In Tehran, the rise of “café life”
Led by a new generation of entrepreneurs, including those close to the Islamic regime, modern cafes and restaurants are booming in the Iranian capital. This contrasts with a past marked by "gustatory isolation," says the Tehran correspondent for the Financial Times.
Just a decade ago, Iranians returning home after a trip abroad felt like they were returning to a distant island, gastronomically speaking. The exotic aromas, such as buttery croissants or crispy pizza, belonged to another planet.
Fortunately, in recent years, this taste isolation has been reduced, thanks to a new generation of entrepreneurs, many of whom were trained abroad, who are working to expand the horizons of Tehran's culinary scene.
Now, when I walk into a modern café or restaurant, I feel like I could be anywhere in the world – if it weren't for the absence of alcohol, and the fact that haute cuisine remains a distant dream.
The presence of women who have chosen to defy the mandatory hijab adds to this highly cosmopolitan energy and an openness to the world that contrasts with the past. For a country so proud of the refinement of its delicate gastronomic traditions, this is an extraordinary development.
At the heart of this transformation, the rise of new trendy cafes is driven by the demand of a young and educated population who, without being particularly
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