With a culinary tradition going back centuries, Persian cuisine is replete with exotic dishes that combine artful ways of cooking with delicate flavours. It commonly uses saffron, spices, herbs, pistachios and yoghurt. Rayhoon in St. Petersgate in bustling Stockport offers a range of dishes fairly representative of the cuisine. It takes its name from the traditional Persian term for basil.

Comfortable interiors and friendly service make their mark at Rayhoon. Get started without much ado with falafel, fried patties made from chickpeas and fava beans, or koko sabzi, a fresh herbs omelette, and move on to kebabs, lamb, chicken or salmon. For the main course enjoy zereksh polo, basmati rice with chicken, saffron, barberries and pistachios, or baghali polo, basmati rice with lamb, dill and broad beans. A range of stews also can be savoured with rice or naan bread. For dessert, there's baklava, zolbia balmie, made with yoghurt, flour, saffron and rose water, or Persian ice cream.