Food prices in Baku - 2021: how much does it cost to eat and what to try

Rest in a foreign country is not complete without tasting the national cuisine, therefore, when planning a trip, it is important to know how much money to take to buy food and visit a cafe. For those who are going to the capital of Azerbaijan, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the information on food prices in Baku shops, as well as dishes that you should definitely try.

Azerbaijani cuisine: what to try in Baku

Hearty, aromatic and varied food in Baku allows not only to get gastronomic pleasure from its intake, but also to saturate the body for a long period of time.

Azerbaijani culinary traditions are closely related to the Muslim religion, so pork lovers will have to look for alternative meat. It can be mutton, which the Azerbaijanis skillfully cook and season with various spices. River and sea fish (mainly salmon and sturgeon species) are always on the menu in Baku restaurants. Beef and poultry are less popular with the local population, however, dishes from this meat are always offered to vacationers.

The national feature of Azerbaijani cuisine is the abundant use of spices (cumin, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, caraway seeds, saffron, etc.) and herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro, caraway seeds, etc.). They fill food with a variety of flavors, harmoniously combined with each other.

Vegetables - an integral part of Azerbaijani dishes. Tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers and peppers are especially popular. Of the fruits, quince, pear, cherry plum, apricots, plums, apples and oranges are often used in cooking.

Azerbaijanis observe culinary traditions not only in the combination of certain ingredients, but also in their use. special dishes: the pitcher is used for making traditional piti soup, cauldron - for pilaf, saja - for cold cuts, tas - for stewing meat, etc.

For those who are not familiar with Azerbaijani cuisine, we suggest exploring its main dishes.

What to take first

When ordering lunch in Baku restaurants, you can start with traditional soups - piti, bozbash or khash.

Piti is a thick Azerbaijani soup cooked on lamb brisket in the oven. It consists of eggplants, which are pre-fried with onions, carrots and peppers with the addition of fat tail fat (it is taken from the back of a fat tail sheep). At the last stage, sprinkle with coriander.

No less popular with the local population is the spicy bozbash, which includes chestnuts, potatoes, tomatoes, chickpeas, eggplants and zucchini. Mint and apples give the soup a special taste.

Unlike the aforementioned soups, khash is prepared with the addition of two types of meat - lamb and veal. Another feature is that greens are served in a separate container so that guests can put them in soup (Azerbaijanis themselves use khash without greens for breakfast).

Important

People with liver and stomach diseases should be careful with Azerbaijani soups. They are very greasy and can be poorly received.

Khash

What to order for the second

The restaurant menu in Baku can offer jiz-byz, lula-kebab, dolma or pilaf as a second course.

Azerbaijani pilaf is considered one of the most delicious. The secret of the dish lies in the separate preparation of rice from the rest of the ingredients. It is placed in a cauldron and fat tail fat with butter is added. Before serving, rice is mixed with lamb, vegetables and fruits, covered with kazmag (flatbread) and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.

Dolma is one of the most popular Azerbaijani dishes. It consists of minced mutton, rice and herbs, wrapped in grape (sometimes quince) leaves. They can also put vegetables, fish, add fruits. The Russian analogue of dolma is stuffed cabbage.

For lovers of dumplings, we recommend trying dushbar, which, both in appearance and in taste, resembles a dish familiar to Russians. However, dushbara is much fatter, as "dumplings" with minced mutton are cooked not in water, but in mutton broth and put on a plate together with liquid. Before serving, add butter and a large amount of fresh herbs to the broth.

The traditional kebab, which is a well-chopped chopped lamb cooked over charcoal on a skewer, will allow you to enjoy the soft and aromatic meat. Meat is served along with flatbread and herbs.

Local cuisine recipes include not only meat but also offal. One of these dishes is jiz-byz, which is lamb intestines, heart, kidneys and liver fried in fat tail fat. Potatoes with herbs are offered as a side dish.

For those who prefer lighter food, we recommend ordering the traditional ajapsandal snack. It includes eggplant, bell peppers, and tomatoes flavored with garlic, onions, coriander and basil.

Dolma

Dessert and drinks

As a dessert, you can take baklava made from multi-layer dough, nuts with the addition of saffron, cloves and sugar. Baking lovers will love the shaker borax - a crescent-shaped pie with nut filling.

Traditional flour products also include crispy sheker-churek biscuits and a round bun with a soft filling, shor-gogal.

The most commonly consumed drinks in Azerbaijan are tea and fermented milk liquid products: ayran, atylama and bulama.

Sherbet based on berry and fruit juices or iskenjebi, consisting of a liquid with the addition of honey and vinegar, are often offered for consumption with main courses. You can also take a deck (a jelly-type drink) or a khoshab resembling a compote.

Shaker borax

Alcohol

It is not customary in the country to associate festive feasts with drinking alcohol. It is used primarily for medicinal purposes. From local spirits, Azerbaijanis are ready to offer liqueurs, cognac and arak ("moonshine" with the aroma of anise). Those who prefer lighter drinks are advised to try buzu (Azerbaijani beer).

For your information

Arak has a high strength (40-60%), therefore, it is recommended to dilute it in the proportion of 2 parts of water to one part of the drink before use. Ice is often added to the "cocktail". Cheese, nuts and fruits are used as a snack.

Cozy courtyard in Baku with a local cafe

Food prices in Baku for 2021

Those who are planning a trip this year will find it useful to learn about the current prices for food in Azerbaijan. The information we have collected about their cost in stores, as well as about the pricing policy of restaurants and cafes, will help determine the amount required for recreation.

Prices are presented in rubles at the rate of 1 Azerbaijani manat ≈ 43.5 rubles.

Restaurants and cafes, street fast food

Speaking about how much it costs to dine in Azerbaijan, it is necessary to clarify the proposed place of eating. If you plan to visit tourist catering establishments, then a set of the first, second and drink will cost an average of 800-1500 rubles. In expensive restaurants, it can cost 2-4 thousand rubles.

However, if the budget does not allow spending so much money, you can dine with the locals at inexpensive eateries: the cost of a full meal starts at 350 rubles. The only thing to consider is that the staff here speaks exclusively Azerbaijani (the menu is also in the local language).

Average prices for food and drinks in Baku restaurants are presented in the table.

Those who prefer to “have a snack on the go” will be interested to know how much food in Azerbaijan, offered in fast food establishments, costs..

Inexpensive, but high-quality fast food is sold in the oldest and most popular chain in the country, Shaurma No. 1.The process of preparing shawarma from the chefs takes only 5 minutes, and the cost is about 120 rubles.

An economy lunch option is available at Buyuk Firat: here you can order the first course for only 90 rubles, and a shish kebab (3-4 pieces) or salad for 80 rubles.

A budget snack is available in the Bir Iki snack chain: the price of shawarma is in the range of 100-115 rubles. Firuze, Maide and Anadolu are also inexpensive establishments with quality fast food.

Those who prefer the familiar taste of potatoes and hamburgers can go to KFC, McDonald’s, Mooyah or Grill Konig. Here you can buy a standard package of French fries for 130 rubles, a hamburger for 220, and a hot dog for 150.

You can stop for rest while walking around Baku at Bubble Waffle; here they prepare some of the most delicious waffles with various fillings. A snack in a cafe will cost 220-250 rubles.

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Food in shops and bazaars

Self-catering will make your stay in Azerbaijan cheaper. Russians will be pleasantly surprised at how much bread, milk, fruits and vegetables cost in the republic. Despite the low cost, they are always fresh and of high quality.

Below are the prices for food in Baku in shops and supermarkets.

Important

NSAccording to tourists, one of the best supermarket chains with inexpensive and fresh products is Bazar Store.

Those wishing to feel the local flavor, bargain and buy traditional Azerbaijani products should go to the markets. There are several of them in Baku, but two are especially popular - Yasll Bazar and Teze Bazar.

As tourists visiting Yasll Bazar write, here you can buy tea at a bargain price, as well as delicious sweets (churchkhella, pistachios with honey, etc.). The cost of other goods (meat, vegetables, fish, cheese, marinades, etc.) is the same as in supermarkets, or higher. Yasll Bazar is visitor-oriented; it's nice to be here, but you won't be able to save on shopping.

The lowest prices for food in Azerbaijan are presented in the central market of Baku - Teze Bazar. Tourists recommend coming here to buy food in case of self-cooking, as well as to feel the local flavor. However, those planning a trip to Teze Bazar should be prepared for the lack of cleanliness and tidiness inherent in traditional supermarkets.

Video review about food in Baku

It is interesting

Azerbaijani markets have one peculiarity: here you will not find price tags for goods. To find out the cost, you need to ask the seller; bidding is not prohibited.

Due to the low cost of food in Azerbaijan, a trip to this country is suitable for tourists even with the most modest budget.

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