Sofre Khane Ayaran

This subterranean chaykhaneh (teahouse) is an appealing escape from the fumes of Ferdowsi Sq. Head to the ornate restaurant area rather than the smoky tea and water-pipe section. The menu has some hard-to-find dishes and some that you might not expect in your standard Tehran basement, such as 'submissive' (a delicious eggplant dip with fried onions).