These are some of the best restaurants, cafes, and bars to eat and drink in Baku, Azerbaijan, discovered after a month in Baku. For more on Baku, check out must-try local dishes, the top sights and museums, the best hammams to soak up local culture, the top hotels for every budget, and the city’s top 10 experiences.
Eating
Old City
My favorite restaurant in the Old City for traditional food is La Quzu, which I discovered through a coworker! It’s not yet as well-known with tourists as nearby Qaynana, another great restaurant that’s casual and cozy. Mugam Club is an upscale, atmospheric spot serving delicious food inside an old caravanserai. Merchants and their caravans stayed at caravanserais while traveling the ancient Silk Road. Dining in one is a top Baku experience! Mugam Club is popular with locals for celebratory events and caters to larger parties, but you can still get a table there for one or two people. Fine dining Art Club Restaurant excels at presentation and top-notch service (more than its food). Some dishes are served with ancient, handmade copperware, an art form recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage! That alone made this restaurant worth it for me, but if you’re looking for value for money and the best food in Baku, then skip Art Club Restaurant.
Art Club Restaurant
Qaynana
Central Baku
Casual Otdix, with its outdoor courtyard, is loved by locals, especially for its grilled meat dishes. The food is delicious, though only a few waiters speak English. Otdix is one of the places in Baku where, if you call hours ahead, you can order an entire grilled lamb rib cage served at the table as individual chops, making it a popular place for groups. Upscale Restaurant Shah and fine dining Sumakh are other great options for Azerbaijani food. On the Bulvar, pricey SAHiL is a good restaurant and, most importantly, is one of the few restaurants serving individual-sized shah plov, a traditional rice dish usually only prepared for many people.
Otdix
Traditional Azerbaijani sweets
Drinking
Tea
You can’t beat the stellar location of teahouse Çay Bağı 145 in the Old City, where you can sit outside on top of ancient bathhouses or upstairs for the best view of Maiden Tower! Try black tea with thyme and clove, a local favorite. Note that hookah is smoked both inside and outside.
Coffee
United Coffee Beans, with locations around town, and Coffee Moffie, by Fountains Square, have quality coffee, desserts, and lovely balconies for relaxing outside. Of the two, United Coffee Beans is best for food. It has a diverse breakfast menu featuring local and international dishes.
Alcohol
KEFLI Local Wine & Snacks is the best place to try local wine, including Azerbaijan’s unique pomegranate wine. The streets around Fountains Square, just a few blocks from KEFLI, are great for bar hopping. Hops Pub Baku is a popular pub in the area, with over a dozen other bars nearby.
Photo Credit: Çay Bağı 145
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