Baghdad

Venturing beyond the Green Zone into Baghdad's vibrant streets offers a genuine taste of everyday Iraqi life, particularly around the Al-Mutanabbi Street area. Here, countless small stalls serve up an array of street food, sweets and chai tea. As you explore, you'll encounter delicious beef, chicken, and falafel sandwiches, typically served with a small bowl of chicken or beef broth and a small tub of drinking water. Skewers of grilled kebabs are equally common, served with fresh pickles, salad, and warm flatbread. A satisfying meal rarely costs more than 7,000 Iraqi dinars, about $5 USD. Just remember to bring cash, as local vendors don't accept card payments.

In the area around Al-Tahrir and Firdos Squares, where budget hotels, restaurants and tea houses abound, Sulaymaniyah Restaurant is a must-visit culinary spot. This eatery's simple façade offers exceptional Iraqi fare served inside. Their tender meat cuts, served with the typical Iraqi bean bowl and white rice, showcase authentic home-style cooking at its best.

Saj Al-Reef, as the name reflects, uses Saj, a bread-type dough placed on a domed metal griddle and baked over a wood fire, as a main ingredient in many of its dishes. Over time other influences have been adopted and the menu now includes Saj sandwiches, Mexican dishes, Indian and other ethnic foods.

Samad Restaurant is a local favourite, its throngs of loyal patrons flooding their four locations daily and warranting the opening of a new location in Dubai. The menu consists of oriental, Iraqi, Kurdish and Western cuisines. The prices might be higher than most other options in the area, but the quality of the food is worth it.

Mazaya stands out for the huge diversity of its menu. Options include everything from European cuisine and classic Italian favourites like pizza and pasta to Chinese and Middle Eastern dishes, specialising in Iraqi and Lebanese food. Whatever mood you're in, you are sure to find something at Mazaya.