Azerbaijani Cuisine

Azerbaijani cuisine is a rich and refined crossroads food culture, blending Persian, Turkic, Caucasian and Middle Eastern influences into fresh, fragrant and generous dishes. Rice is elevated to an art in the country's many styles of plov, layered with meat, dried fruit, chestnuts and saffron, alongside grilled kebabs, the stuffed dolma of vine leaves and vegetables, hearty stews and soups, and an abundance of fresh herbs. Meals revolve around endless glasses of black tea from the samovar, often with sweets and jam.

What you actually see

• Plov - the many-layered rice dishes with meat and fruit.
• Kebabs and dolma - the grilled meats and stuffed vine leaves.
• The fresh herbs - the platters of greens with every meal.
• Tea and the samovar - the ritual of black tea with sweets and jam.

When to go

Year-round; the tea houses are a beloved social institution, and a meal is best enjoyed slowly with the endless tea and fresh herbs. Regional specialities, like the piti stew of Sheki, reward seeking out.

Honest expectations

Azerbaijani food is hearty, meat-and-rice-heavy and rich, though the abundant fresh herbs, salads and vegetable dishes lighten it. The many kinds of plov and the tea culture are highlights. Portions and hospitality are generous. It is a refined and flavourful cuisine, less known than its neighbours, and a genuine pleasure to discover, especially with the ritual of black tea from the samovar.

Nearby

Every region has its specialities; Sheki for its piti and halva sweets.