Annual Armenian Food Festival & Bazaar

We went on the last day so I imagine it wasn’t as lively as the days before… but I say that because it was such a great atmosphere to be in with the kids running around and the music playing in the background.
My fiancé and I came to check it out and there were lots of stalls around with items for sale. My favourite thing was the Armenian coffee which was delicious. After that we headed over to the food line. Sure it was quite a wait but the food was delicious. We had the chicken, beef, and kutfa kabob along with the kufta ball. Then to go we grabbed a container of hummus, ma’amoul and a piece of baklava. Everything was so tasty and the atmosphere was great. I can’t wait to go back next year and hopefully we’ll go earlier to grab some dolmas too!

The unadvertised $ 5 admission fee was a big turn-​off. For someone who only wanted to try some armenian cuisine, to pay an additional entrance fee for a 10 minute visit to the food stalls seems wrong.

It’s going down!
This festival happens once a year. It’s a unique and inviting experience for all ages. Each day’s atmosphere is different. Friday is the launch, Saturday is full swing and Sunday is the day romp.
Went last night with friends (Saturday). We knew parking would be horrendous so we ubered it. More people should.
Admission is $ 5. If you want to come for a quick look, purchase some goodies and have a snack, $ 5 may seem like a lot. But I’m happy to support my local community.
The scene last night was crackin. Live music and dancers. The costumes were magnificent. At least twenty-​five stands with an array of offerings. One beer and wine stand. One sandwich stand with the BEST meats. Ahhhhhhh sooo good!
We did the «buffet» last night. $ 17. It’s not all you can eat — just one pass thru. I can honestly say everyone working this festival is HELLA nice. Everyone works hard and has fun while doing it. The line for the buffet is enormous. Around fourty-​five minutes to get to the good stuff. The meats in the buffet were hot, fresh and coming directly from the BBQs. The buffet came with fresh bread, salad, rice and kebobs of your choice. I always do the lulay. It’s well seasoned beef. So good. We also sampled the extra items like kofte balls, hummus, dolmas and other delicious delicacies I don’t know how to spell. Everything was truly outstanding.
If the buffet line and price seem hefty just get the sandwich. The sandwiches are terrific. $ 6 – 7. They’re wrapped up so you could take them to go.
My husband compiled a dessert sampler the four of us shared. The desserts along with the strong coffee and live music was the perfect way to end our evening. Some of the best Armenian treats I’ve ever tasted.
There’s lots of trinkets, jewelry, collectables and produce stands. There’s also a separate kids area with food and games. Truly, something for everyone.
Good vibes and big smiles all around! Love this festival!

Awesome time and great food!

Now being married to a man that is half Armenian, I guess that makes me Armenian too. For me being half Greek, it wasn’t much of an adjustment. I frequent the Greek festivals and stock up on ingredients that I can’t find too easily, and quickly found out that Armenian food is very similar to most Greek dishes. So it’s nice to come here each year.
The one new item I tried when I first came here is Souboreg. It is basically lasagna, but they took out all the yucky stuff people call vegetables. Yes, boys and girls … it’s cheese and pasta, what more could you ask for? Sadly we missed the festival last year, and missed purchasing a tray of it to take home — and had full blown withdrawal because of it. Now I have 2 trays in the freezer fighting the urge to bake one, knowing that I would justify eating an entire tray simply because it’s «yummy». I had a piece at the festival, but sadly, it was cold … and now wanting more since having it straight out of the oven would be even better.
We lucked out this year since we went on a Sunday for the first time, and there was NO $ 5 admittance fee! Nice! We parked for free at the Greek Church right next door (the irony hasn’t escaped me) and practically ran in to buy Souboreg to go. They sell out of it, so we bought that first, and they will hold it in the freezer until you are ready to leave. I’m happy they did, because I’m pretty sure each tray weighs about 10 pounds! We felt as if we were dragging a body back to the car.
Overall it’s a nice festival, much more toned down than Greek festivals, and that might be due to the fact Ouzo is not being served (which is a good thing).

This is a confusing Unilocal site because I think two different food bazaars have been conflated into one. My review is about the Calvary Armenian Congregational Church Food Bazaar, which is held annually in November. It is located at 725 Brotherhood Way (not 825). I have been going to this food bazaar for the last 29 years. The food is lovingly and meticulously hand prepared, and the prices fairly reflect the work that has gone into their preparation. There is a cafeteria style food line, and the choice of food to eat is really something. I especially enjoy the kuftas and boueregs. The boutique is a nice place to pick up other non perishable food such as hand made preserves (try the fig preserves, they are unique). You can pre-​order items like kuftas, boueregs, lahmejun, etc.

Great way to support this community! I went on a Sunday afternoon and there were several kiosks open selling trinkets, different services, Armenian coffee, sandwiches and pastries. The main event seemed to be the huge hall that serves the buffet. $ 15 for a combo plate with 2 kebobs, chicken, steak or ground beef, that comes with rice pilaf, salad and bread. $ 10 for one kebob. Then there is a wide array of sides like kufta, cous cous, dolmas and desserts ranging from $ 1-​$ 3. Best baklava I’ve tasted! Like others have mentioned, Sundays are free and very low key. There was music playing on the speakers, but no entertainment. Friday and Saturday night probably warrants this more as a festival.

I must say, i have been to quite a few good festivals and this one absolutely falls short. Note that admission is $ 5 and some parking locations require a fee. There were two vendors (veggie sandwich vendor and falafel sandwich vendor) and then the $ 15 per plate for buffet. I was disappointed because I was looking forward to a festival where food was coming DIRECTLY off the grill but that wasn’t the case. For those with kids, note that there is a $ 10 fee for each child to play in the blown-​up jumpers which was not properly supervised.
I think it’s an appropriate cultural event to showcase the Armenian culture BUT labeling it as a «food festival» is quite a stretch. I recommend going to support the cause but DO NOT expect great food… I have had better!!!

Every year, I look forward to attending the event. I cant wait until September! Their food, Armenian dancing, people, decorations and overall culture is spectacular. It’s very well organized and you are consistently being entertained. Thousands of people come from everywhere to attend this festival. Being that I have been to soo many cultural festivals, I can say that the Armenian food festival is one of the BEST I have been too! Props to the organizers!

The food here is amazing… I was completely blown away. The festival itself is super fun with lots of vendors, performances, and dancing. It reminds me of the Chinese New Year celebrations that I had to go to as a kid… and how much I hated putting on performances for the adults. The energy is really good and everything that I ate here (my primary reason for coming here) was delicious. I would recommend ordering a la carte rather than the set meal of two or one kebabs with salad and ($ 15); this way you’ll be able to try all of the pastries. And getting 1 of each pastry/​dish and splitting with 2 other friends puts you in the $ 12 – 16 range and you’ll get a lot more variety than the entrée option. The people here are super friendly and you really get a good community vibe from the festival! I also ordered an apple delight to go… which was essentially a better version of an apple pie because of the phyllo dough… I’m obsessed with phyllo dough. Turnovers + baklava + meat kebabs make for a very happy festival goer. I will definitely be back here again next year!

The food was amazing, the dancing sublime. And everyone friendly and gracious. Not to be missed. I can’t believe I’ve waited all these years to go to this wonderful neighborhood party. Try the fresh pistachios.

Great Event… One of the rare gems as far as Bay Area food festivals, too bad its only once a year. Loved the beer garden this year.

So much goodness. I don’t know where to start.
Games, Food, Music, Art, Beer… the list goes on.

It’s time for the 55^th Annual Armenian Food Festival-that’s no joke! There’s more to Armenians than Kim Kardashian…
Ok, maybe I’m a tiny bit biased because I’m Armenian. but this Festival is 55 years in the making with over 8,000 people passing through the doors over the course of 3 days! That tells you something.
This is THE biggest and (in my opinion) the best ethnic food festival in the city! And all the proceeds benefit St. Gregory Armenian Church. So, yes this is a fundraiser people… (which is why you pay to enter)
Sundays are free! If $ 5 breaks the bank for you…
All the food is home made and prepared by little Armenian Grandmas and everyone working there is a volunteer for the Church. Yes, everyone is a VOLUNTEER! So, if you don’t know what something is, just ask! And they will gladly explain and give recommendations. Take them. trust me
Food to try: *coming from an insider*
*Subereg: (basically, the Armenian version of cheesy lasagna, but way better made with homemade dough)
*All the pastries: Especially the apricot filled ones!
*Stuffed eggplant… pretty self explanatory
*Armenian Coffee
*Kufte: (Armenian meatballs filled with juicy goodness, The BEST anywhere! Better than my mom makes! Way better. And we love meat.)
*Soujouk: Armenian sausage. garlicy goodness,. The food of the Gods…
and whatever else your little heart fancies…
Other Pros:
–Free parking (Yes, its true. In SF! But you may have to search for a while on the busy nights…)
–Free for kids. and Lots of kids games/​activities
–Free entertainment! Music, dancing performances… you name it! It’s like a little Armenian Circus
–Free entrance on Sunday! Yes, it’s FREE people!
What you have in store if you attend is a wonderful, home made meal of delectable Armenian food, live music, dancing and oodles of booths to peruse for everything from the freshest and most fabulous fruits straight from the farm (literally!), raisins, nuts, cheeses and yogurt (the real deal kind!), Armenian CDs, cookbooks, arts and crafts, wine tasting, Armenian beers (they are good!) and much more.
So, if you haven’t ever been. stop by!
If you think it’s dead on a Sunday afternoon, stop by on Friday or Saturday night from 8pm-​to closing. You won’t be able to move!

The Annual Armenian Food Festival & Bazaar is one of the hidden gems of a food festival there ever was in the city. I almost always attend all three days of the festival. I don’t see why not, as there are NO Armenian restaurants in the city… Yes there is a $ 5 cover charge, but 100% of the festival proceeds go to the school :) «Ice cream sandwiches served at the 8^th grade booth» heehee
Pros:
+FOOD: Savory and sweet. The Chicken and the steak sirloin kebabs are juicy and perfectly SEASONED. The rice is amazing, with its tiny little noodles. Those green bean things in the tomato base. The Spinach Puffs!!! The freshest and tastiest Baklava ever. Next year I’m bringing home just a box of those. So many choices for the carnivores, herbivores and those who have a sweet tooth of mastedon proportions. Even the side salad is dressed with a dill vinaigrette I had never had before.
+People: The people that made and served all the fresh food are such sweethearts…
+Music and performances
+Bazaar: Fresh coffee served in tiny mugs, the place that sells those bomb ass grapes that you can sample from a hanging cluster, the sandwich and pizza place I have yet to try, live music, a wine tasting booth and a bar (if you’re into that), a falafel and roasted corn booth and a section for children’s carnival type games.
+Parking: Completely unmetered and free, on the street and in parking lots.
Cons:
–Not too crowded :((I guess it’s more a con for them…)
–One can rack up a well-​worth it bill
–Not for those who don’t like to try new foods.
–Some of the bazaar booths (not the food section inside) don’t take credit card
I always look forward to this festival every Fall. It’s great for groups, families during the day and the adult crowd at night.

After wanting to attend the annual Armenian Festival since seeing their banner strung across Brotherhood Way for I-don’t-know-how-many years, we finally got to go. Parking is pretty difficult, but we walked over from the other side of Bro’hood and went right in. There is a $ 5 admission charge and you then walk through a bazaar where vendors are selling fruits, pistachios and other nuts, and Armenian knick-​knacks (I liked the glass pomegranate ornaments). There is a stand selling Armenian coffee in a tiny china cup with matching saucer for $ 2 (return the cup and saucer when you’re finished, please!), and a take-​out stand selling kebabs and other items for around $ 6 each. The food is not cheap, but you have to realize the bazaar is put on for charity.
We wandered past the lovely pastries in glass displays, into a large banquet room where you line up for dinner. It is a BIT pricey: the $ 15 plate offers rice pilaf, salad, bread, and two kebab skewers (chicken, beef, or luleh – which looks like a sausage). I chose the a la carte route, and was treated to the most delicious stuffed pepper (dolmas) and green beans I’d had in a long time, piled on rice pilaf with a salad, and one of the crispy baked cheese lasagna things on the side, all for $ 12. I shared with my companions, still came out full enough to bypass the pastries on the way out! I am shaving off a star because the others in my party felt they paid too much for what they got, since they ordered the skewer plate.
NOTE: Don’t miss the booth selling grapes: all colors and types of grapes; especially the tiny red grapes, which were the most delicious I’ve EVER had. Can you say «nectar of the gods??»
Go if you possibly can… the festival begins at 7:00 pm on Friday and continues on Saturday and Sunday.

So $ 5 general admission is a bit of a meh. Maybe I’m biased here but I went in the afternoon, it was dead. There was nothing to look at or do and the food was super expensive. $ 8 for rice + 1 skewer? Seriously? That’s pretty expensive for what it was, combine that with the sides and your spending a pretty penny here with the general admission cost.
I did have the apple treat and the baklava, the apple treat was delicious and i would recommend it but the baklava was ok, it was decent baklava but nothing mouth watering.

Considering they are in the 53^rd year, you know something fantastic is going on. It was our first year, and really, after living in SF for so long, you’d think that I would have tried it sooner than this past Friday.
Admission is $ 5 for adults, $ 3 for seniors, and free for kids, but we managed to score some free tickets by printing a ticket from their SFGate event listing! We checked out the first evening, so it was a little slower than I’d expect the other days to be, but still, great food!
We ordered the kebab dinner, stuffed eggplant, dolmas, and something like spanokopita with spinach and cheese inside. A bottle of wine was $ 15, which we split amongst four.
YUM. Eating the food at the bazaar felt like being invited into an Armenian grandmother’s kitchen.
After the bottle of Sicilian wine, we were on a mission to try Armenian wine. They had some at the beer/​wine stand outside, but when we went to order it, the man warned us about it… I, of course, didn’t listen and still wanted to try it, and he poured me a glass and didn’t charge for it.
I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED. It was terrible. Listen to the man at the wine/​beer stand! :P

After looking at the signs advertising this food festival for the past week, everytime I drove down Brotherhood on my way to the 280, decided to stop in and check it out. Glad I did.
$ 5 general admission, kids free and $ 3 tickets for seniors. Most of the food is sold in a big banquet hall and you can sit and eat at long tables in this cafeteria setting. $ 13 for a plate with two kebabs with rice, salad and bread, or $ 8 if you want just one kebab. Also lots of sides that you can purchase separately for just a few dollars each, such as spinach pastries, stuffed peppers and eggplants, dolmas, and a large array of desserts and pastries. I wanted to try everything, so I ate a lot.
I like that there was ample seating. I don’t like to stand and eat. Also, the food was very good, in that lovingly made from scratch from an old family recipe kind of way that seems to go with church bazaars and other community functions. They sell beer and wine as well at this festival.
I don’t write very many reviews, but wanted to say that I tried this and I liked it. For anyone else who’s ever been curious about this food festival, you still have time to check it out today or tomorrow.

First thing I gotta say… SOUJOUK is off the hook!!! Where have you been all my life? WHERE???
Entry fee was $ 5 per person and it was our first time. There’s a main hall where they serve hot food and it’s big enough to fit a whole lot of people.
For $ 13, you get rice with 2 kebab sticks (choices were chicken and lamb), simple salad and piece of bread. We only wanted one kebab stick so they charged us $ 8. There’s plenty of other food to choose from and each of those cost extra (approximately $ 2 per item).
The rice was good but the lamb kebab, though tasty, was dry. I have no idea what they’re called but these meatball looking things were so delicious! As was the sausage looking meat. And the savoury filo pastry items were nummy! Not to mention the baklava! There were also a lot of vegetarian dishes available. We enjoyed the food so much, we bought some to take home!
Oh and I can’t forget about the Soujouk! This is Armenian sausage and it was sliced (looks like salami) and served in a grilled sandwich with tomatoes, pickles and some sauce. If I wasn’t so full, I would’ve eaten two of them. AMAZING!!!