I love dolma. All kinds of dolma. Grape leaf, cabbage, tomato, pepper, eggplant, zucchini, onion - you name it, I love it. Incredible stuff, dolma is. And, being in Yerevan, you'll find dolma almost everywhere. Santa Familia is a market that makes exceptional dolma (aka tolma). Being related to Dolmama, one of Armenia's most well-known restaurants, you can be sure that the dolmas prepared at Santa Familia are fresh, healthy and delicious.
They serve all kinds of dolmas, meat and vegetarian (yalanchi). Make sure you call ahead of time to know exactly what types they have as they are made fresh daily. They also have delicious boreks and pirashkis (which they prepare at their other well known restaurant - Basturma). Their salads are also very delicious. If you don't want to eat anything, you can always browse through the vast wine collection or purchase lavash chips or even have a cup of coffee. They also prepare breakfast there.
The market is located near Yerevan State University and Charents street, which is actually quite nice, historic and off the beaten path. Can't guarantee they will have onion dolma, or apple dolma (which is the best in my opinion), but, rest assured, they will have some kind of delicious dolma waiting for you to try. Bon appetit!
Find your way with 142 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
It truly is a Soviet masterpiece considering its unique design and build: it is part metro station, part cavern and, once upon a time, part cafe.
by
"Homeland Handycrafts" in Yerevan is a social enterprise designed to revive traditional Armenian crafts while employing the most vulnerable population...
by
The "Open Air Cinema" in Yerevan in Moscow Cinema has a rich history, and Soviet ruin-porn enthusiasts can access the building all-year round, too!
by
by
"Hanrapetutyan Street" in Yerevan is one of the most central in the city, yet there is so much to see here. The buildings are really beautiful and old...
by
"Ardēan": a center for art, architecture and design that has its gallery shop on Abovyan street in Yerevan. I like how they combine technology & tradition.
by
The "Mermaids of the Underground" in Yerevan is a sculpture from 1981. The mermaids wear nothing but their hair, which was quite unusual for its time...
by
The "Komitas Museum" in Yerevan is one of my favorite ones in the city. It gets me thinking about what Armenian music really is about...
by
"Shengavit" is an impressive 6000-year-old settlement which is preserved even better than Yerevan's old town! It was an accidental discovery in the 1930s.
by
"Melancholia" is a statue in Yerevan that truly expresses the feeling that has been increasingly affecting humankind in the last century...
by
The "Cross-stone Makers" in Yerevan follow a tradition that goes back to 879 AD. The masters' metal tools on the stone create a meditative sound for me...
by
"Calumet Ethnic Lounge Bar": THE place for good music in Yerevan. I don't come as often as I'd like to because of the smoke, but it's a must at least once.
by
142 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
✓ 0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
✓ 142 Insider Tips