According to this article from the Smithsonian, what constitutes traditional Armenian cuisine is a frequent topic of discussion among Armenians. The definition of Armenian food seems to change depending on who you ask and where they’re from. According to the author, much of the confusion stems from Armenia’s “complicated history of wars, genocide, kingdoms, and conquerors”.

Armenian food traditions were formed over thousands of years in the Armenian Highlands, a fertile region well-suited to growing wheat, lentils, apricots, figs, and pomegranate. However, its location made it a prime place for conflict between warring empires which in turn made Armenian food culture subject to constant change.

Waves of immigration further altered the face of Armenian cuisine to the point that Armenian dishes consumed in the Caucasus are often vastly different from the Armenian foods familiar to the diaspora. The perfect example is choreg, an Armenian Easter bread made with ground sour cherry seeds. It’s one of the most beloved dishes in the diaspora but virtually unknown in Armenia.

My better half spent a good portion of her life in Los Angeles, home to the largest Armenian-American population in the US. People who live in places where Armenian food is readily available may think they’re familiar with the food in Armenia, but as these next thirty dishes will show you, that may not necessarily be the case.