Off the Line: Where Yerevan’s Chefs Go to Eat

Chef at Okami

Chef of Serena, Santafe, Extra Virgin

In Yerevan, I most often go to Ktoor and Bold Italic. Both are beautiful, and both have friendly staff. At Ktoor, with its traditional dishes in a modern presentation, I recommend the khashlama with rejan and the main course «Delicious bite.„ At Bold Italic, you can’t miss the osso buco and the „Diavola“. But their main strength, for me, is that they truly care about their guests!

My list of favorites is short: Apollo, Ktoor and Terra. I don’t have a single favorite, I choose depending on the occasion, and I have it all fairly clearly sorted out. If you’re going out with friends, head to the Greek Apollo: the evenings here are packed with shows, live music and dancing, and plates are smashed here by tradition. When guests visit from abroad, take them to Ktoor or Kamancha (but book well in advance!): people leave these places in love with Yerevan and its cuisine. For breakfast and a solid coffee, I recommend dropping into any project from the Collective team, such as Galia and AfroLab Roastery.

Chef, member of the Armenian Chefs Association. Projects include Timeout Kitchen, Christian.evn, and menu development for the Expocore hotel in 2026

Work takes up almost all of my time, so I rarely get to be a guest: my schedule is crazy busy, and I strive to spend any free time I find with my family. But when I do manage to get out somewhere, it’s important for me to find something new in both flavor and presentation, so I most often go to Getap, for the view, or to Gilla for rolls. Honestly, you can eat well in a lot of places, and it all depends on what you like. Among the places I single out for myself, there are also Yasaman and Kamancha.

Chef at Moscafe and Kami

If you’re choosing where to eat in Yerevan, my list goes: Edem Garden, Bread Basket, Kamancha, Urban Gastro & Wine Bar and Yasaman.I can vouch for them because the kitchens at all of these places are consistently good. Ask me what to try there, and I’ll answer: everything. Their menus are strong from top to bottom, so there’s hardly any need to pick one standout dish.

If you ask me where I go to eat in Yerevan, the first place I name is Barev Arev. The cuisine is chef-driven, and the menu is built around sets. My favorite is the roll with Sevan trout, dried apricot and spinach: the taste is simply otherworldly. On top of that, the wine list has around 60 Armenian wines, which is an excuse to visit all on its own. I have another place in mind, too. My birthday is coming up, and I plan to celebrate it at Sky Land on the roof of the Cognac Hotel, which has a beautiful view of the city.

Chef and founder of «Levs Kitchen» catering company