In Dilijan, Armenian food shows up in all kinds of places — a family guesthouse garden, traditional restaurants built around a wood-fired oven, a lounge with live jazz at night. We picked six places worth a visit — and worked out what to order at each.
Tava
At this restaurant, everything revolves around fire — dishes come out of a brick, wood-fired oven and land on your table in sizzling cast-iron pans, straight off the flame. It’s a Tavush region tradition, and one they take seriously. The meat comes from local farmers; the bread and sauces are made in-house. The menu mixes Armenian classics with more modern dishes, kept simple.
Order: pokhindz, dip with Dilijan mushrooms.
Cabinet
Cabinet is set in a restored 1930s building that once served as a government residence. The restaurant takes its name from the minister’s office on the third floor — it’s still there today. Inside are several rooms, including a small vinyl corner, plus a terrace that opens up in good weather. The menu mixes European dishes with Armenian classics given an original twist — like avocado tabbouleh.
Order: khorovats, tabbouleh, caramel pistachio halva.
Hatsi
Hatsi is done up like a chalet — light tones, lots of wood, arched mosaic niches, woven lampshades. There’s a fireplace nook and a terrace with soft couches. And the bread is baked fresh every day in a tonir, from a family recipe.
Order: ker u sus, harisa, gata.
Toon Armeni
A restaurant attached to a family-run guesthouse — you’re not served here so much as fed, like a guest in someone’s home. A big garden in bloom, a wooden balcony, Armenian rugs, a fireplace. The cooking is homestyle, no modern twists, and on weekends the hosts run workshops teaching guests to wrap dolma or bake sweet gata.
Order: basturma omelet, avelukh salad, spas.
Takhta
Dark, moody decor, Armenian rugs on the walls, a fireplace. The menu mixes Armenian cooking with Mediterranean and European dishes. The signature dish is khacharota — chicken and mushrooms in a rich, homemade sauce. You can also brew your own coffee here, in hot sand — a nod to Dilijan’s unhurried pace. Vinyl spins most evenings, with live saxophone and jazz on weekends.
Order: Armenian rolls with veal and cheese, arishta with Dilijan mushrooms, harisa.
Im Toon
This project from Zhirayr Avanyan, the man behind Dolmama, feels more like a country house than a restaurant. The interior is elegant but warm — a dark antique cabinet, Armenian rugs, peach tablecloths, paintings on the walls. The terrace looks straight out over the Dilijan peaks. The menu is Armenian, and the classics carry the Dolmama name — “Dolmama Dolma,” “Dolmama Chi Kufta.”
Order: ishli kufta, lamb tjvjik.