The Best Azerbaijani Dishes to Try in Baku
Azerbaijani food is generous, fragrant and deeply tied to family tables. Here is the canon worth ordering, and the happy part for a Muslim traveler is that all of it is built on lamb, beef, chicken and fish, with no pork. For where to eat these, see our guide to the best traditional restaurants in Baku.
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Plov, the king
Plov is the national dish, with dozens of regional versions, saffron rice layered with dried apricots, plums, chestnuts and meat. The showpiece is shah plov, the king's plov, where the rice is wrapped in a crisp golden bread crust and cut open at the table. Seek it once.
The grills and dumplings
Kebab and shishlik come as chunks, minced lula, or chicken, served with flatbread. Dushbara, a Baku signature, is a bowl of tiny lamb dumplings in a clear, garlicky broth. And qutab, the thin folded griddle bread filled with greens, pumpkin or meat, is to Azerbaijanis what pizza is to Italians, cheap, everywhere, and perfect on the move.
The slow and the regional
Piti, a Sheki specialty, is mutton and chickpeas slow-cooked for hours in a clay pot and served in two stages, the broth first over torn bread, then the meat. Dolma wraps rice and minced meat in vine leaves or vegetables. Sac is meat and vegetables sizzled on a cast-iron platter over flame. And lavangi, from the south, stuffs chicken or fish with a sweet-sour walnut and pomegranate paste.
Honest note
Everything here is naturally pork-free. Wine is sometimes served alongside a meal, but it is not used in the cooking of these dishes, so order freely and simply skip the drinks list if you prefer.
FAQ
What is the national dish of Azerbaijan?
Plov, the saffron rice dish, with shah plov (rice in a crisp bread crust) as its celebratory showpiece.
What is qutab?
A thin folded griddle bread filled with greens, pumpkin, or meat, a cheap and delicious Azerbaijani street snack.
Is Azerbaijani food halal?
Traditional Azerbaijani dishes are naturally pork-free, built on lamb, beef, chicken and fish. Confirm only at international venues.
A note on how we talk about food: this guide is general traveler information about typical recipes, not a ruling on any specific restaurant's kitchen. Ingredients and preparation vary from place to place, always confirm directly with the venue.
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Restaurants are chosen for quality and reputation. If you follow a specific diet, please confirm details directly with the venue.
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