Iran Food Tour in Isfahan: Persian Kitchen Secrets
Due to Persia’s geographical location and the many invasions and conquests of the mighty Persian empire, today’s Persian cuisine is enriched with tastes and flavours of Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Caucasian, Turkish, Indian, Greek and Arabic gastronomy. Persian food owes its diversity to The Silk Road, which ran through what is now Iran. Pomegranates, saffron, and pistachios were indigenous to the region and exported. In return, traders brought in rice from India and China, tomatoes from the Ottoman Empire, turmeric from India, yoghurt and feta from Greece, and lamb from the Arabs.
Our carefully selected cooks are some of the best in town. They know all about their local specialities and have a great taste in presenting Persian food in the way it should be presented. In our cooking classes, we grant you the experience of hands-on cooking classes, preparing the most delicious seasonal dishes of every town with the freshest ingredients available in the market.
Itinerary
Known by travellers as “Half of the World”, Esfahan is so much more than bridges and blue domes mosques. On our 6-hour walking tour, we’ll go beyond the touristy shops and vendors of Naqsh-e Jahan square and take you on a food exploration of Esfahan. We’ll start with a traditional breakfast followed by a stroll through the spice bazaar. we’ll take you to the backstreets and show you how Esfahanis made various seed oils in the old days. You’ll stop to sample local delicacies, pastries and sit down for sherbets in an old famous sherbet-Khanh. You will also witness how the excellent art of Sofreh Ghalamkar is made to perfection, an ancient tradition that has been passed from generation after generation, and from the heart to heart. Along the tour, your guide will educate you about Esfahan’s food culture and the influence of Islamic medicine on the local cuisine while exploring some of the most historic parts of the city.
Common perception portrays Esfahan as the city of blue-domed mosques, eye-catching bridges and tile work that is ought to beguile the pickiest of travellers. There’s little focus on local food or the variety of refreshing sherbets and drinks that accompany meals and afternoon treats for the locals. While Esfahani food is known by many to be tough labour and too tricky to get right. We’re here to prove this wrong! During our Esfahan cooking class, our exceptional local chefs will teach you everything about the top Esfahani dishes and the secrets to getting them just right. You’ll get to cook a whole feast during a hands-on cooking class while getting familiar with the cultural nuances that distinguish Esfahan from other Iranian cities. On this tour, you’ll be making a full menu including a starter, main dish, side dish, dessert, and local drink. Once everything is fully prepared, we’ll all sit down for a feast and celebrate the love of food altogether.
As a new addition to our tours, we’ve been collaborating with local families to create more intimate dining experiences for curious travelers. On these events, you’d get to choose to be invited to an Iranian home for dinner, eat their family specialty and exchange cultures on a deeper level. This gives you the opportunity to witness Iranian life and family relationships at a closer level, create meaningful conversations and eat homemade Persian food carefully made by your host.
Important Notes:
Whether you’re a vegetarian or have any food restrictions or allergies, please make sure you let us know in advance so we can adjust things to your needs.
All tours and classes are conducted in English. However, if you’re a large group, we can arrange for a translator upon an extra fee in any language required
Inclusions:
English speaking tour guide
Transportation to the kitchen
All ingredients
Additional side dishes and tea
All recipes
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