{"id":1511,"date":"2018-07-14T12:57:13","date_gmt":"2018-07-14T12:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iran.1stquest.com\/blog\/?p=1511"},"modified":"2020-01-07T07:27:53","modified_gmt":"2020-01-07T07:27:53","slug":"travelers-guide-to-vegetarian-iranian-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1stquest.com\/blog\/travelers-guide-to-vegetarian-iranian-food\/","title":{"rendered":"A Travelers’ Guide to Vegetarian Iranian Food"},"content":{"rendered":"

exploring a new country is surprising and fun but it is best done on a full stomach! The last thing travelers want to be worried about is whether they can find wholesome food.\u00a0 Although true for all travelers alike, this is a particular concern for vegetarians.
\nFor those planning a holiday to Iran, be prepared for an onslaught of vegetarian-friendly, delicious foods and drinks that your taste buds will hanker for, long after you\u2019ve returned home.<\/p>\n

Can I Find Vegetarian Food in Iran?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ok, so before we go on I\u00a0must admit two things. Firstly, your stock standard, traditional Iranian fare is charcoaled meat and rice. Secondly, most Iranians consider a meal to be incomplete without meat. With that said, some traditional dishes and sides are vegetarian and vegetarian fast food and street food will also be available.<\/p>\n

Breakfast will be a breeze for vegetarians.\u00a0 A typical Iranian breakfast includes flat bread, white cheese, omelet, fresh herbs, tomato, cucumber, pickles, fresh fruits, and tea. There is an increasing number of Iranians turning vego for moral and ecological reasons. You can easily find vegetarian restaurants in Tehran and other cities throughout Iran.<\/p>\n

Read also<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0An Outsider\u2019s Guide to Iranian Hospitality<\/a><\/p>\n

Dining in Traditional Restaurants<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Traditional Iranian cuisine<\/a> is jam-packed full of flavor, so dining at a traditional Iranian restaurant is an absolute must for all tourists. Picture this: beautiful day beds (takht in Farsi) draped in Persian rugs and cushions set into mosaicked alcoves. On these day beds, diners sit cross-legged to eat their meal and afterward can comfortably recline to digest their food over some tea and perhaps puff on a water pipe (there will also be tables for those diners who are more comfortable on a chair). To add to the atmosphere, some traditional restaurants will also have live music in the evenings and weekends.\u00a0 Many historical buildings like old bathhouses have been converted to beautiful restaurants and tea-houses (two perfect examples of this exist in the old bazaars in Kashan and Shiraz).<\/p>\n

Tourists will usually be given a menu in English and the waiter will most likely speak a little English too. From the menu, you will see that most dishes contain meat.\u00a0 Meat in Farsi means lamb or beef so vegetarians might need to explain that they do not eat fish and chicken either. If nothing on the menu takes your fancy, you can say, \u201cman giahkhar hastam\u201d (literally meaning, I am a herbivore) and the waiter may tell you some other options.<\/p>\n

Some amazingly delicious vegetarian dishes to ask about at traditional restaurants include:<\/p>\n