Try khoresht mast, Isfahan's sweet saffron lamb and yogurt
- Isfahan, Iran
- Posted on
About this tip
Khoresht mast is an Isfahani specialty served cold: slow-cooked lamb neck mashed until stretchy, then folded into thick yogurt with sugar and saffron. It was once a royal court main course and now usually arrives as a starter or dessert, topped with pistachio and barberries. Ask for it at traditional Isfahani restaurants and expect a sweet, creamy spoonful, not a stew. Locals know it from large celebrations, so share a portion.
Where
Try khoresht mast, Isfahan's sweet saffron lamb and yogurtTraditional Isfahani restaurants across the city
Open in Google Maps(opens in a new tab)More Tips & Traps in Isfahan
10 posts from Local Friends and travelers who know the city.
TipSleepSleep in a Safavid caravanserai at the Abbasi Hotel
Isfahan, IranThe Abbasi Hotel, on a side street of Chaharbagh, was built as a caravanserai under Sultan Husayn and still operates as a hotel, with old paintings and artefacts in its gardens. A rooftop restaurant overlooks the city and a traditional Iranian restaurant serves local dishes. Choose it for the building more than the…
IC TipMusic & NightlifeIsfahan Music Museum: instruments, often a mini concert
Isfahan, IranThe Isfahan Music Museum shows traditional Iranian instruments, and its student guides often play them for visitors, sometimes closing the visit with a short classical Persian concert. Reviews from 2024 to 2026 describe this, so it is clearly still active. Guides disagree on the address, with some placing it in the…
TrapShopVisit the Qeysarieh Bazaar early, shops shut by sunset
Isfahan, IranThe covered Qeysarieh Bazaar north of the royal square is free to enter, but each shop keeps its own hours and many close as the day fades. Mornings and midday are busiest and best for browsing carpets, inlay and copperware. Arrive early, compare a few stalls patiently and keep the last hour of daylight for the square…
BH TipShopBuy poolaki and gaz-e-ardi to carry home
Isfahan, IranPoolaki is a thin, coin-shaped candy made mainly in Isfahan, in flavours such as saffron, lemon and pistachio, and it melts in the mouth like toffee. For travel, look for gaz-e-ardi, the flour-dusted gaz that keeps longer and is less sweet. Sweet shops around the royal square and the bazaar stock both, so taste first…
TipArt & CultureBedkhem Church in Jolfa: 72 paintings of Christ's life
Isfahan, IranBedkhem Church stands on Julfa Square beside Saint Mary Church and dates from 1627, paid for by the merchant Khaje Petros. Inside, two rows of 72 paintings by Armenian artists show the life of Jesus under a gilded dome. It is smaller than the cathedral most visitors head for, so it makes a calm second stop on a Jolfa…
AP TrapPhotography & ViewsAtashgah hill: wear real shoes, there is no paved path
Isfahan, IranThe Atashgah, a Sasanian fire temple complex on a hill west of the centre, rewards a climb with views across the plain. There is no paved path and the clay soil crumbles underfoot, especially after rain, so flip-flops are a bad idea. Take a taxi to the foot of the hill, wear sturdy shoes, climb in the cooler hours and…
TipArt & CultureHasht Behesht: murals and mirror work off Chaharbagh
Isfahan, IranHasht Behesht, the Eight Heavens, is an octagonal pavilion from the 17th century, built under Shah Suleiman I on Chaharbagh Street. Inside are murals, mirror work, tilework and perforated woodwork, while tall thin wooden columns hold up its porches. Walk round to the pool behind the building for the classic view of…
SC TrapArt & CultureShaking Minarets: you watch the shake, you do not climb
Isfahan, IranMenar Jonban, a 14th-century tomb with twin brick minarets west of the centre, is famous for its shake: when the caretaker moves one minaret, the other trembles too. The staircase is closed to visitors, so only the caretaker climbs. Published demonstration times differ between guides, so ask on arrival and come early…
Know Isfahan well?
Share a tip, or warn travelers about a trap. It only takes a few minutes.