The densest Armenian restaurant scene in the United States, from khorovats houses and lahmajune counters to a new wave of specialty coffee.
Glendale has the largest Armenian population of any city in the United States, and its restaurants reflect that density. Most of the listings on this page sit within about a mile of one another, clustered along Brand Boulevard, Artsakh Avenue, Glenoaks Boulevard, Central Avenue and the stretch of San Fernando Road running north toward Burbank. You can eat Armenian food in Glendale every day for a month without repeating yourself.
Khorovats, charcoal-grilled meat, anchors most menus here, and the sit-down institutions on Broadway and Brand are built around it. Lahmajune is its own category: Lahmajune Factory on East Broadway and Ossy's Food Court on West Glenoaks both bake the flatbread to order rather than reheating it. Zhengyalov hatz, the herb-stuffed bread from Artsakh, has a dedicated storefront on East Broadway. Mini Kabob on Vine Street is a small family operation with a cult following, and Sevan Chicken runs rotisserie at two Glendale addresses.
Glendale's Armenian community came from across the diaspora, and the kitchens show it. Khinkali House on Artsakh Avenue serves Georgian dumplings, Shiraz brings Persian cooking to South Glendale Avenue, Elena's on South Glendale is Greek and Armenian, and Phoenicia on North Central has served Lebanese-Armenian food for decades. Armenian owners also run sushi, pizza and acai counters along Brand Boulevard, which is part of what makes the city's food scene less predictable than its reputation suggests.
A newer wave of Armenian-owned specialty coffee has opened across the city, including Urartu Coffee on Artsakh Avenue, Kafn Coffee on East Palmer, and Uptown and Coffee Commissary on the west side. Love You Latte near Lexington Drive and Muffin Can Stop Us on North Brand cover the morning end.
Nearby: Armenian restaurants in Burbank and Armenian restaurants across Los Angeles. For every category, see Armenian businesses in Glendale.