Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Until about a decade ago, Iranians returning home from trips abroad often felt a sense of culinary isolation. The aroma of flaky croissants, thin crust pizzas and other international delicacies seemed worlds away.
In recent years, however, that sensory gap has narrowed thanks to a wave of new entrepreneurs — many of whom trained abroad — who have transformed Tehran’s food and beverage scene.
Now, when I walk into a modern café or restaurant, it feels as if I could be anywhere in the world, save for the absence of alcohol and the distant dream of fine dining.
The presence of women choosing not to wear the mandatory hijab adds to a very cosmopolitan energy, with a palpable sense of internationalism in the air, in sharp contrast to the past. For a nation proud of its sophisticated culinary traditions, this evolution is extraordinary.
At the heart of the transformation is the rise of trendy new cafés, driven by the demands of a young, educated population that may not have significant wealth but has an undeniable passion for socialising in different spaces and feeling connected to global trends.
In Tehran and other major cities here, café culture has exploded. Although there’s still much ground to cover and quality to improve, this culinary upheaval is as much about reclaiming identity as it is about embracing the rest of the world.
A leading figure in this shift is Shahrzad Shokouhivand, a pastry chef who has brought Parisian-style luxury to Tehran with her upscale patisserie and an elegant café offering British-style afternoon teas.
Shokouhivand tells me she didn’t “Iranian-ise” her offerings to cater to local tastes, and that her creations stand in stark contrast to the heavy, dense pastries that were once the only option in the city. “I wanted to give [customers] the experience they’d have abroad,” she says. “We shouldn’t miss out on these things.”
Despite political and economic challenges — notably tensions with the US and Israel over the nuclear programme and US sanctions — Tehran’s cafés remain full from morning until night. People may be struggling under the weight of a fragile economy and looming military threats, but the café scene offers an emotional refuge.
As Shokouhivand observes, “A friend once told me, when the economy is bad, people eat sweets. And I feel it now. People are surviving by socialising, going to cafés, and learning how to endure under difficult economic conditions.”
Of course, the economic crisis and high rents affect everyone, making it harder for private-sector businesses to stay afloat. Shokouhivand had to shut down her glamorous café in an affluent neighbourhood, opting instead to expand her original location.
Meanwhile, wealthy businessmen — some believed to have powerful political links — are also investing in cafés and restaurants. It appears that even those within Iran’s conservative regime see this modernising trend as inevitable. A few bizarre experiments have emerged, such as serving sushi with hookah, but these too signal a willingness to innovate.
“Everybody is creating cracks in the wall of fanaticism, even those linked to the political system, whether they’re aware of it or not,” said one person in the sector. “Look at how alive the city is at a very difficult time. And this is thanks to these cafés, theatres and art galleries.”
This shift in Iran’s culinary landscape has begun making waves in the media. Tanoor, a new food magazine, recently dedicated an issue to the theme of food and war. The magazine’s name, derived from the traditional Iranian clay oven used to bake bread in rural areas, evokes the resilience of food culture even during the most difficult periods of Iran’s history, including the devastating Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. Tanoor is run by chef Sepehr Sarlak, who tries to bridge the gap between ancient and modern, while elevating Persian cuisine.
At a time of grim economic prospects, cafés, restaurants and patisseries stand as a testament to the fact that Iranians have found a way to savour life — one croissant, coffee and moment of connection at a time.