Is it reasonable to travel to Iran as a vegan or vegetarian? Can vegetarians survive in Iran? Absolutely! Visiting Iran as a vegetarian will limit your menu but it’s of course possible by considering a few guides!
There are lots of Iranian vegetarian cuisine and meatless food, but unfortunately, most of them are missed at the restaurant menu.
Still, you have our guide to travel in Iran and keep your vegetarian diet.
Vegetarian meals on Menu! What dishes can I order at a restaurant as a vegetarian?
Vegetarian Food that you can find at traditional restaurants:
- Kashke Bademjan: Fried eggplant with onion and yogurt
- Ash Reshteh: Rice noodles, beans, herbs (sometimes mixed with meat, please ask before the order)
- Seasonal Salad:
- Shrimp and Rice
- Fried Shrimps
- Fish Kebab with Rice
- Fried Fish with Rice
- Herbal rice and Fish
Vegetarian Food at Iran Fast Foods:
- Vegetable Pizza: Fast foods are creative in choosing what kind of vegetable! And there is no special recipe for this.
- Garlic bread: It’s either a kind of Pizza dough with garlic and cheese or fried bread with garlic sauce!
- Fried Mushrooms / French fries! We know they are not an official meal, but they are tasty for sure!
Iran’s street food for Vegetarians:
- Potato Samboose: Potato and herbs wrapped in the fried bread
- Falafel: chickpeas, herbs, garlic, spices served with bread, pickles, tomato
Where do Vegetarians can eat in Iran? Are there any Vegan/ Veg. Friendly Restaurants in Iran?
Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Tehran:
- Zamin Vegan Restaurant (+982188373924)
Serves Vegan Fast-food, western cuisine, dessert, and beverages
- Ananda Vegetarian Restaurant (+982122556767)
Serves Vegetarian Fast-food and veggie western cuisine
- Iranian Artist Forum Veggie Restaurant (+982188310462)
Serves Vegetarian Fast-food
- Noon Slowfood (+982166767502)
Serves Vegetarian food
Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Isfahan:
- Zima Vegetarian Restaurant (+983132666254)
Serves Vegetarian Fast-food
Bandar Abbas Vegetarian/ Vegan Restaurant:
- Kaj Veganism restaurant (+989179809610)
They offer Persian cuisine in a vegan style!
- Kinowa Vegan Restaurant (+989371337242)
A vegan restaurant nearby Haghani port.
Other Veggie restaurants or with vegan/vegetarian options:
- Mehre Mitra Vegetarian Restaurants (+989123478303)
Location: Lavasan, Tehran Province
They normally use Mushrooms or Soya Instead of meat with Persian cuisine recipes
- Qavam Cafe Restaurant (+987132359271)
Location: Shiraz, Fars province
They have vegetarian Persian cuisine in the menu
- Dragon Chinese Restaurant (+987132286074)
Location: Shiraz, Fars Province
They have vegetarian cuisine in the menu
*Some of these veggie restaurants are local and small, so please call before showing up to make sure about their working hours
Persian Homemade food for Vegetarians:
There are lots of Persian foods which are certainly the ones you would enjoy to have and they are meatless! You can have them maybe in cozy local restaurants/ family-run restaurant, by a Persian family or you can easily make them at home! We name them here for your information and we will send you their recipes if you like to.
- Adas Polo ba Keshmesh via Gerdu: Rice with lentils, raisins, and walnut!
- Dal Adas: A spicy dish of lentils and shallots.
- Estanbuli Polo/Loobia polo (without meat): rice and green beans
- Albalu polo (Without meatballs): Brewed rice with nuts, saffron, boiled sour cherry
- Morasa polo (without chicken/meatballs): Brewed rice with nuts, saffron, jam, cooked carrot
- Eshkeneh: A mixture of herbs, water, eggs
- Kuku Sabzi: The mixture of vegetables and eggs
- KuKu Sibzamini: The mixture of potato and eggs
- Kate Gojeh: brewed rice with tomato and potato
- Samboose: Vegetable Pizza
- Lubia Garm: boiled Beans with mushrooms
- Dopiazeh: Mixture fried potato and onion
- Yatimcheh: Mixture of fried tomato, garlic, and zucchini
Veganism in Iran!
The new generation in Iran is more or less familiar with vegetarian diet and there are vegetarian restaurants or veggie cuisine options on some menus! However, the concept of vegan is mostly common in Tehran, the capital! To survive in Iran as a true vegan you may need to take it easy sometime and maybe switch to a vegetarian diet especially in small towns.
Please check out the mentioned vegan restaurants or ask our agent to know about vegan restaurants in your particular travel destination.
