While the local food is always my go to as I explore a new country, as a pescetarian, that may prove more difficult than expected at times. If the local cuisine has a lot of meaty dishes, one has to rely on foreign cuisines every now and then. With all of this being said, I ended up trying a decent number of eateries that serve foreign cuisines in Baku, and you can find out all about my experience in each of them below. A fair warning, not all of them were pleasant!
Bombay Biryani House – https://maps.app.goo.gl/fguSPNtndm3dGTV19
If you love Desi food like me, stay away from this establishment. The owner of this place is nothing short of racist. After telling him how spicy I want my curry to be, and how I loved spicy food challenges, he brought me the sweetest curry known to humankind. When confronted about the issue he just smiled and said that the Turks he met could not handle spice, and that the next time he will “agree to” prepare it “a bit” spicy for me. If the food at least tasted good, I could have just assumed that the man was skimping on spice to save some cash, however, the curry was bland, naan was stale and microwaved, and the rice was tasteless. This was a complete waste of money, time, and more importantly, stomach space.
Desidine Restaurant – https://maps.app.goo.gl/9R6hW1192PbDqoVg9
Thankfully, there are many other Desi food options in Baku, like Desidine. This is a much better establishment, though the bar was not very high after Bombay Biryani House. I tried palak paneer for the first time here, and while I did not love it, I can see how it can grow on me. I only ordered it to be medium spicy, and it was indeed, just slightly spicy. That was perfect, I got what I ordered. The naans were fresh, but not very tasty for some reason. The masala tea on the other hand was perfect. They seem to really push their waiters to ask for comments on Google Maps, which is really not very good, as I was asked multiple times to not forget to comment over there as I ate. I was also brought my receipt without asking for it despite me being the only one dining there at that time, so service wise, there is room for improvement Still, it is well worth a try.
Curry Corner Restaurant – https://maps.app.goo.gl/hX4FTq6JstaQyaYJ9
If you really want to have an authentic Desi food experience, then you need to visit Curry Corner Restaurant. This place, and its owner, rules! He is the friendliest of all the bunch that I saw in all of Baku, and the food served here means business. When I asked my paneer lababdar to be spicy, it was, actually, spicy! It was also a bit on the oily side, but that never stopped me from enjoying my food. The rice was alright, but that karak tea was something special to say the least. A must visit in Baku for all lovers of anything Indian and Pakistani.
By Ruslan Pizza – https://maps.app.goo.gl/bm9RVTFHSDVPHpMK7
Well, let us go back to yet another not so great experience. And by not so great what I really mean is bad. Yep, there were a few of these this time around… The crew at By Ruslan Pizza is clueless about service work. As some tables were clearing out, when I asked if there is room for one person, they just shook their heads no. I still waited around, as there was no other option I wanted to try near my hostel, and once a couple left their table, I sat myself down there. A waiter came to ask my order immediately, and after “gracefully” being given a minute to think about which pizza I want to try, I opted for the burrata one. That was a big mistake. The burrata cheese was only average, the tomatoes on top were raw and tasteless, and the tomato sauce was nowhere to be found. The worst offender was not any of this though. The couple that ordered their pizza ten minutes after me got their pizza first, and then I got mine. At first, I just assumed that they forgot to put mine to the oven. I so wish that I was right. They actually forgot to bring it to my table when my pizza was ready, many minutes ago. It was cold, very cold. Everything just tasted even poorer than they would have normally as a result. This place is certainly not recommended.
Pizza Mizza – https://pizzamizza.az/az/
By Ruslan Pizza was supposed to be one of the best spots for pizzas in town, alas, that turned out to be fake news. What was not fake news, however, was how surprisingly good a local pizzeria chain was. Pizza Mizza does not offer any Neopolitan pizzas on its menu, and its cheap pizzas use, perhaps unsurprisingly, cheap fast food pizza dough. Nevertheless, they managed to taste much better than the “gourmet pizzeria” as my pie was actually fresh, served alongside with melted garlic butter and some other garlic concoction. These topping did make a night and day difference, but the vegetarian pizza itself had some fresh ingredients on top, and was, once again, piping hot! This is a decent spot to dine in at if you want something cheap, quick, filling, and yet, undeniably tasty.
Paulaner – https://maps.app.goo.gl/tU9ePMfWKsBwK4Ux8
One of the best nights I had out in Baku was the one I spent with a few local friends. Thankfully, they asked me to join them at Paulaner, an establishment I am familiar with from Georgia. This brewery never ceases to amaze me. While their beer is simply perfect, all the sides we tried here tasted amazing as well. Even some boiled chickpeas, apparently a local beer snack, tasted as if it was made in heavens. Their nachos looking platter tasted amazing too, and the service was impeccable. This must be one of the best spots to enjoy a long night out in Baku, if not the best.
De Rama Café – https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tk8fvL1M1g4ZDzR76
For vegetarians and vegans out there, while Desi eateries of Baku offer a lot, there are also a few other specifically “green” restaurants that cater to all your needs. The vegan Iskender kebab I tried at De Rama Café was more or less a coincidence, and what a happy coincidence it was. Every year the “fake meat” industry gets better and better, and I am left speechless at how meaty some of these substitutes taste today. In fact, the Iskender kebab here tasted better than most “real” Iskender kebabs I had many years ago back in Turkey, which does say a lot. While using rice instead of toasted bread as a “bed” for the kebab to lay on is certainly not authentic, I did love the fragrance of the rice as well. This is a must try restaurant not only for vegetarians, but everyone, in my humble opinion.
Sushi Room – https://www.sushiroom.az
You cannot go wrong with some sushi every now and then. While the rolls you will find in Sushi Room are not authentic per se, they do taste pretty good, nonetheless. To my surprise, most sets included some sort of chicken roll in them as well, and the only one that was truly pescetarian was this shrimp roll one. It was not bad, in fact, I enjoyed it thoroughly, but I did miss the simpler rolls with just salmon and cream cheese. Nevertheless, good price, good food, and good service, so, no reason not to recommended it.
Bir İki Döner – https://bir-iki.az
Well, while its name does not scream pescetarian or vegetarian, this local fast-food franchise does offer a fantastic falafel sandwich. They serve their tasty chickpea balls in fresh “German” sandwich bread, which is covered in sesame. While the bread is the centrepiece here, and the falafel is a close second, their sauce deserves a shout out as well. In short, everything works well together in this little joint, prices are very reasonable, and the service was fast. It is certainly, worth a visit in my book. However, apparently, not all branches serve falafels, so check their website before visiting them.
Komagene – https://komagene.com.tr
I adore Turkish raw meatballs. When done right, they are one of the best snacks out there. These pastes made of bulghur and spices are not easy to come by in Central Asia, where I live, so I just had to try them out when I found a Turkish franchise selling them in Baku. While the overall taste was certainly different here, and not for the better, the fresh salads they used as well as the ayran I missed so dearly on the side made up for the lack of proper spicing that the actual “raw meatball” had. This is a vegetarian dish that you have to try if you have not already, and while it is not the best in Baku, you might as well give it a go.
Holland Fries – https://maps.app.goo.gl/8VATq2NKpN2q3szr8
Everybody likes fries, I do not think that I met a single soul that said they do not like fries honestly. However, there are good fries and bad fries, and Holland Fries, despite its name, does not offer the good kind. While the fries here are not bad per se, they are definitely not worth coming back for. Their sauces are not great, fries are not that crispy, and the portion sizes are not that big. If you are craving some fries on the go, it may get the job done, but then again, there are some fast food spots all around that will sell cheaper fries, that may just be as good as the ones you can get here, if not better.
