The best Baklava I had in Jax! I love that they were homemade and very sweet, nutty, with a hint of cinnamon. I also loved the kind lady upfront! I appreciate her recommendations and opinions on what's best on menu. read more

Halal Food in Sunni Islam - Conditions (Translated and Organized) In Sunni Islamic jurisprudence, "halal food" refers to food that is permissible according to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad . It must meet several conditions related to the nature of the food, its preparation, slaughtering process, and consumption. 1) Lawful Nature of the Food Itself The basic rule is that all foods are permissible unless there is clear evidence of prohibition. Forbidden foods include: * Pork and its derivatives * Carnivorous animals (such as lions, wolves, dogs) * Animals declared impure or harmful * Animals explicitly prohibited in Islamic texts (e.g., domesticated donkeys in most cases) 2) Conditions of Islamic Slaughter (Dhabihah) For meat to be halal, the animal must be slaughtered correctly: * The slaughterer must be a Muslim or, according to many Sunni scholars, from the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab) * The name of Allah must be mentioned at the time of slaughter ("Bismillah") * The windpipe, esophagus, and main blood vessels in the neck must be cut * A sharp instrument must be used to minimize suffering * Blood must be fully drained from the body * The animal must be alive before slaughter 3) Purity and Absence of Impurity (Najasa) Food must be free from any religious impurity, such as: * Flowing blood * Urine and excrement * Contamination from impure substances or unclean surfaces * Contact with alcohol if considered ritually impure or prohibited in consumption 4) No Mixing with Haram Ingredients Even if the base food is halal, it becomes haram if mixed with prohibited substances: * Alcohol or intoxicants used as food ingredients * Pork-based gelatin or enzymes * Fats or oils derived from forbidden animals * Any additive derived from impure or prohibited sources 5) Lawful Means of Acquisition and Preparation The food must be obtained through lawful means: * Honest trade and lawful purchase * No theft or usurpation * No use of unlawful wealth such as interest (riba), bribery, or fraud 6) Utensils and Cooking Equipment * Utensils must be clean and free from najasa (impurity) * If previously contaminated, they must be properly purified according to Islamic rules * Utensils of People of the Book are generally permissible if clean 7) Intention and Consumption Ethics * Food should not be used to harm oneself or others * Excessive waste (israf) is prohibited * It must not be used directly for sinful purposes Summary In Sunni Islam, halal food is not only about the type of meat. It is a complete system involving: * lawful ingredients * proper slaughtering * purity from impurities * lawful earning and preparation * ethical consumption read more

Food: it was good. I had the lamb, chicken, and ground beef kabobs. Aka chenjeh, jujeh, and koobideh. I'm definitely coming back. The cashier said they are the only Persian kabob place in town, and that style of kabob is my favorite. The rice was cooked nicely. The grilled tomato was a little too scorched on the outside, but I still enjoyed it. The platter came with a slice of lime, and a dab of butter which complimented the protein nicely. I wish my meal came with a grilled onion, and some pita bread like I'm normally used to seeing at other restaurants. I'm very happy that Jax has at least one good kabob place. If you love rice, or barbecue then I would recommend you check this place out. Credit cards: yes Customer service: the cashier greeted me kindly when I walked through the front door with a smile. I thought he did a good job. He was a young fellow with wavy hair. Parking: easy to find free parking in front of the restaurant when I went there on a Sunday afternoon. Cleanliness: it was clean. I didn't see the bathroom. Food violations: they do have some food violations that you can see on yelp. Hopefully they have that sorted out. The business owners need to stay on top of that. read more

The first time I tried food from this restaurant was when my friends were having a party and they had food catered from here. Recently, i was back in the area visiting and made a point to go here to have lunch. Upon entering the restaurant was very clean. It was a place where you go to the desk to put in your order. We went at a little bit of an off hour for a late lunch but the restaurant still had a steady stream of people there. Not to mention with that, the staff was still incredibly nice and took the time to not only answer my questions but guide me in the right direction. The food lived up to my memory from the party and I had the opportunity to try more and new things. read more

Persepolis Cafe - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Authentic Persian cuisine in JAX! The staff are friendly and helpful and they guided us through the menu when placing our order. The food was made to order and everything tasted fresh. The kebabs were tender and served over a bed of fluffy basmati rice. The gyro was very filling and was packed with ingredients. read more

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Great casual Persian spot in town. This is my first time so I decided to order a gyro, which had a delicious spicy tzatziki and the lavash bread it was made into was perfect. The side tabbouleh was fresh and flavorful. Next time I'm definitely trying the traditional skewers. Service was friendly and fast. read more

Persepolis Cafe - Lamb Gyro - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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It's hard to find a true Persian restaurant and thrilled to see one in Jacksonville. My wife is Persian so I have had many home cooked Persian meals and she accompanied me on this visit and we both highly recommend. It's not a true Persian restaurant unless Ghormeh sabzi on the menu, so of course I had to try it and it was delicious. We also tried the Kaske bademjoon (eggplant) which was great, in fact my wife loved it! If you like eggplant, you should try it and even if you think you don't like eggplant and someone in your group gets it, give it a try; it's a great dish to share. Our party of three tried several kebabs, including the Chubideh, chenjeh, and jujeh (ground beef, steak, chicken). The three of us enjoyed all three different types of kebabs, each having a slightly different ranking, although two of us rated the chicken the highest. The butter is to put on your warm roasted tomato which was delicious! We had a chance to thank the Persian owner for a wonderful meal who let us know that the recipes are from his wife, and she deserves the thanks. We will definitely come again on our next trip to Jacksonville and wish the larger city we visit from (Cleveland) had a true Persian restaurant. read more

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Had to add the menu they do catering family size meals. Prices have increased. Service is nice and the restaurant is clean. They open late 12p which is late for lunch and and they closed early 8p read more

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I love authentic Persian food and Persepolis really fits the bill here! I stumbled across this restaurant while in the area visiting somewhere else and knew I would need to come back and try it. So we came for lunch on a Sunday. We entered right as the opened and were warmly greeted. The lady behind the counter took our order and we sat down. Our appetizer and then meals came out freshly made without a long wait. I also decided to order a couple items to go and they accommodated that as well. The tabouli is one of the best I have had. very little burger wheat, more parsley with fresh veggies and plenty of lemon and a nice amount of salt. It was truly lovely. The kebabs were so juicy and tender. Very good! The lavash was freshly made and so tasty! I also ordered a personal favorite, babaganoush and it was wonderful! The kebab platter was enough for two meals, the rice was beautifully seasoned and the little pat of butter on top just made it extra special. I even ate the tomato and I am not a cooked tomato person at all. Overall, very happy, very full and looking forward to my next visit! read more

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If you love Persian food, this is Jacksonville's spot. The koobideh is delicious. Really well cooked and served exactly how you want it - with a big plate of rice. My wife also loves their lamb gyro. The lamb kebab is also a solid choice - tender, well seasoned, and really nice sear. Highly recommended! read more

Excellent food , I repeat excellent food!!. Service is great and warm, so happy to find a place in Jacksonville that has Koobideh. Ambiance is average but it's all about the taste and authenticity which Persepolis has. read more

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delicious authentic Persian cuisine clean atmosphere. pleasant staff. Looking forwRd to going back.

UPDATE: this place has fallen off and from other reviews I see I'm not the only one experiencing the decline. This is the second time they gave me the wrong order and I didn't mention anything about the first time because I received half of the order correctly. However I see it's an ongoing probelm all of a sudden with order accuracy. So now I suspect it's not by accident but rather they give you what they need to get rid of from their inventory and make you pay for it. I get the same thing all the time and repeatedly said pors chubideh and chicken skewer and I received koobideh, and was told that I would have to pay to correct the order when it wasn't my mistake. They have lost me as a customer because there's one thing I don't do is play about my food. If you can lie about a simple order what else are you doing that's deceptive... someone needs to check into this place. Hmmmm PREVIOUS REVIEW: Persepolis Cafés food is so delicious and healing to the body and soul. Everytime I eat here, which is several times throughout the months, I feel so good about what I'm eating. This place reminds me of my favorite Mediterranean places in NYC. Great for date nights too! The food and service are EXCELLENT, and the atmosphere has a family oriented dining space. The owners are genuinely gracious and kind people. I love visiting here. I highly recommend the lentil soup, pors chubideh dinner, shirazi salad, maast khiar, and baklava with tea. De'Lish read more

Super happy to have found a quality kebab place! Ordered the ground beef and chicken chunk platter, tadig, yogurt, and shirazi salad. Meats were tender and the yogurt was a star. Paired very well with the bread. The restaurant was a little run down and the AC could use some work (a little muggy inside) but food and service were wonderful. Also ordered dessert (almond cake and baklava) to take home, which were very tasty. Would definitely go again. read more

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Great to find a Iranian restaurant in Jacksonville. Delicious! Authentic Persian food. Excellent food and service, a hidden gem. read more

Excellent, authentic Persian fare. Great service and I love the Rose ice cream. I'm a real foodie, raised & lived in NYC practically my whole life; so I know good food. I've tried many Mediterranean restaurants in Jax. This rates up there with the top & the prices are great. My favorite Persian spot in Manhattan was Bamiyan. They're no longer around. This spot's worth trying if you're in Jacksonville or just come to visit. Not touristy; I feel it's more of a local secret. read more

My first time going here with my son yesterday. The food was delicious! Even though I only had a chicken salad, I think it was the best I ever ate. The chicken was cooked and not those slices out the pack. My son had like a salmon glaze over rice.. it was there Sunday dinner but it was delicious!! We will definitely be back to try other items, and I'll bring my mom and daughter as well. read more

Persepolis Cafe - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Great place if you enjoy Persian food. Authentic flavors and just the perfect taste. Would definitely go there again. Service was very quick. Honestly, only reason I didn't give it a 5/5 is because it was a little dirty inside. The windows and walls haven't been cleaned for a while - you could tell. A small family owned restaurant. That's what makes me want to go to this place. Gotta support small businesses. You won't regret going there. Delicious food - no complaints. Only wished they offered Persian soups. read more

Persepolis Cafe - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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The food were delicious and the service was great. We'll definitely be back to try other items. read more

Persepolis Cafe - Gyro with a side of fries. - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Upon arrival, you're greeted by a small cozy dining section. Order at the counter and then take a seat. The food was spot on. Very close to homemade comfort. Get out there and keep these good folks busy. You won't be disappointed. read more

Persepolis Cafe - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Really good food. The koobideb was amazing as was the tahdig. The service was very good. The food tasted very fresh with a nice salad. Excellent mast-e-moosir as well. read more

Persepolis Cafe - Tahdig - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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While I was sad to see the Parisian spot leave the building, I don't think there could ever be too much shawarma/gyros/döner and related Mediterranean and Middle East cuisine in the area. My mom and I took lunch there recently alongside my baby in the high chair, and the experience was pleasant and pleasing from the time we opened their door to the time we got back into the car. Whenever we have a chance, we like to order the house hummus, and theirs did not disappoint! And their fresh homemade pita elevated the dish to next level. We both asked for a lamb gyro and then shared a plate of fries. The gyros had luscious and savory lamb wrapped with fresh vegetables and pickle. Every bite was heavenly, and the serving size just enough to be full and take home a little for later. On the way out, we asked for a few pieces of their baklava to go, and we were not disappointed. Soft, honey-rich morsels. Happy to have Persepolis Cafe in the area and looking forward our next visit. read more

Quaint little Persian cafe. This place has been on my list four a long time and I'm happy we finally tried it! You order at the counter and they bring the food out to your table. I had the NY Style Chicken and Rice Platter. It comes with pita ,hummus, and salad. It was amazing! Flavors that I had been searching for since moving to Jax. The chicken was perfectly seasoned, the rice perfectly cooked, and the dressing on the salad was so simple but was very flavorful. The pitas were homemade and on the thinner side (which I loved) the hummus was fresh and garlicky! My husband had the lamb gyro. He loved every bite! I tried it and really liked it too! I am not a fan of lamb but still liked the flavor. They had a display case of desserts that I couldn't pass up! The woman taking our order explained all were made in house and what each one was. She recommended the almond cake. We got it to go because we were stuffed. But I had to take just one bite! It was so unique and not too sweet. It was made with almonds, saffron which gave it that unique flavor. I can't wait to come back to explore more of the menu. read more

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The food was excellent and the staff in the restaurant were very pleasant. It's a small place where you walk in and order at the counter. You sit and they bring your food once it is prepared. The warm pita and hummus is done of the best I've had. The Gyro was was very good and the baklava was unique and fabulous. Prices are reasonable and it's definitely a place worth trying. read more

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If you're looking for an authentic place to eat Persian food, Persepolis Cafe is without a doubt your best choice! Fresh food, well seasoned, and the art they have posted on the walls, makes you feel right at home. Definitely recommend. read more

Terrific Persian and Mediterranean food in a relaxed, casual atmosphere! Staff gave excellent service and the portions are huge! Really like the chicken jujeh, beef kubideh kebabs and also the lamb gyros..delicious! If you want to eat healthy, this is the place! Love the salads. Recommend the Greek and also Shirazi! Great variety and will definitely be a regular here! read more

Great kabobs, I had only had this style of food when I lived in California, what a great find. I believe this is Iranian style of food and the flavors in the meat and chicken are just so authentic that I had to try all their meats including lamb. There are about 4 employees in total and it is very casual, you order on the counter and they will bring the food to you, place is pretty small kind of like a cafeteria but clean. They also have their traditional music playing. Highly recommended. read more

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Flavor is amazing. Had a beef gyro, falafel and hummus. Spicy tzatziki sauce was fresh lavish. 5/5

The food was delicious! Very authentic Persian food. The koobideh and kashke badamjan were amazing

We are on vacation in Jacksonville Beach. Decided to try Persepolis Cafe. My husband is Persian, I'm American. I ordered Kabob Koobideh. It was soooooooo good!!!! Yum yum!!! My husband ordered chicken kabob - ground and chunk. It was also delicious as well ! As sides, we got shallot yogurt and salad shirazee. They were playing Persian music which took me back and makes me want to go visit asap!! Over all, The food was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS !!! Service was also good. read more

Persepolis Cafe - Kabob Khoobideh, Mast o musier (shallot) - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The food was perfect! Most flavorful hummus I have ever had. Lavash made fresh when ordered. Kebabs were amazing (we had the chunk chicken and ground beef). Service was wonderful! Welcoming and happy to answer all of our questions! read more

I found another winner Persepolis cafe exceeded my expectations! Delicious food packed perfectly for take home dinner with my guests. Wonderful menu and selections. Abundant portions, fresh, delicious, fabulous!!!!! Reminds me of the excellent Persian food I got in California ! The best!!!!! Thank you Persepolis cafe. read more

This is a little middle Eastern Restaurant. Walked in and greeted warmly. I ordered spicy chicken with rice; my husband ordered chicken shwarma which was pretty tasty. I would say that the amount of chicken that.was on my plate might have equaled a 1/4 cup and about 2 cups of rice; seems like that anyway. I am from Michigan so I am pretty spoiled as far as middle eastern restaurants go; pretty hard to top. This spot is decent. It's nothing to rave about but decent! Again, maybe I'm just spoiled. read more

Authentic. Good quality food. Reasonable pricing. Friendly staff. Will be going back.

I think it's one of the best restaurants in Jacksonville. Super fresh. I would eat there everyday if possible.

Good food and nice people in a cozy environment! The area is not very fancy but people are friendly and it has many pictures reminding Iranian culture. read more

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The food was the best! My husband is from Iran and said that was the best Persian food he has eaten in US, which is quite a statement coming from him. My food was moist and the rice perfect. We also got hummus and Persian salad which had great flavor. The staff is friendly and helpful. You place your order at the counter but they bring your food to the table. read more

Excellent, been there 3 times on drives between South Carolina and Biloxi and picked up a ton of food to take home to Biloxi with me! The chicken koobideh is my personall favorite. read more

Amazing , delicious food and very clean place. Good kabob and stews Yogurt soda is nice read more

Hidden gem. Very authentic. The gyro is ON POINT! The Greek salad is very solid. My wife is Persian and her family swears by this place. We order from here about once a week. I highly recommend for those looking for an excellent and affordable meal, as well as those looking for authentic middle eastern food. read more