Debed Delights brings a new food culture to Armenia’s Lori region

by Nane Vardanyan

Food connoisseurs will soon have a new gourmet destination in Armenia’s Lori region. A new bakery-restaurant called Debed Delights is opening in Debet village, a community of over 800 people, famous for its heavenly nature and innovative community projects.

Currently under intensive construction, Debed Delights unites an artisan bakery, homemade packaged food production, and a restaurant for up to 60 people under one roof, promising to bring a new food culture to the region and give people tasty memories in the form of international delicacies.

The business was founded by Tatevik Aghababyan, who moved from Germany to Debet three years ago and founded Debed.life, a co-living and workation space in Debet village, where you can escape from noisy city life and taste dishes from international cuisines.

Everything is prepared on the spot using local ingredients and traditional techniques. The environment created by each cuisine is reminiscent of a short trip to that country. To give you a sense, when trying Tatevik’s signature lasagna, fresh green salad, juicy bruschettas, and white wine, the ambiance, flavors, and aromas will remind you of a small Italy in the beating heart of Debet.

By preserving the breath of Debed.life Debed Delights will broaden its economic impact in the region by attracting more tourists and offering at least 12 new job opportunities locally. The taste of its artisan goods will reach beyond Debet — the products will be available in Vanadzor, Spitak, Gyumri, Dilijan, and seven nearby villages. “We’ll promote a unique food culture and add a new shade to the local lifestyle,” believes Tatik.

To Tatevik, the project not only promotes a quality food culture but a new form of cooperation. Debed Delights is coming to life thanks to many helping hands from the EU4Business “Innovative Tourism and Technology Development for Armenia” project, the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF), and private investors.