Dizi

Top choice in Tehran


The name gives a clue to the menu: that's right, it's Iran's favourite lamb, potato and chickpea stew. Here they do it damn well, served with all the trimmings including fresh herb salad and a jug of the minty yoghurt drink dugh. The staff will show you how to eat it, if in doubt, and take photos of you.

It's been around for decades and the characterful interior is plastered with traditional paintings. Look for the bare brick facade and get here early or be prepared to queue.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Tehran attractions

1. Stars & Stripes Mural

0.14 MILES

Along with the street art on the walls of the US Den of Espionage, this several-decades-old mural has to be one of the most photographed pieces of public…

2. Sarkis Cathedral

0.24 MILES

This white, twin-spired church, a centre for Christianity in the Islamic Republic, sits at the southern edge of the city's Armenian quarter. Built between…

3. Iranian Artists' House

0.29 MILES

A hub for the contemporary and traditional arts in Tehran, this complex has several gallery spaces over two levels exhibiting works in all media on a…

4. US Den of Espionage

0.56 MILES

The former US embassy was the focal point of the 1979 revolution, when it was stormed by students who then held 52 diplomats hostage for 444 days. Today…

5. Treasury of National Jewels

1.39 MILES

Owned by the Central Bank and accessed through its front doors, the cavernous vault that houses what is commonly known as the ‘Jewels Museum’ is not to be…

6. Glass & Ceramics Museum

1.41 MILES

The Glass & Ceramics Museum is, like many of its exhibits, small but perfectly formed. The galleries walk you chronologically through the ages, with…

7. Park-e Laleh

1.42 MILES

Near the centre of Tehran, Park-e Laleh is a well-designed green space that because of its location amid so much traffic becomes an urban oasis. It’s a…

8. Tehran University

1.46 MILES

At the centre of political change in Iran, Tehran University is a fascinating place to wander around. There is, however, a ban on foreign nonstudents…