"Delicious Persian food in North Durham" Came here on a Friday at 5:45pm-- note they close at 6:30pm, so come early! It's a bit "off the beaten path", so be sure to use navigation to get there. The space inside had maybe 7 tables and was brightly lit with soft Persian music playing. You can order takeout at the counter or be seated to dine in. My partner and I dined in. We ordered the borani (eggplant/ yogurt/ garlic) appetizer. I got the vaziri combo, which came with koobideh (beef + lamb) and joojeh (chicken on a skewer) and tomato rice. My partner got the Kookoo Sabzi wrap-- veggie frittata with other bits. We each got drinks too-- she got the fancy lemonade and I got the ginger soda. Food came out in maybe just over 10 minutes. ABSOLUTELY SCRUMPTIOUS. The borani was good especially if you like garlic-- kind of like a combo of baba ghanouj and tzatziki sauce in a way. My vaziri combo was CRAZY good. The beef + lamb tasted like super soft gyros meat that was thick and melted in your mouth (or under your fork). The chicken joojeh flavor was perfect with saffron and yogurt mixed into it. Even the tomato rice was amazing-- super flavorful and spicy, with some "crispy bits" in it, reminiscent of the edges of a great paella. It also came with a small side of torshi that was yummy (cabbage, olive, and onions). My partner was also happy with her frittata, and the drinks were good, though I think the lemonade was the better of the two. What also impressed me was how kind the server was. He asked our names, and I noticed him greeting other customers as they came in by name, as though he remembered them from past visits. He was very kind and welcomed us warmly, checked on us as we ate, and gave advice on dishes as we asked. Definitely a "small family restaurant" feel. Cost-- it's not cheap, but the quality is EXCELLENT, so I say worth every penny. Overall, we loved this place. As we finished, we both said "We'll definitely be coming back." Fully plan to, and I recommend it to anyone to try. read more

Cafe Ferdosi - Vaziri combo, which came with koobideh (beef + lamb) and joojeh (chicken on a skewer) and tomato rice. - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We happened to be in North Durham on an errand and decided to give this spot a try. It's tucked at the back of an office park, inside a shared meeting center, and we arrived right as they were opening for lunch on a Saturday. Parking was easy. The space itself is small but welcoming and nicely decorated. We ordered: 1 salted yogurt drink 1 Persian teapot 1 Borani dip 1 Joojeh (double) 1 Vaziri Total was $62 plus tax and tip. The Borani dip was the standout of the meal, roasted, smoked eggplant with garlic and yogurt. If you know baba ghanooj, it's in that family but with its own flavor profile. I had the double Joojeh, grilled boneless chicken breast in a lovely marinade, served with Persian rice. It was delicious. The Vaziri included a single Joojeh along with a single beef-and-lamb Koobideh, also with Persian rice. That was delicious as well. Everything is made in house including the delicious desserts. This is a family-run place with the parents cooking and their sons handling service. The boys were sweet, the service was warm and personable, and overall the experience was excellent. read more

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The super delicious and tucked away Cafe Ferdosi. Gorgeous Persian food and a very informative server, Omid (Hope in Farsi). We had the borani with pita chips (smoky eggplant dip with yogurt and sumac), followed by Koobideh (lamb kebab and saffron rice) and Joojeh (chicken breast and lamb kebab with barberry rice), washed down with Persian fizz, lemonade with a touch of rose water. I wish we could have stayed for the saffron and pistachio ice cream! read more

Cafe Ferdosi - Koobideh with saffron rice - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

As soon as I found out that NC finally has a Persian restaurant I was thrilled! It's hard to find Persian restaurants that serve more than kebabs. I tried the fesenjan and it comes with rice and it's authentic and very tasty. Looking forward to trying the Ghormeh sabzi next time. The service was excellent and really nice ambiance. Highly recommend. read more

This place is amazing and a wonderful spot to dine with friends. Will come again every time I'm in Durham!

Most delicious Persian food! We are so lucky to have cafe Ferdosi in the neighborhood!

Delicious food with friendly service. I highly recommend the baklava cake. Let's support the local Persian community!

Drove 2.5 hours to try this place and it was well worth that drive! I know that sounds crazy but my husband and his family are from Iran and this place had amazing reviews so we had to check it out. I can honestly say that this is the BEST and most authentic Persian food I have had so far. It's family owned and they are incredibly kind and friendly. You can tell they put a lot of love into this place. It's super clean and a very beautiful building. The food is seasoned to perfection. The desserts were all made from scratch and the best one was the baklava cake but you can't go wrong with whatever you decide on. I can't say enough nice things about Cafe Ferdosi. If I could, I'd eat it every day lol read more

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Amazing customer service and great foood. Their saffron ice cream was homemade and tasted very good.

Excellent food and service - it felt like being welcomed into someone's home for a meal. The restaurant is a little hard to find since it's tucked away in a shared building. Inside, the space has a fairly simple cafe feel, but the art and music add warmth and a personal touch. read more

Cafe Ferdosi - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Lovely little cafe tucked away off Duke St. Hummus was among the best I've ever had. Falafel too. Relaxed but attentive old-school-style service which means he took our order at the table and brought our food to us too. Seems rare these days, and appreciated. They have outdoor tables under a roof so I can't wait to go back when it's warm. read more

Excellent food and service. It was nice to see more traffic coming because the place is really special. I got my usual joojeh and the tomato rice. amazing! I also had their cardamom tea and a baklava as well as bastani. Delicious! read more

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Great food and a warm atmosphere. Everything we tried was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. The environment is comfortable and welcoming, making it a great place to relax and enjoy a quality meal. Definitely worth visiting. read more

Received small portions of very mediocre food. Did not taste fresh at all. I ordered Gormei Sabsi. It wasn't terrible but, again, not fresh. If I had to guess, I'd say it was a frozen entree. Many restaurants serve frozen food. They think people can't tell. If I want frozen I can just open my freezer. When food is cooked on the same day that it is eaten it has distinctive quality of taste and aroma that fade over time. Why don't some restaurant owners get that? What they do ultimately get is a spiral of mediocrity that leads to lost revenue. read more

Food is amazing. They were quick. Everything was fresh and flavorful. Amazing. We had 4 dishes and a dessert and 3 drinks. I think everything came up to about $88. read more

A nice menu, wonderful staff and such a warm vibe. Cafe Ferdosi is a hidden gem! Check it out!

Phenomenal food and service. They also have frozen dishes to go. Vegan/ vegetarian-friendly read more

Amazing authentic food and drinks! Highly recommend this place! Great ambience and service as well! Would come back here again! read more

Cafe Ferdosi - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Fantastic Persian food! Order in advance! Great service! Super professional! They have a regular menu but they offer specials too! read more

Tasty, fresh food and nice staff! Falafel was terrific! Second time there! Will go again. read more

Great food and excellent service! Such a gem and will definitely be back. A cute family owned place

This delightful cafe was a little difficult to find, but it was very worth looking for. It is tucked within the Aria Events and Catering Venue. It is smallish, but that gives it the charm of a family run restaurant with the promise of good home cooked Persian food. Our party ordered a variety of dishes that we all shared and sampled. The kabobs were all great: Barg, Koobideh, Jooneh (chicken) and ground chicken. The rice was the good non sticky basmati pilaf with a little saffron dusting. We also had bother the Ghaymeh Bademjun (eggplant and split pea) and the Ghormeh Sabzi (mixed green herbs) Khoreshes (stew like toppings on rice). Everything was delicious. The doogh (yogurt drink) was refreshing. We had homemade saffron rose water ice cream to top it off. If you are already familiar with Persian cooking you won't be disappointed, and if you are new to it, this cafe is an excellent place to start. Enjoy. The owners are the chefs and wait staff and work hard to make your meal superb. read more

Great food! We were pleasantly surprised! The chicken and kabobs were excellent. The service was great! read more

This place is amazing! The food was so filling and flavorful, and the service was impeccable. Highly recommend the ginger soda and chicken koobideh. Already planning my next visit :*) read more

We had the beef with lamb and chicken with rice and salad. The flavors were amazing! This was true homemade cooking and made to order. They have a great selection and also premade meals to go. The service was excellent. Very friendly and explained each meal to us. We were very impressed with this cute little place! read more

Absolute gem of a restaurant, hidden away in a professional park on N Duke street. If you're not familiar with Persian food, think kabobs and rice. The chicken kabobs, grape leaves, and rice were excellent. Other family members had red meat options and raved about those as well. We ordered takeout both of the times we've gone, and will certainly be back. read more

Great food, wonderful service & authentic Persian dishes. Both indoor and outdoors seating. Family run business. We'll definitely be back !

The food here was AMAZING, and the employees were so lovely. Our party tried the koobideh kabob and jojeh kabob platters with tomato rice and veggies as well as the trio platter -- all of which were delicious. The falafel in particular was some of the best I've ever had! And I'd definitely recommend getting the yogurt eggplant dip on the side because it tastes great on everything. We'll definitely be back for more. :) read more

We ordered delivery through an app. The selection was minimal but they had our favorites. We ordered the chicken platter, vegetable medley, falafel wrap, and side of rice. Everything was delicious, especially the vegetables. The food was fresh, perfectly cooked and presented well. Only complaint is tzatziki did not come with our meal, and there was no option to add it to the order through the app. read more

Excellent food and amazing service! The moment we step in, we felt welcome as if a family inviting us into their home. The place is cozy with a family-oriented atmosphere. The food is authentic, tasty and exceeded our expectations. We would definetly come back to try more of their dishes. Shout out to Omid and Aria. read more

We ordered food for a business lunch. Our team moved from California and is used to Persian food. Cafe Ferdosi did not disappoint and exceeded all our expectations! We loved the combination of koobideh, joojeh, rice and mixed vegetables. We also had the Mezze Appetizer and a side of Kookoo; plenty of options also for vegetarians. It came with a side of tahdig which was amazing. read more

What a gem! Hard to find but very much worth the search. The food, the atmosphere, the service were all outstanding!

A real hidden gem, with great food, very friendly service! Can't wait to go back and try the ice cream!