Erbil Food Guide — What to Eat in Erbil

🐑Kurdish staples — must-try dishes

Quzi is the signature dish: a whole lamb (or half-lamb) slow-roasted until completely tender, served on a vast mound of fragrant rice with nuts, dried fruit, and spices. It's a communal feast dish — order it for a group and you'll eat like kings. Most traditional Kurdish restaurants in Erbil serve it.

Dolma is another essential — vine leaves, peppers, tomatoes, and courgettes stuffed with a spiced rice and meat mixture, then slow-cooked. Kurdish dolma is subtly spiced and made with great care. Tikka (marinated grilled lamb or chicken skewers) is available everywhere, from street stalls to restaurants. And no meal in Erbil is complete without fresh naan bread, baked in a wood-fired tandoor and brought to the table hot.

🥗Mezze and fresh food

Kurdish meals usually come with an array of small dishes — fresh tomatoes, cucumber, herbs, yogurt, pickles, and hummus. Tabbouleh and fattoush (Lebanese salads) are widely available and very good. The produce in Erbil is excellent — much of the fresh food comes from the fertile Kurdistan highlands. Don't skip the fresh herb plate (sabzi) that comes with most traditional meals.

🌍International food in Erbil

Beyond Kurdish food, Erbil has a surprisingly cosmopolitan restaurant scene. Lebanese food is everywhere and generally excellent. Indian restaurants (popular with the city's large Indian expat community) are plentiful and authentic. Italian, Chinese, Turkish, and American fast food are all present, mainly in Ankawa and Italian Village. The variety is genuinely impressive for a city of this size.

🥙Street food and cheap eats

Iskan Street and the Qaysari Bazaar area are the best places for street food and cheap eats — shawarma, falafel, fresh bread with cheese, grilled corn, and seasonal fruit. A full shawarma sandwich costs under 2,000 IQD ($1.50). The bazaar area has some of the oldest food stalls in the city, including legendary spots that have been making the same dishes for generations.

🍰Sweets and tea

Kurdish sweets lean heavily on pastry, honey, and nuts — baklava, kadayıf, and halwa are all widely available. Fresh fruit juice bars are on almost every street. Tea (chai) is the social drink of choice — strong, black, served in small glasses with sugar. Coffee has become increasingly popular, with specialty coffee shops now common across the city.

Also in Erbil

Frequently asked questions

What is the best dish to eat in Erbil?

Quzi — slow-roasted whole lamb on rice — is the must-try dish in Erbil. Order it at a traditional Kurdish restaurant for a group. Dolma and fresh naan bread from a tandoor are also essential. For street food, shawarma from Iskan Street is excellent and very cheap.

Is Kurdish food spicy?

No, traditional Kurdish food is not typically spicy. It's richly flavoured with herbs, slow-cooking, and quality meat, but rarely uses chilli. The flavours are aromatic and savoury rather than hot. Hot sauce is often available on the side for those who want it.

Is there vegetarian food in Erbil?

Yes, though it takes a little searching. Mezze dishes (hummus, tabbouleh, fattoush, stuffed grape leaves, grilled vegetables) are vegetarian-friendly. Falafel and fresh bread is widely available as street food. Indian restaurants in Erbil usually have good vegetarian options.

How expensive is food in Erbil?

Very affordable by Western standards. Street food (shawarma, falafel) costs under $1.50. A full meal at a local Kurdish restaurant is $5–15 per person. Mid-range international restaurants in Ankawa cost $15–30 per person. Upscale restaurants are priced similar to Europe.

What is the best area for food in Erbil?

Iskan Street for traditional Kurdish food and street eats. Ankawa for international restaurants and alcohol-friendly dining. Italian Village (Qarya Italiya) for upscale dining. The Citadel area for traditional Kurdish restaurants with a historic setting.