary traditions has made this eatery one of the best Tehran restaurants and Cafés.

Cafes in Tehran: From the Old Resorts to the Modern Luxurious Ones:

Enghelab Street located in the bustling downtown, is a lively area host to many Tehran restaurants and cafes creating a buzzy nightlife for the locals and tourists alike. Godot Café, Ap Art Man Café, V Café, Bruges Café, Café Theatre, Vorta Cake Studio, etc. are among popular Cafés hosting students and youngsters who are interested in artistic events held in these resorts.

One of the most famous Tehran restaurants and cafes, Café Naderi is an old, nostalgic café: an old resort for many poplar writers, poets and politicians who used to gather here.

Many old, traditional mansions located in abloom yards, have changed into Cafes in Tehran recently. The refreshing view of a little pool often surrounded by flowers, along with the nostalgic ambiance of the whole building is truly pleasurable. Mana Café (Vessal Street), Roshanan Mansion Café and Chaie Bar (both in Dezashib district), and Café Shemroon (Elahieh district) are among the top outdoor Cafés in Tehran where you can have hot and cold beverages, pastries, waffles, pancakes, snacks and even more.

Tehran Chain Cafés:

Having no branches of Starbucks Café in Iran, some domestic coffeehouse chains are so popular instead. Raees Coffee, Lamiz and Viuna Café are three famous Café chains, you will easily find in every shopping malls and bustling places. While Raees Coffee and Lamiz more concentrate on hot and cold drinks, Viuna is serving light meals such as Panini, snacks, salads and sandwiches as well.

Top Ten Tehran Modern Cafes:

Mostly located in famous shopping malls, top ten Tehran modern cafes are hosting you with more new-fashioned menu included Panini, chicken fajita, dips, burgers, omelets, French toasts and waffles, pancakes, homemade soups and salads, pastries and desserts along with a broad range of hot and cold beverages. Breakfasts, brunches, vegan options, European, grilled and healthy cousins are included as well. Top ten Tehran Cafés are as follows:

1. Sam Café

-Serving light meals as well
-Located on Fereshteh Street (Sam Center), Vanak Square, Shaharak-e Gharb district

2. Leon Café 1960

– An old well reputed café restaurant, with vegan options
– Branches on: Karimkhan Street, Sheikh Bahayee Street, Fereshteh Street, Pasdaran Street

3. Roberto Café

– Breakfast, shakes, pastries and beverages
– Located on Pasdaran crossroad

4. Arte Café

– Light meals, salads, in addition to coffee menu
– Located in Fereshteh district

5. Level 4

– A new-fashioned café restaurant
– Located in Arg Shopping Center, Tajrish Square

6. Lime Café

– A café restaurant with Italian options
– Located on Fereshteh Street, Niavaran Street, Shahrak-e Ghard district

7. Café Graph

– A minimal designed café, serving breakfast as well
– Located on Sheikh Bahayee, and Karimkhan Street

8. Sit and Go

– A Modern café restaurant serving pastas, burgers, steaks as well
– Located in Dezashib district

9. Vicolo Café

– An Italian style café restaurant
– Located on Elahie Street, Modern Elahie Mall

10. Florian Café

– An Italian café restaurant
– Located in Arg Shopping Mall, Tajrish Square
The long list of Tehran restaurants and cafes is not obviously limited to this record. There is no way to know the best eateries here, but spending a long time in the city, discovering the best Tehran restaurants and cafes!