The pleasure of eating traditional Isfahan dishes; can create the most memorable flavors for travelers who visit this city for sightseeing. Isfahan is a city that has rich history and culture, as well as, of course, souvenirs and delicious traditional food. In addition to Gaz and Sohan, which are regarded as the most important souvenirs of this city, Isfahan's Biryani and Khoresh-e Mast are famous among the entire Iranian people and even some foreign tourists. Isfahan food. There is no doubt that Isfahan also has stylish restaurants serving lots of things to eat in the city, most of which offer the best foods in Isfahan.
Traditional dishes from Isfahan
When we talk about local cuisine, we encounter a long list of very delicious dishes, from which it is difficult to choose! Each person has his taste, and there are millions of tastes in Iran and billions of tastes in the world. The first thing that comes to mind when talking about traditional Iranian food is kebab. However, besides kebab, there are many other Iranian dishes that you should not overlook. The diversity of traditional foods, which are often locally sourced and have unmistakable and delicious flavors, can add double the pleasure of any trip.
Because of its geographical location and climate, Isfahan boasts a wide range of foods from the past to the present. When you look at the list of traditional dishes of Isfahan, you might find the common feature of most of them: their mild appearance and the fact that they are usually served with bread. Besides, meat is one of the main ingredients of Isfahan cuisine. This article will introduce you to some of the best foods in Isfahan. Stay with us.
Biryani
Without a doubt, one of the most famous and delicious traditional dishes of Isfahan is biryani; the best and tastiest food you have to taste in Isfahan. Biryani, which looks like a hamburger, is made from a mixture of sheep neck meat, sheep lung, Isfahani spices, onions, salt, and pepper. Many people consider Biryani the best food Isfahan has ever had.
To cook this delicious dish, you must first cook the lamb meat and tail fat with onions, spices, and water. You should follow the same steps for the sheep lung. When the lung is cooked and released its juices, it is recommended that you fry it a little bit. After cooking, mince the mixture of mutton and tail fat and once again grind it with a little saffron, dry mint, salt, and pepper.
The resulting mixture is reduced to the size of a hamburger and fried in a pan. There are special pans in Isfahan for making biryani, however, if you do not have access to these pans, you can use normal kitchenware. Once the biryani is fried, garnish it with cinnamon, sliced almonds, and walnuts, and then serve it with sangak bread, fresh herbs, and buttermilk.
When looking for the best restaurant in Isfahan, there is a place where you can find one of the most delicious biryanis in this city, which is among the best foods in Isfahan. The Azam Biryani Restaurant makes this delicious dish using the freshest ingredients such as minced lamb meat according to a completely secret recipe. This restaurant serves the Isfahan Biryani with fresh sangak bread, buttermilk, and various side dishes. Biryani Azam restaurant has 4 branches, out of which the branch at Dolat Gate offers this dish only for takeaway.
Gheimeh Rizeh
This is yet another traditional dish from Isfahan made with meat. Gheimeh Rizeh is a delicious and colorful dish that is not very different from the well-known Gheimeh; because when preparing these two dishes, tomato paste and fried onions are used. Meat, chickpea flour, dry mint, fried onions, and tomato paste are the main ingredients of this tasty dish.
When you want to prepare this dish, you first need to mix minced meat with grated onion and chickpea flour and then add vegetables like dry mint. Mix well and form meatballs the size of walnuts. In a pot, fry the chopped onion and add water and tomato paste to make the sauce. Add the meatballs to the sauce and allow them to cook well. Don't forget the seasoning!
If you want to try this delicious food in Isfahan, we recommend you to visit the downtown of the city and the older neighborhoods of Isfahan, as many young people in Isfahan are unaware of the existence of such dishes, and as a result, they do not know how to prepare them well.
You should definitely try Gheimeh Rizeh in Isfahan in the city restaurants. Among the best restaurants that serve this dish and many other best foods in Isfahan is Jarchi Bashi restaurant. With 400 years of history and a traditional atmosphere, this restaurant is definitely one of the best places for you to visit.
In fact, it is a traditional bathhouse that is decorated with turquoise tiles, mirrors, and sofa washbasins. Besides, every week on Saturdays, Wednesdays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, this place offers not only delicious food but also live music. When visiting this restaurant, make sure to try the biryani and lamb kebab in addition to the Gheimeh Rizeh, because you are not going to find a tastier kebab in Isfahan.
Kebab Hosseini
Kebab Hosseini is considered one of the most delicious kebabs with its preparation history and origin linked to Isfahan province. Actually, this dish is made of meat cuts, and the skewer generally used for its preparation is a small wooden skewer that fits into the frying pan. With the above said, it is obvious that this kebab can be prepared easily at home.
To prepare this kebab, it is possible to use meat or chicken, and there are no boundaries in this regard. When using meat for the preparation of Kebab Hosseini, make sure to use the soft and fat-free parts of the meat. Meat, especially mutton, has many qualities, including the highest nutritional value to an incredible extent.
To make Kebab Hosseini, which is among the best foods in Isfahan, first soak the wooden skewers in water until they are wet. Next, cut the mutton into small pieces. Then, grease the skewers and add 1 piece of meat, 1 piece of tail fat, 1 small onion, and 1 piece of bell pepper until the skewers are full.
Then, place the skewers in the frying pan and sprinkle with black pepper, cinnamon, and a little saffron and cover the pan; once the steam has stopped, reduce the heat so that they cook at a very low temperature. During the last half hour of cooking, if you like, you can add some tomato paste mixed with a little salt and pour it over the top so that the flavors of the ingredients mix and the juices run off. You can also use saffron if you don't like tomato paste. Once the juice is completely drained, your kebab is ready. You can also find this kebab in many famous restaurants in Isfahan.
Dough & Gooshfil
Gooshfil is among the sweet dishes of Isfahan, which is very popular and is always sold during Ramadan along with zolbia and bamia. Eggs, yogurt, flour, and saffron are used for preparing the delicious dessert. After the Gooshfils are fried in hot oil, they are instantly poured into a special thick syrup so the syrup can be absorbed by the Gooshfils.
What is interesting and strange is that this delicious sweet is consumed together with dough, as the people of Isfahan think that these two, are complementary to each other. In this way, they also eat baklava with dough. If you want to experience this different taste too, you have to try it once during your trip to Isfahan.
The dough that is consumed with Gooshfil should have a slightly sour taste and there shouldn't be any vegetables mixed in. Moreover, Gooshfil is supposed to be fresh and have little syrup in it. Flour, corn, egg, and saffron are used for preparing Gooshfil. So, if the combination of Dough & Gooshfil is something you like in Isfahan and you want to try it in the city, you should consider the mentioned factors when buying Dough & Gooshfil, which is regarded as one of the best foods in Isfahan.
You can find Dough & Gooshfil in all kinds of restaurants, cafes, and specialty delicatessens in Isfahan nowadays. Nevertheless, if you want to try this weird and delicious dish for the first time, go to the oldest and most famous store in the city that sells specifically only this dish. Dough & Gooshfil-e Edalat is a small, average store on the side of the street that has existed since 1972 and today its quality is what has made it a well-known and popular brand in the area. A large copper plate with gosh elephants is the first thing you see in Edalat's Dough & Gooshfil store.
Read More: 7 Best Places on a Day Trip from Isfahan by car
Khoresh-e Mast
Khoresh-e Mast is among the best foods in Isfahan, and many people may think that it should be eaten with rice like other stews because its name suggests that. However, the Khoresh-e Mast, which is served alongside the main course and on separate plates, has become a staple dish for grand and luxurious celebrations like weddings.
Nonetheless, its delicious and different taste has made its way to every table. Containing sheep neck meat, condensed yogurt, saffron, and sugar, and usually garnished with pistachio and saffron slices, this flavorful stew is served cold as an appetizer, dessert, or side dish, and has nothing in common with Iranian stews in this sense.
In fact, one of the main features of this local dish is its sweet taste, which is why it is usually served as a dessert. The pleasure of a bowl of yogurt stew also comes from its coldness, which is partially due to the very presence of yogurt in this appetizer. However, that's not all: you will find a stretchy stew like Halim Bademjan, which will double the pleasure of the meal.
You will have the opportunity to taste the best Khoresh-e Mast of your life in the restaurants on the outskirts of Zayandeh Rood, in the streets around Naqsh Jahan Square, in the hotels of Isfahan, and so on, and you should not miss it. Khoresh-e Mast is definitely one of the trademarks of Isfahan, which by itself is a good reason to travel to this city.
The Khoresh-e Mast is one of the best foods in Isfahan and has many fans due to its appetizing color and nice appearance. Indeed, the combination of the golden color of saffron and the garnishing with green pistachio slices and red barberry is so striking that it cannot be overlooked. In addition to the color and glaze of the Khoresh-e Mast, you can perhaps name fewer desserts that are so healthy and nutritious.
Halim Bademjan
Halim Bademjan is one of the most popular and well-known eggplant dishes of Iranians, prepared according to different recipes in different cities of the country. Naturally, you need to know that this dish is one of the local dishes of Isfahan. Eggplant is considered one of the most delicious and popular summer vegetables for us Iranians. You can prepare a variety of delicious dishes with eggplant such as eggplant gratin, Kashk-e Bademjan, Ash-e Bademjan, Mirzaghasemi, Khoresh-e Bademjan, Halim Bademjan, Yatimcheh, and so on, and enjoy their extremely delightful flavors at home and at parties.
Halim Bademjan is among the authentic and traditional Iranian dishes and as the name suggests, it is prepared with eggplant (in Farsi Bademjan means Eggplant). Halim Bademjan is a complete and very nutritious food and may be served as dinner or lunch, while many people also use this dish as an appetizer. The other ingredients of Halim Bademjan are garlic, rice or wheat groats, lentils or white beans, onion, curd, lamb meat, dry mint, salt, black pepper, brewed saffron, and turmeric.
Halim Bademjan is quite similar to wheat halim after preparation, which is why it is also called Halim Bademjan. When eating Halim Bademjan, the dish has to be elongated, which is one of the good signs that this dish is ready to be eaten. That mild feature of Halim Bademjan is reached by using lamb neck or rib meat. Normally served with bread, this delicious dish is seen as an appetizer for important feasts and celebrations.
Halim Bademjan of Isfahan is made of eggplant, lamb meat, rice, garlic, onions, brewed saffron, Kashk, and dry mint. To prepare this dish, usually eggplants are cooked together with rice and meat. Of course, eggplants can also be fried. Next, meat, rice, and cooked eggplant are crushed together to obtain a soft and stretchy mass. Saffron and Kashk are added in the final stage to give this dish, which is one of the best foods in Isfahan, a yellow color.
Kaleh Joosh
Kaleh Joosh is one of the traditional and authentic Iranian dishes originating from Isfahan province; however, it is made in different ways in the cities of Khorasan and Yazd, and other parts of Iran. Kaleh Joosh’s main ingredients are kashk, walnuts and mint; but in some regions of the country, yogurt is used instead of kashk to make Kaleh Joosh, which adds a wonderful flavor to the dish.
Meat is not among the usual ingredients for this dish and is seldom added; for this reason, Kaleh Joosh is regarded as a good food for vegetarians. Needless to say, you should know that in some cities, such as Zanjan and Tabriz, meatballs are used for making Kaleh Joosh. Kaleh Joosh, known as one of the best foods in Isfahan is usually served with hot bread, such as sangak or barbari, along with side dishes such as vegetables and pickles.
You should know that Kaleh Joosh is a watery dish and normally bread is added in it. Kaleh Joosh can be served as an appetizer, snack, or even as a main dish at a party. Thanks to its high proportion of Kashk, Kaleh Joosh is very beneficial for people who do not consume dairy products and is a rich source of calcium. In addition, it contains magnesium and phosphorus, making it a very nutritious and tasty food.
Conclusion: Best Foods in Isfahan
As a final note, the culinary traditions of a city can create a complete world of tourist attractions and are regarded as part of the rich culture of that city. Isfahan city is not exempt from this, and as we mentioned earlier when introducing the best foods in Isfahan, in addition to political, cultural, historical, and artistic attractions, the city has a very long history when it comes to food and has been enjoyed by national and international tourists for many years. Thus, we recommend that when you travel to Isfahan province on an Isfahan tour, you must try the best foods in Isfahan that we introduced in the article at least once, you surely won't regret it.
For tourists traveling to Isfahan, one of the best things to do is to explore the city and visit different restaurants and taste the best foods in Isfahan. If you need to rent a car in Isfahan for this purpose, Navaran Company, one of the largest companies in the field of car rental in Iran, can offer you the best cars at cheap prices and convenient rental conditions. It is interesting to know that to rent a car from Navaran, you do not have to present a check or a promissory note, and you can rent the car you want just by paying a deposit when you need a car rental in Isfahan.
