TEHRAN, Iran — At the Garage Grill in an upscale Tehran neighborhood, classic rock plays from the speakers, and photos of Paul Newman, James Dean and hot rods line the walls. It could be an old-time American diner, except that its hamburger prices reflect a wealthier target market here.
Right next door, Dukkan Burger serves its fare on butcher paper, with plenty of Heinz ketchup and French’s mustard supplied on request. The clientele includes young women clutching designer purses, arriving with their dates in European luxury cars.
Greasy burger joints have been part of Tehran’s fast-food landscape for decades, even in the years after the 1979 Islamic revolution, when any symbol of U.S. culture was denounced as an example of “Westoxification.” Those eateries were mostly in downtown working-class neighborhoods.
Now, though, high-end burger restaurants are popping up across the city, making the gut-busting American institution — and the quest for the best burger — the latest trend in Tehran dining.
Facebook pages dedicated to local hamburger outlets debate their relative merits, comparing them to McDonald’s, In-N-Out, Burger King and other U.S. chains. That fascination with brands has resulted in blatant rip-offs as McAli’s, Superstar — conspicuously similar in appearance to Carl’s Jr. — and even a place calling itself Five Guys.
After a string of restaurants catering to Tehran’s rich opened and closed in recent years, observers of the capital’s culinary scene say the rise of the quality burger is not surprising, especially given Iranians’ love of grilled meat.
“Burgers are very simple. It’s a promise that’s easy to deliver on,” said Payam Kashani-Nejad, founder of Gumboo Guide, a website devoted to reviews of Tehran restaurants. “And it’s a big market.”
David Yaghoobi, until recently creative director at a top Iranian advertising agency and now based in London, noted that the burger, while well-known in Iran, is still somewhat exotic, boosting its appeal.
“In Iran, most things foreign are considered high-end, and as a burger is considered foreign, maybe there is some of that, too,” he said.
It is no coincidence, then, that most of the new hamburger restaurants are in affluent neighborhoods — places like Niavaran, where Garage Grill and Dukkan could open side by side.
“Our concept is purely American,” said Arash Farhadpour-Shirazi, co-owner of Garage Grill. “Burgers and cars.
“It’s a short escape into a different environment. Iranians love the American style. The grass is greener in the U.S.”
