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I’ve been a fan of Banu and Homa restaurants since they opened their doors.

As a hyphenated Persian, the dishes they serve are the food of my childhood, of my mother tongue and of a distant home.

Moving to Bahrain I was always a little frustrated with what was on offer, but when Banu opened their doors in 2018 followed by Homa in 2021 I was delighted.

Owned by Bahrainis & Tehranis, the food is exactly the type I am used to enjoying.

Homa is nestled in the new ish Janabiya Park area and is a two floored, terraced restaurant perfect for satisfying your Iranian food cravings. Beautiful takes on traditional art are muraled on the walls and their large terrace is fantastic for cooler days and nights.

Named after the owner’s mother, Homa, is a lucky bird that symbolises good omens in Persian fables.

What to try:

Zeytoon Parvardeh; tangy marinated olives with pomegranates

Mirza Ghasemi; smoked aubergines with garlic, eggs and tomatoes from the Caspian region

Freshly baked breads

Salad Olivier; A Russian potato salad that the Persians adopted into their own cuisines (and my childhood favourite)

Tachin Mahicheh; a melt in your mouth, slow cooked lamb shank, aubergine and rice layer cake

Khoresh Gheymeh; a lentil and beef tomato stew, topped with razor thin matchstick potatoes and served with fluffy basmati rice.

The main differences between here and Banu, apart from location and space, is the addition of fish items on the menu.  Though both are excellent choices, and it really depends on which part of the island you want to be dining.

If you haven’t tried Persian food yet or are looking for authentic dishes, then head here…it won’t disappoint.