Restaurants

Colbeh Persian Kitchen

One reason the owners of this true-minded Persian restaurant, a first for Decatur, chose its location was for the pizza oven left over from the previous concept, Zucca. Superb home-baked bread—a thin, puffy, oblong relative of pita dotted with black sesame seeds—comes with feta, butter, walnuts, and fresh herbs before you even place your order for plump kebabs, complex sweet-and-sour stews, and creamy eggplant dishes.

The long and narrow dining room with rustic wood paneling (the restaurant’s name is Farsi for “cabin”) isn’t particularly convivial, but the presence of a full bar that pours signature cocktails made with spirits such as saffron-infused vodka adds an element of warmth. Friendly servers show impressive savvy for pairing red wines (particularly Spanish) and craft beers with juicy filet mignon skewers or a stew combination platter (an excellent value at $13) with fragrant basmati rice.