In 2008, Reza, Hamid, and Navid Mohsenipour, after years of experience as musicians in Iran, decided to migrate to Italy to pursue further studies in music. Recognizing the rich cultural tapestry of international cuisines interwoven with ritualistic, cultural, and artistic traditions, in 2012, along with their close friend Mona Khalghali, they made the decision to establish the Persian restaurant “Taberna Persiana” in the heart of the historic city of Rome. Mona, besides being skilled in handicraft arts, was always admired in Tehran for her excellent culinary skills, so she worked as a chef in an Iranian restaurant in Rome for two years. Managing and owning a Persian restaurant was an opportunity for Mona and the Mohsenipour brothers to not only introduce Iranian cuisine but also ancient Iranian culture to Italians. In a setting characterized by strong traditional and familial values, Iranians residing in Italy for many years found a corner of Iran again at Taberna Persiana. At Taberna Persiana, cultural, musical, artistic, and traditional events always accompany extraordinary Iranian dishes.
The Taberna team also celebrates important Iranian events such as Yalda Night and Nowruz, and provides catering services and organizes private events in Italy. Additionally, as professional musicians actively engaged in Italy, they participate with their music group, Barbod, in international music festivals. In 2023, Reza migrated to California, Orange County, to reunite with his longtime friend, Sahba Motallebi, a prominent tar player and Grammy award-winning musician. Given their interest in sharing the culture, tradition, color, sound, and taste of their motherland with people around the world, alongside their music careers, they decide to open another branch of Taberna catering on a broader scale.
Since the time of the Achaemenid Empire, Persians used the term “Taberna,” synonymous with the Roman tavern and meaning caravanserai. Tabrana was a place for rest, enjoying wine, and food.
The Greek philosopher, Xenophon, marveled at the exceptional creativity of Persian chefs, as evidenced by an ancient tablet discovered during the reign of Cyrus the Great at Persepolis. He found that the chefs combined meats with aromatic herbs, pomegranate juice, saffron, cumin, mint, almonds, and pistachios, achieving a balance and flavor in their dishes without excessive use of spices, which became the origin of today’s Mediterranean cuisine.
The Persian Taberna restaurant in the Ostiense neighborhood of Rome, Italy, stands as a prominent example of ancient Persian Tabrana and is located just steps away from the “Piramide” Pyramid. In this restaurant, the culture, tradition, flavors, and sounds of ancient Persian Taberna come to life.
We are delighted to announce that when the flame of the kitchen and the excitement of Taberna in Rome dim at the end of the night, on the other side of the oceans, the flame of the kitchen and the excitement of our warm gatherings and parties will illuminate your evenings in California – Orange County.
For many, Taberna Persiana is more than a restaurant. It is a memory. A feeling. A place where cultures meet and stories reconnect. For Iranians, it’s a piece of home. For others, it’s a discovery that feels surprisingly familiar.
