My name is Roni, and I am the proprietor of Zeytoon, a bistro serving Persian food. I grew up in the very heart of Tehran, an ancient Persian city that dates back six thousand years, an important stop on the old  Silk (and spice) Road and the capital of Iran since 1786. My family lived very near the Grand Bazaar, where my father had two clothing shops, and where I helped out from the time I was a small boy.

As a result, I wandered the magical streets of the bazaar from a very young age, enchanted by their beauty, their abundance, their colours, their scents, and of course, their foods.  As a young man, I set out to explore every café and restaurant in the bazaar with my friends - every variation of Iranian regional cuisines, every special meal.

My mother was a fabulous cook who also trained my palette well. 

After four years in Peterborough a friend offered to support the opening of a little Persian eatery, and I jumped at the chance. Of course, my mother in Tehran was my main consultant – long, detailed telephone calls – but I also found some wonderful instruction via Google and YouTube – the modern way to learn cookery! 

It took many months, but at last, I felt the food I was making with my hands corresponded to the food I remembered in my mind. A regular customer at Zeytoon remarked of our food: “it’s like Mediterranean cuisine sprinkled with a fairy dust of subtle spices,” and I think this describes it well.

I am fanatical about hygiene and freshness because I believe that good food should be both delicious and responsibly prepared. I love to meet my many customers, talk with them, get to know them and reap the rewards when they tell me how much they love the food of my ancestors. Please check out our menu (link here), dine in or take out, and welcome to Zeytoon!