ARMENIAN DISHES

There is no family gathering or occasion in Armenia without the famous khorovats. Apart from having a different taste than any other barbecue or stake, khorovats is considered to be Armenian legacy. Fathers teach the art of making khorovats to their sons, and so on. There is also an annual festival of khorovats held in September, in Akhtala, Tavush region.

Tolma consists of meat, rice, and onion rolled up in fresh young grape leaves. This Armenian food is often eaten with matzoon (fermented milk) together with garlic. There is no New Year’s Eve without Tolma in the central part of the festive table.

Lavash is a common type of bread in Armenia that both locals and foreigners are very fond of. It is a soft, thin, unleavened flatbread made in a tandoor. The lavash-making process is an inseparable part of the Armenian culture and cuisine. For the record, lavash, together with its preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional bread is included in UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as an expression of culture in Armenia.

Harissa is a thick porridge made from cracked wheat and fat-rich meat, usually chicken or lamb. The long cooking process, usually around 5 hours, is an essential part of the tradition. Harissa too has its own festival celebrated in September, in Musaler, not far from Yerevan.

Spas is the all-time favorite soup for all Armenians. It is a yogurt soup filled with peeled wheat and greens. This white soup is finger licking tasty.

Zhingyalov hats is a type of flatbread stuffed with herbs and green vegetables. Although you can find it in Yerevan too, but it is a traditional dish of Nagorno-Karabakh. If you are in Armenia, and travel to Karabakh, eating zhingyalov hats is a must.

Before going to the sweets, the strangest but also most loved food, or rather a breakfast, in Armenia is khash. It is a dish of boiled beef feet, and locals like to eat it with dried lavash and drink some vodka. Getting together around a table of khash is a great tradition.

Feels like it is time for the dessert. Gata is an Armenian pastry or sweet bread. It can take variety of shapes, sizes and its decorated versions are quite attractive. Gata is usually the number one “brand” that tourists love most in Armenia. There is also a tradition of putting a coin inside gata before baking it, and the finder will have a good fortune. Tourists usually buy gata near Geghard monastery, a top tourist destination in Armenia.

This Armenian dessert decorates all the markets in Yerevan. It is present in all the fairs near tourism destinations in Armenia. It is a tasty dessert made of walnuts and in thickened grape juice. Many tourists take sujukh from Armenia also as a souvenir.

Lastly, pakhlava is a dessert pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and stuffed with lots of honey. There is nothing tastier than Pakhlava around Armenia.

Armenia is one of the oldest wine making regions in the world and wine is an ancient part of its culture. Armenian wines provide something for every occasion and in every form, from delicate whites to robust reds to wonderful dry or sweet sparkling wines, and from simple table wines to some of the most expensive and sought.  

Armenia is a country of century-old traditions of winemaking the founder of which is considered to be a biblical patriarch who planted the first vine at the foot of Mountain Ararat. The traditions of ancient winemakers are properly preserved by modern winemakers. Thus, it is no surprise that the terroir of Vayots Dzor produces wine that is included in top ten best wines in the world according to Bloomberg Business weekly. Specifically, the “Zorah Karasi Areni Noir” from an endemic type of grape of 2012 harvest that is aged in clay vessels.

If you enjoy wine bars, make sure to walk along Saryan Street. There are plenty of hip and well-decorated wine bars for you to choose from!

Armenian brandy is renowned worldwide (winner of several awards), and was considered by the late British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, as his favorite. The generous sun of the Ararat Valley, the fertile land, and the quality of water gives the Armenian brandy its gold color and extraordinary taste.

The most popular Armenian beers are Kotayk and Kilikia.​​​ Recently, there are more microbreweries opening around Yerevan that serve draft beer.