Ultimate Armenia Food Guide: Armenian Dishes & Unique Culinary Experiences

If you are planning a trip and wondering what to eat in Armenia, get ready for some unforgettable meals and culinary experiences. Armenian dishes are full of flavor, tradition, and history, with recipes that have been passed down through generations. 

Armenian food and restaurant culture surprised us in the best way. It felt familiar yet completely unique, and we are excited to share everything you need to eat and drink your way around Armenia.

In this guide, we will be sharing the essential Armenian dishes to try, along with drinks, fun food tours in Yerevan and beyond, what meals and hospitality look like in this country.

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Armenian Food Guide: An Introduction to Armenian Dishes & Cuisine

Before diving into the best Armenian dishes, let's talk about what makes the cuisine so special.

👩‍🍳 What is Armenian Cuisine Like?

Armenian cuisine blends influences from the Middle East, Persia, and the Caucasus, but also keeps its own identity. Expect lots of fresh herbs, grilled meats, fragrant stews, local dairy, and plenty of breads.

Armenian dishes are deeply tied to family traditions. Meals are shared and usually include spreads of salads, cheeses, herbs, and seasonal vegetables. Lavash, the national flatbread, is a key component of every meal, and is often baked fresh in traditional tonir ovens. 

You will also find ingredients like apricots, pomegranates, sumac, walnuts, and yogurt used throughout the cuisine. Tea and coffee are everyday essentials, and meals often end with something sweet.

Honey is very popular, and you can actually find large bee farms scattered around the countryside. If you're going on a road trip through Armenia., keep your eyes peeled for these, as well as people on the side of the road selling local honey and jams.

🍽 What is the Armenian National Dish?

Armenia’s national dish is Harissa, a creamy dish made of porridge and shredded chicken. It looks similar to a dip, but is really thick and hearty.

🥙 What is the Most Popular Food in Armenia?

While Harissa is the national dish, the most popular of all Armenia dishes is khorovats, a beloved grilled meat. It is served at celebrations, holidays, and family gatherings, so you'll see it very often.

This is Armenian barbecue, usually pork or lamb grilled over an open flame and served with lavash and herbs. It is the pride of Armenian food culture, and is also a great option for grabbing something quick if you're driving around Armenia and don't want to stop at a restaurant.

💸 Is Food Expensive in Armenia?

Food is very affordable in Armenia, and once you leave Yerevan, meals become even cheaper. You can enjoy several small dishes, salads, bread, and grilled meats for just a few dollars. We ate extremely well in Armenia, and many of our hotels also included large breakfast spreads included in our rate.

🤔 Is Armenian Food Good?

We absolutely loved Armenian dishes. The food is flavorful, hearty, and very unique. Even simple items like lavash with herbs and cheese taste amazing, and you can find delicious grilled meats served in kebabs as a great to-go item.

If you're looking for something different, you can also find some more modern style restaurants that incorporate flavors from nearby countries, as well as cafes that serve western options like Avocado toast and espresso-based drinks.

🐖 Can Armenians Eat Pork?

Pork is one of the most popular meats in Armenia, and for a pretty funny reason. Since the neighboring country Azerbaijan does not typically consume pork for religious reasons, Armenia has used that as a push to eat even more pork.

🍸 Do Armenians Drink Alcohol?

Armenia has a strong wine and brandy culture. Armenian wine is becoming world known, and Yerevan has a big cafe and nightlife scene where people enjoy wine bars, craft beer, and cocktails.

🚰 Can You Drink Tap Water in Armenia?

Tap water in Armenia is generally safe, especially in cities like Yerevan. Many locals drink straight from the tap, and we'd also recommend you do too! You can find fountains for free, so don't forget to bring a reusable water bottle. It saves you money, and helps you be a more eco-friendly traveler.

Armenian Meals

Now you know a bit about what to expect in terms of Armenian cuisine. So let's explore exactly how meals look throughout the country, and how Armenian dishes are incorporated into them.

🍳 What is a Typical Armenian Breakfast?

Armenian breakfast usually includes a spread of small dishes. Some things you'll often find on breakfast menus in Armenia are cheeses, fresh herbs, lavash, eggs, jams, honey, fruit, raw vegetables, and yogurt. Tea or coffee is also always served.

In Yerevan, Gyumri, and other bigger cities in Armenia, you can also find more international cafes that serve more western coffee and pastry options.

🍛 What Do Armenians Eat for Lunch?

Lunch is often the biggest meal of the day in Armenia. Families and restaurants serve generous portions of grilled meats, soups, stews, and salads. Many restaurants in Armenia have beautiful outdoor areas surrounded by nature, making lunch extra enjoyable.

Armenians are also really big on picnics, and they go all out. We visited a waterfall in Lori Province, and came across a few big groups who spent the day barbecuing, and serving a variety of meat kebabs along with fresh fruit.

One group of men actually called us over and wouldn't let us go without feeding us an entire feast. The food was OUTSTANDING, and the hospitality was really overwhelming and incredible. It's moments like these where you try the most authentic Armenian dishes, and get to enjoy the locals' generosity.

☕️ Tea Time in Armenia

Something we noticed is that many families have a time between lunch and dinner where they have coffee, tea, and a variety of desserts and snacks. We were welcomed like this a few times, and it was more than just enjoying Armenian dishes, but a part of the culture that we were welcomed into.

🍖 What Do Armenians Eat for Dinner?

Dinner in Armenia can be simple or very festive. Families might enjoy cheese, bread, and salads, while restaurants serve grilled meats, soups, and traditional stews. We honestly ate pretty similarly for lunch and dinner, enjoying a variety of great Armenian dishes.

 What to Eat in Armenia: Armenian Dishes & Drinks

Now that you know about what the various meals look like in Armenia, here is a breakdown of must try Armenian dishes.

☕ Drinks in Armenia

• Armenian wine made from local grapes
• Armenian brandy - don't miss out on a tour in Yerevan!
• Fresh fruit juices - typically found on the side of the road or tourist spots
• Tan: a yogurt drink
• Black tea
• Armenian coffee - similar to Turkish coffee

🍢 Appetizers and Snacks

• Lavash: thin bread served with the meal, or topped with herbs and cheese
• Ikra: eggplant caviar (our favorite dish!)
• Eggplant rolls: stuffed with walnuts
• Dolma: stuffed grape leaves
• Spas: a yogurt and herb soup
• Pickled vegetables: typically served with every meal
• Zhingyalov hats in the Artsakh region

Lavash can be served as is, or with cheese and herbs.

🥘 Main Armenian Dishes

• Khorovats: Armenian barbecue
• Harissa: slow cooked wheat and chicken
• Khashlama: meat stewed with vegetables
• Kyufta: seasoned minced meat
• Ghapama: pumpkin stuffed with rice and dried fruits
• Trout: local fish cooked with herbs

🥮 Armenian Desserts

• Gata: a pastry filled with sweet walnut or butter mixtures
• Pakhlava: the Armenian version of baklava
• Sujukh: walnuts dipped in grape molasses
• Alani: dried peaches stuffed with nuts

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🍮 Unique Culinary Experiences in Armenia

There are plenty of fun ways to experience Armenian dishes and wine beyond just its bars and restaurants. Here are some unique food and drink based activities you won't want to miss out on while visiting Armenia.

🛒 Eat at the Armenian Market

Big cities in Armenia, particularly Yerevan, are home to some great local markets. Whether you want to peruse them on your own or join a market tour in Yerevan, this is a great way to taste some Armenian dishes, and local treats that the vendors have to offer.

🥟 Go on a Food Tour

If you want to dive deeper into Armenian cuisine, join a food tour around one of Armenia's cities. Local guides will introduce you to hidden restaurants and explain the history behind different Armenian dishes, from dolma to khorovats.

It’s a fun and tasty way to learn more about the country’s food culture, and was one of our favorite things we did in Yerevan.

👩‍🍳 Take a Cooking Class

Want to bring a taste of Armenia home with you? Taking a cooking class is one of the most fun activities to add to your Armenia bucket list. You’ll learn to make traditional Armenian dishes like lavash or ghapama, and enjoy your culinary masterpieces with a glass of local wine.

🍷 Go Wine Tasting

Armenia has one of the world’s oldest wine-making traditions, and plenty of places throughout the country offer wineries or wine bars to sample them. You can enjoy a wine tasting right inside the capital city, or you can head over to Areni, one of the best places to visit in Armenia for wine.

We drove to Areni early in the morning and went for breakfast. Since they didn't have coffee, we had generous glasses of wine to pair with our breakfast instead!

🥃 Try a Brandy Tasting

No visit to Armenia would be complete without trying the country’s famous brandy. The ARARAT Museum and Brandy Factory in Yerevan offers guided tours where you can learn about the process of distillation and sample different vintages. 

This experience is not only one of the most popular things to do in Yerevan, but also a fun way to understand more about Armenia's most popular liquor.

FAQ About Armenian Dishes & Cuisine

Now you have all of the information you need for about Armenian dishes, meals, and culinary activities. But in case you missed something or still have questions, here are some answers to questions we found across the web.

Armenia Food Guide: Final Thoughts & What's Next

Now you have everything you need to eat and drink your way through Armenia. Here's a quick recap of the highlights from our guide:

• Armenian cuisine blends Middle Eastern and Caucasian influences with unique flavors.
• Meals are often shared with lavash, herbs, cheese, and fresh salads.
• Armenian dishes like khorovats, dolma, and harissa are essential to try.
• Tap water is generally safe in most of Armenia.
• Tea and coffee culture is an important part of daily life.
• Smaller towns and villages offer some of the most traditional meals.
• There are some great food and drink activities in Armenia such as market visits, cooking classes, and winery tours to enjoy.
• Make sure you visit Areni for some of the country's best wineries.

👀 What's Next?

Now that you know all about the different Armenian dishes and culinary experiences, you'll probably want to know more details about discovering what the country has to offer.

Here are a few other travel guides we have about Armenia:

✈️ How to get to Yerevan, Armenia

🚆 Tbilisi to Yerevan train ride

🤩 33 fun things to do in Yerevan

❣️ 31 best places to visit in Armenia

📸 27 photo spots in Armenia

🚗 Renting a car in Armenia

🗺 The Ultimate Armenia Road Trip

🚌 Getting around Armenia

We're also going to be publishing new articles each Thursday, so stay tuned!

So now that you know what Armenian dishes to try and how to eat your way around the country, we're sure you're ready to plan more of your trip! There are so many great things to see and do in this underrated country, and we're excited to share more of it with you.

Want to learn more about exploring Armenia? We have a lot of other Armenian travel guides for you to check out, as well as more coming up each week. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for all of our weekly updates about new articles, and for exclusive discounts on the Scratch Your Mapa shop.

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