FoodFood
The Flavors That Tell the Story of Iraq
Across kitchens and family tables, a new generation is finding fresh ways to carry old recipes forward.
Featured · Taste. Travel. Discover.
Discover the flavors, places & stories that define our region.
From unforgettable meals to hidden destinations, Shafaq Taste explores the food, travel, culture and experiences worth discovering.
Explore the latestA new perspective on the places we call home 01 / 04
The latest
Stories worth making time for
Food
TravelTravel
A Weekend Guide to Erbil: Where to Eat, Stay & Explore
A considered route through the city’s old heart, new cafés, and the views that reward a slower afternoon.
CultureCulture
Inside the Kitchens Keeping Traditional Cuisine Alive
Meet the cooks, makers, and storytellers protecting the details that make a dish feel like home.
DiscoveryDiscovery
10 Places Worth Discovering This Season
From highland trails to market streets, our seasonal edit of places for curious travelers.
City lifeCity life
The New Generation of Cafés Changing the City’s Food Scene
Thoughtful coffee, open kitchens, and spaces designed for lingering are reshaping the everyday ritual.
PeoplePeople
From Family Tables to Modern Restaurants
How local dining is evolving without losing its sense of welcome.
Food & drink
The stories behind the food we love
Food is memory, ritual, craft, and a reason to gather. Our food desk follows the people and places giving familiar flavors a new chapter.
RecipesRestaurantsLocal cuisineChef storiesFood trendsCafésStreet food
Chef stories
What makes a table feel like home?
Restaurant discovery
Where should we eat?
Restaurant
Editorial pickThe Long Table
Erbil · Contemporary
A warm, produce-led room built for long lunches and shared plates.
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Café
Editorial pickMorning Ritual
Baghdad · Coffee & pastry
A bright neighborhood stop for careful coffee and something sweet.
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Fine dining
Editorial pickEmber & Grain
Sulaymaniyah · Seasonal
An expressive tasting experience rooted in familiar regional flavors.
Read the noteTravel & destinations
Go somewhere worth remembering
Destination guide · Demo
Erbil: a city where history meets a new generation.
Start at the citadel, stay for the long lunch, and leave room for the city’s galleries, gardens, and late-night coffee. A guide designed to help you find your own route.
Where to stayWhere to eatWhat to seeThings to doBest time to visitLocal experiences
Open the city guide Old city
Long lunch
36.1911° N44.0092° E
Stay well
A better way to find your stay
Luxury
The quiet luxury edit
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Boutique
Small stays with a point of view
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Family
Rooms for everyone
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Business
Work trips, made warmer
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Resorts
A little further out
Read the editCulture & lifestyle
The people, rituals & ideas shaping everyday life
Architecture
What the new cultural spaces are making possible
Rooms for gathering, making, learning, and seeing the city from a different angle.
Fashion
A wardrobe with a sense of place
Wellness
The wellness rituals that travel well
People
Three makers to know this month
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The Shafaq Taste guides
A considered shortlist, not a ranking
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