On a sunny weekend before Norouz (the Persian New Year, which happens this year on Friday [March 20]), grocery stores, bakeries, and restaurants on Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver were packed with people. Nassreen Filsoof, president and founder of the Canadian Iranian Foundation, says that Persian eating options have come a long way since she moved here in 1985, when there were few restaurants in the area. In celebration of Norouz, the Straight talked to Filsoof and others to find out what’s popular right now in Persian food in Metro Vancouver.

In a phone interview, Filsoof recommends a few standout restaurants: Yaas Grill House (1629 Lonsdale Avenue), Zeitoon (1795 Pendrell Street and 1615 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver), and Cazba (1103 Davie Street and 132 West 16th Street, North Vancouver). The latter two have become the dominant, go-to establishments within the Persian community. As well, during a phone chat, Cazba owner Nader Sigari explains that in the last few years, there’s been a huge increase in demand for barg (steak) and joojeh (chicken) kebabs from people outside of the Persian community.

Other Persian restaurants with buzz that are in the Lonsdale area include Ava (1451 Lons­dale Avenue), Persian Gulf Restaurant (114 West 15th Street), and Nayeb (1805 Lonsdale Avenue), all small, modern spaces that offer similar menus of traditional dishes. Nayeb opened this month and is already busy with diners ordering braised lamb shank with baghali polo (rice with fava beans and dill) and gheimeh (beef and yellow lentil) stew.

Fast-food-style Persian fare can be found at Lonsdale Kabob (106 West 13th Street, North Vancouver), which, not surprisingly, specializes in kebabs. These include barreh (lamb strips) and chenjeh (marinated top beef sirloin), with doogh (a savoury yogurt drink) to wash them down. Yummy Donair Kebab (942 West 16th Street, North Vancouver) is well worth a trip for its juicy koobideh (minced beef) kebab, which comes with house-made sangak (flatbread), basil, red onion, and a charred tomato. And in East Vancouver, Kadbanoo Food (318 Powell Street), a Persian prepared-food company, operates a takeout counter with kebabs, ash (a soup with pinto beans, mint, lentils, spinach, and noodles), kotlet (fried ground-beef-and-potato patties), and sabzi kookoo (herbed frittata).

Kadbanoo products such as kashk o bademjan (eggplant dip) can be found at grocery stores like Persia Foods (various locations) and Vanak Market and Deli (1860 Lonsdale Avenue), along with a host of other items like kebab spices and Persian-style yogurt. They’re also stocked at Afra Bakery & Market (1521 Pemberton Avenue, North Vancouver), which makes its own chewy sangak in its in-store bakery.

And if you’ve got a sweet tooth, stock up on nan-e nokhodchi (chickpea cookies), baklava, and zoolbia and bamiyeh (doughnuts) at Rex Bakery (141 West 16th Street, North Vancouver) and Laleh Bakery (130 West 15th Street, North Vancouver). Persian baked desserts can also be found at Ayoub’s Dried Fruits & Nuts (various locations), along with freshly roasted nuts like lime saffron pistachios and dried fruits such as Persian figs.

Filsoof says that while the majority of Persian establishments offer fairly traditional food, some are experimenting with “fusion” creations. During a phone interview, Jessica Naghibi, co-owner of Finch and Barley (250 East 1st Street, North Vancouver), explains that she wanted to make her menu more accessible to non-Persians with familiar dishes that include Persian spices, such as mussels in saffron cream broth, a grilled saffron chicken club sandwich, and crispy za’atar chickpeas.

Another shift in the Persian food scene that Filsoof mentions is an expansion into areas like Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam. Talked-about spots include the Kebob House (2865 Shaughnessy Street, Port Coquitlam) and Papa’s Shish Kabab (100–500 Clarke Road, Coquitlam). As well, Cazba’s Sigari says he’s considering branching out to Coquitlam.

Urban Gate (102–1158 the High Street, Coquitlam) boasts a bar and grill, along with a grocery store that includes a full-service butcher and a bakery. In a phone interview, owner Peyman Majidi says that this all-in-one convenience is the future of the Persian food scene. As well, in order to appeal to a broader demographic, the restaurant offers Persian favourites like shashlik (grilled lamb chops) along with culturally diverse dishes like grilled B.C. sockeye salmon with béarnaise sauce and basmati rice. Urban Gate also serves alcohol, which isn’t typical of Persian restaurants.

One thing’s for sure: there are certainly plenty of places to buy and dine on Persian food around town. So happy Norouz, and enjoy the feast!