Firuze Restaurant

Firuze has held a Rasul Rza Street address for over two decades and is widely regarded among the Baku food establishment as the reference classical Azerbaijani kitchen in the city. Several of the younger chefs now running their own rooms trained here; the plov in particular is considered the benchmark against which other Azerbaijani plov kitchens in the city are measured.

The room is a two-level traditional dining hall with carved wood screens, carpeted seating booths on the upper level, and an open view of the saj-grill kitchen. The menu is long — about 120 items — and covers the full Azerbaijani canon. Plov is the must-order: the lamb-and-chestnut version with saffron rice is the signature; the vegetable version with dried cherries and caramelised onions is a strong alternative. Beyond plov: dolma (three versions — vine leaf, cabbage, and stuffed-pepper), a notably good fish kutab (thin dough pancakes stuffed with herbs and cheese), and a classical pomegranate-walnut lamb shank.

The wine list is deep Azerbaijani and Georgian with a handful of French classics. Service is formal and unhurried — the senior waiters will walk first-time visitors through the menu at length and strongly direct toward the plov. Dessert is a highlight: the shakar-bura (sweet pastry with ground walnuts) and pakhlava are both house-made.

Lunch and dinner seven days. The upper-level booth tables are the most private; request when booking.

Firuze is Baku's deal-closing room — the classical reference kitchen, the formal service culture, the booth privacy on the upper level, and the unhurried rhythm that lets a two-hour conversation unfold without pressure. Book a corner booth on the upper level for the quietest seating. For impressing clients who want to understand authentic Azerbaijani cooking, this is a clear second choice after Sahil's caravanserai setting — the difference is formality versus atmosphere.