Armenian Tavern

Armenian Tavern is a candle-lit restaurant in a vaulted stone cellar on Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate Road in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City, Israel. The Armenian Quarter is the smallest and quietest of the Old City's districts, home to a community that has lived in Jerusalem for many centuries, and the tavern offers one of the few places there to eat a full Armenian meal after dark. The menu covers traditional Armenian cooking: sou-beoreg, a layered cheese pastry; lamb kebab in pomegranate sauce, the dish that best shows the cuisine's sweet-and-sour character; and Armenian stuffed vegetables, along with other grilled meats, which are the venue's specialty. The dining room is atmospheric and calm, with arched stone walls, low light and decorative Armenian ceramics typical of the quarter. It is a quiet place for a long dinner rather than a lively restaurant, and noise levels are low. There is no strict dress code, but modest, smart-casual clothing suits the setting. Drinks include Armenian and Israeli wines, arak and beer, which makes it one of the few Old City restaurants with a real drinks list. Prices are moderate ($$), and the rating is around 4.2. Booking is advised for dinner, when the cellar is most in demand, although walk-in tables are often available on weekdays. Opening hours are roughly 12:00PM to 10:00PM daily, with Sundays worth checking in advance. The tavern is reached on foot through the stone lanes of the quarter, and visitors should plan their route in daylight if unfamiliar with the Old City. It pairs naturally with a visit to the Cathedral of St James and the Armenian Museum, both nearby.