Eat

Venues change often, and with the imminent celebrations for 1700, new eateries and price-gouging are to be expected. Unless you have money to burn, avoid anything in the cathedral complex or nearby, unless it is a kiosk or cafe. Echmiadzin is small enough it is worth scouting around and looking on off-streets for the best deals.

Inexpensive

Inexpensive food is found at the food stands in and around the shuka, and include hot dogs, hamburgers, fried perashkis, cheburekis, Gharsi khorovats (a sandwich of grilled slivers of meat with onions, herbs and a tomato sauce) and khachapuri selling for 150-500AMD a serving.

The cheapest of course is buying your own fresh meats, cheese, bread, vegetables and fruit at the shuka and preparing on your own. The Shuka is open from 9 am to 6 pm.

Kiosks line Kirov and Kostanian Poghots one block north and south of Mashtots, and sell cookies, sodas, ice cream, as well as other staple goods.

A number of Mterk (m'TEHRK) shops line Mashtots and Atarbekian Poghots, selling meats, cheese , canned goods and other staples.

Restaurants

Other than the restaurants at Zvartnots and Van Motels (see Stay), the only restaurant in Echmiadzin is Odjakh (* 5-27-18), located 150 meters southwest of the public swimming pool off Issy les Moulineaux (just before it narrows to one lane, take the road tot he right). The building is a white stucco caravan tent design, with dining hutches off a central buffet. A filling meal of khorovatz, dolma, salads, fruit and dessert costs 4000 to 5000 AMD. Open 10 am to 10 pm.

Bistros, Grills

An Armenian Kitchen, cattycorner from the Central Bank serves khorovatz (1500AMD a shish), kebab (500AMD) and chicken grill (1000AMD). Another Armenian Kitchen is located just above the Komitas Statue in Mashtots Park and has the same menu and prices. A Grill is located between the Mterk Shop and Xerox on Mashtots Poghots, and serves sandwiches and kebab for 1000AMD a serving.

The Doka Pizza/Georgian and Armenian Bistro at the corner of Mashtots and Spendarian Poghots, only served kebab when we visited, but it was very tasty and filling, and at 400AMD a serving, an excellent budget lunch.

On the north side of town is a Bistro at the intersection of Hoktemberian and the Ashtarak Janapar.

Khorovatz, kebab and grill

Ureni Bistro, open 10 am to 10 pm, is on the Echmiadzin-Yerevan Highway off of Sovetneri Poghots. Khorovatz is sold at 4000AMD a kilo, enough for four people. Khorovatz Stands Khorovatz stands proliferate on Baghramian Poghots, in and around the Shuka, and on Kirov Poghots. A shish of khorovatz with lavash, onions and greens costs around 1500AMD, a kebab sandwich is 400-1000AMD.

Cafes

In the summer, outdoor café's can be found around Komitas H’raperak. One of the most pleasant cafes is in the Zbosaigi (Stroll Park) just south of H’raperak. Open during the summer, the café includes four cabanas and serves kebab, grill and sandwiches.

Ring Café (* 5-78-29), Mashtots Poghots 48, is set in a small garden with a pair of peacocks roaming the premises. In addition to their café menu, they also serve grilled chicken and kebab for 1000 to 1500AMD.