Top 10 Iranian Drinks & Beverages

Iran is a country with delicious and diverse cuisine. Iranian beverages are just as varied as their dishes. Even though drinking alcohol is forbidden in Iran, it gives travelers a great opportunity to taste different Iranian beverages.

From herbal teas to sweet traditional Sharbats, Iranian soft drinks have new flavors and a lot of benefits to offer those who take the risk of trying new things. Iranian herbal teas (Damnoosh) are very popular during winter. They consist of herbal extracts and each of them is beneficial for your health and help cure minor ailments such as insomnia, headaches, cramp, etc.

Sharbat is another type of Iranian traditional beverage and is popular during the summer. Sharbat is very freshening and help deal with dehydration during hot summer days. They are usually a mixture of dense boiled fruit, sugar, water, and herbal distillates (Aragh).

Iranian traditional drinks are served at cafes, tea houses, traditional restaurants, and special shops called Sharbat Khane. The following are some of the best Persian drinks you have to try:

Top Iranian Drinks & Beverages

The following are some of the best Iranian Drinks & beverages you have to try:

1-Doogh (Persian Yogurt Drink)

Doogh is the most famous Iranian soft drink. This popular Iranian beverage is made of yogurt, salt, water, and sometimes herbs such as peppermint. Doogh is healthy, tasty, and ideal for drinking with meals.

This refreshing Persian drink can be found almost everywhere in Iran and is one of the traditional drinks that anyone must try. Doogh is served cold and can be found almost everywhere.

ingredients: yogurt, salt, water, herbs(sometimes).

2-Sharbat-e Khakshir (Khakshir Drink)

Khakshir Sharbat is one of the best choices for the hot sunny days of summer. This cold Persian drink also acts as a natural blood purifier and is extremely beneficial.

Khakshir Sharbat consists of flixweed seeds mixed with water, sugar, ice, and sometimes rosewater.

ingredients: flixweed seeds, water, sugar, rosewater.

3-Sharbat-e Zaferan (Saffron Syrup)

Iranians often use saffron to give their food and drinks a better taste and scent. Saffron Sharbat is one of the most simple yet most popular Persian Sharbats.

It’s prepared by mixing saffron with a small amount of boiled water to get the essence out and then adding rosewater, cold water, and ice to the mixture. Saffron Sharbat is served cold and can be found in cafes.

ingredients: saffron, water, rosewater.

4-Gol Gav Zaban (Borage Tea)

Borage tea is a mixture of borage, valerian, and dried lemon. This herbal tea is calming and hypnotic reduces blood pressure and heals anxiety headaches. It’s also anti-spasm, improves sexual stamina, and helps the treatment of seizures and epilepsy.

Borage tea is a mixture of borage, valerian, and dried lemon. This herbal tea is calming and hypnotic, reduces blood pressure, and heals anxiety headaches. It’s also anti-spasm, improves sexual stamina, and helps the treatment of seizures and epilepsy.

This popular Persian drink is served warm/hot.

ingredients: Borage, dried lemon, warm water.

5-Beh Limoo (Lemon Beebrush Tea)

Lemon Beebrush tea is one of the most beneficial types of herbal tea. It helps treat cold, gout, seizure, blood concentration, rheumatism, insomnia, migraines, anxiety, palpitations, asthma, high blood pressure, and diarrhea.

It’s also beneficial for memory, kidneys, and stomach. Drinking this herbal tea can be dangerous for pregnant women as it contains lindens. Lemon Beebrush tea is served hot.

ingredients: Lemon Beebrush, water, honey, or sugar.

6-Sharbat-e Nana (Peppermint Sharbat) (Mint Syrup) 

Peppermint Sharbat is another one of the popular Iranian Sharbats. This freshening Iranian drink consists of sugar, peppermint leaves, and water. It’s very beneficial for the digestive system and is a good choice for hot summer days as it’s served cold.

ingredients: peppermint leaves, water, sugar.

7-Sharbat-e Sekanjabin (Sekanjabin Syrup)

Sekanjabin is one of the oldest and most famous Iranian Sharbats. It’s prepared by boiling water, sugar, vinegar and peppermint until the mixture gets dense.

The mixture is then left to cool down and mixed with water and grated cucumbers. Sekanjabin Sharbat is often served cold and with lettuce.

8-Gol-e Mohamadi (Damask Rose Tea)

Damask roses are one of the most frequently used herbs in Persian drinks. Damask Rose is also used in Iranian dishes.

Damask rose tea is one of the most popular types of Iranian herbal tea due to its calming effect. This Iranian drink is served hot and can be found in cafes and restaurants.

ingredients: Damask rose petals, water, sometimes, honey.

9-Sharbat-e Bidmeshk (Bidmeshk Syrup)

The distillate of the pussy willow plant is very popular among Iranians. The Sharbat made with it is called Bidmeshk Sharbat and is one of the best Iranian traditional drinks.

Bidmeshk Sharbat is beneficial for the nervous system, migraine pains, and the heart. Similar to other Persian Sharbats, Bidmeshk is also a mixture of the herbal distillate, sugar, and water.

This delicious Persian drink is served cold.

ingredients: the distillate of pussy willows, water, sugar.

10-Tokhm Sharbati (Basil Seeds Syrup)

This beverage is one of the most popular Sharbats among Iranians. Tokhm Sharbati Sharbat tastes like lemon and is a great choice for cooling down in summer. In addition, the basil seeds used in this Sharbat are a good vitamin supply and help control blood pressure.

Tokhm Sharbati Sharbat is a mixture of basil seeds, lemon juice, sugar, water, and rosewater and is served cold. Basil seeds can be added to other Iranian drinks (Sharbats) as well.

ingredients: basil seeds, lemon juice, sugar, water, rosewater.

11-Ab Anar (Pomegranate Juice)

Pomegranate can be found almost everywhere in Iran and grows in the central and northern parts of the country. This sour fruit is used in many Iranian main dishes and salads.

Although it’s served cold, fresh pomegranate juice mixed with powdered Persian hogweed and salt is a popular Persian beverage during winter. It can be found at every juice bar and café and is a great new taste you can’t miss.

ingredients: Pomegranate Juice, powdered hogweed, salt.