Iran - Andrew Burke [91]
Sofre Khane Sonnati Sangalag (Map; 6673 1075; Park-e Shahr; meals IR40,000-60,000; 9am-11pm) If you’re visiting the museums or Golestan Palace, this is the place to stop for lunch (or tea). The green setting in Park-e Shahr, coupled with the relatively quiet space embellished with antique photographs, set the tone. Dizi and the bademjan (eggplant) dishes are recommended. Musicians sometimes play between noon and 3pm.
Sofreh Khane Ayyaran (Map; 6676 0376; Enqelab Ave, off Ferdosi Sq; meals IR60,000; 11.30am-midnight) This subterranean chaykhaneh makes an attractive escape from the fumes of Ferdosi Sq, though prices are aimed at tour groups (ie, high). However, the large Iranian menu has some hard-to-find dishes and a couple that you might not expect in your standard Tehran basement, such as ‘Submissive: IR25,000’. Apparently it’s eggplant, master.
Khayyam Traditional Restaurant (Map; 5580 0760; Khayyam St; meals IR60,000; lunch & dinner) About 200m south of the Khayyam Metro station and opposite the Imamzadeh Seyyed Nasreddin Mosque (look for the dome), this beautifully decorated restaurant is an oasis amid the chaos of the bazaar area. Originally part of the mosque, the 300-year-old building was separated when Khayyam St intervened. It was restored in 2002. The typically Iranian food (mainly kabab, chicken and fish) is well prepared and plentiful. But on this visit we felt service had dropped and the 15% service charge on top of all the extras you have to pay for is irritating. Still, for tea, qalyan and sweets (IR25,000) after an outing in the bazaar, it’s hard to beat.
Gandhi Shopping Centre (Map; cnr Gandhi Ave & 4th St; 10am-11pm) Home to several cool little cafés peopled largely by young and fairly liberal Tehranis, this is your one-stop café-society stop. It’s a fun place to hang out in the afternoon and evening; just choose a café you like, settle in and then perhaps eat in one of the centre’s upscale restaurants.
Gandi 35 (Map; 8878 1646; Gandhi Ave; 11am-11pm Sat-Thu, 5-11pm Fri) A few blocks north of the shopping centre, this hip café is equally popular and serves tasty and fair-value light meals with its range of coffee.
Cafe Naderi (Map; 6670 1872; 10am-7.30pm Sat-Thu) Underneath the Hotel Naderi, this café has long been a favourite of intellectuals and artists. One traveller said the Naderi managed to perfectly create a bustling. yet disinterested, atmosphere, well suited to reading alone, people-watching and lingering over coffee. The décor is circa 1940s Paris. The fare is limited to Turkish and French coffee and perhaps a pastry or two. Don’t expect any change from the grumpy-grandad waiters.
Café Hafta-do Hasht (78; Map; 8891 9862-3; www.cafe78.com; 78 South Aban St [Shahid Azodi St], off Karim Khan Zand Ave; 4-11pm) One of the best places to get in touch with Tehran’s hip young artistic community is this café. The coffee, wide range of teas and snacks are all good, and the downstairs Mehrva Gallery has regular exhibitions of Iranian contemporary art.
Café (Map; Bagh-e Ferdows, off Valiasr Ave; 2-11pm) In the lovely gardens of the Film Museum of Iran, this chic café serves a wide range of expensive but very drinkable Italian coffees and light meals. It’s an artsy, international scene.
Sanaee Coffee Shop (Map; St 13, off Sanaee St) Around the corner from Ikea, Sanaee makes and sells all manner of imported bean, and some of the richest and best chocolate milkshakes on earth (you be the judge).
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ENTERTAINMENT
Although Iran has loosened up considerably since 1997, no-one’s singing ‘Tehran, Tehran…a city that never sleeps’ just yet. All those nightclubs and discos lovingly described in guidebooks published before the revolution have long-since disappeared, and are unlikely to reappear anytime soon.
The one time when there is quite a lot of organised entertainment is over the 10 Days of Dawn (1 to 11 February), when you will be able to attend plays, films and concerts of traditional Iranian music as well as music from around the world.
At other times, keep your eyes