Armenian cuisine - Top Dishes you must try in Armenia

Facts about Armenian cuisine

It is impossible to immerse oneself in Armenian culture and not try Armenian national dishes. Armenian national cuisine is as ancient as the history of Armenia. Armenian cuisine reflects the traditions and the history of ancient Armenia.
The most astounding thing about Armenian food is that it is still organic. That’s why tourists visiting Armenia just can’t stop eating our fruit and vegetables as they are all natural, juicy and tasty and the smell of apricots, peaches or tomatoes won’t leave you indifferent.
Our cuisine is a combination of different tastes and aromas, various spices, vegetables, fish and meat. The cuisine here is so rich and varied that it will satisfy the tastes and preferences of any tourist.

10 Armenian Must-Try Dishes

Armenian dishes are famous for their special taste and spicy flavors. The most popular dishes are made of meat. The most important and special dish of every Armenian table is the barbecue/khorovats.

Khorovats

Tourists never leave Armenia without tasting famous Armenian barbecue or khorovats as locals call it. It is made with pork, lamb, beef or chicken in the addition of different species and served with traditional Armenian “Lavash”.
Armenian barbecue is completely different from American one; it’s usually made of big cuts of pork, not ground beef, and it is cooked on hot coals after burning a wood fire. Before barbecuing the meat, Armenians սsually barbecue eggplants, green pepper and tomato.

Lavash - Traditional Armenian Bread

Armenian cuisine is quite popular with its traditional bread called lavash. It is flat, thin and soft bread that is baked in an underground clay oven called ‘tonir’ and can be dried and kept for quite a long time. It is the most widespread bread in Armenia and no festive table can be imagined without lavash.

Dolma

One of the most popular Armenian dishes is the famous “Tolma” or “Dolma”. It is considered to be the second main dish of Armenian tables. It is made with cabbage leaves, or grape leaves, rice, minced meat and other species. Minced meat mixed with rice and a variety of herbs and spices is wrapped in fresh grape leaves. This dish is often made from meat, but you can find a vegetarian option as well.

Fish

The fish has its special place in Armenian cuisine. The locals like to make fish, especially “Ishkhan”, “Taraph” “Sig”. Besides that Armenians have a special festival dedicated to fish. In that festival, each restaurant and private cooks present their own handmade fish, where everyone can participate, see how the cooks make fish and of course, the participants eat delicious fish dishes.

Khash

Khash is quite popular, especially during cold weather early in the morning. It’s a typical Armenian soup made of cow’s legs, served with garlic and dried lavash and is considered a hangover remedy.

Harissa

The traditional soups have also their special place in our cuisine. “Harissa” is one of the tastiest hot meals in Armenian cuisine. It is made with chicken meat and wheat. The key to creating a tasty harissa lies in its long preparation process.

Lahmacun – The Armenian pizza

Lahmajoun is a round, thin piece of dough topped with minced meat (most commonly beef or lamb), minced vegetables and herbs including onions, tomatoes and parsley, and spices such as cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin and cinnamon, then baked.

Gata - Armenian Pastry

This is a typical Armenian pastry, very common across the country. Each region or town has its own variety of gata, making it in a diversity of sizes, shapes, and decorations.
Armenian “Gata” has a great importance in Armenian cuisine having the meaning of luck and success.

Pakhlava

The other popular dessert is the “Pakhlava”; it is layered pastry with chopped walnuts, syrup or honey. It has really delicious taste, especially when it is served with hot tea.

Dried fruits

Dried fruits are another feature of cuisine. They are an inseparable part of every Armenian festive table. The Armenian women are always busy in summer just because they make different jams for the winter. The Armenian grandmothers make the tastiest jams with different fruits and berries.
So if you are travelling to Armenia, make sure to leave some space in your schedule (and stomach) to try Armenian cuisine and culture food. Food is delightfully cheap in Armenia, so you can enjoy an Armenian feast without breaking the bank!

Rent a car with Enterprise Rent-A-Car Armenia and head to enjoy the best Armenian food!