What it means
منو (menu) is the Persian word for the menu at a restaurant or cafe. It is borrowed directly from French, where “menu” originally referred to a detailed list, and it entered Persian with exactly the same meaning. The word is fully naturalized in everyday Iranian speech and you will see it written on signs, apps, and restaurant tables throughout Iran. There is no native Persian replacement in common use: منو is the standard word across all registers.
How to use it
- منو رو میتونم ببینم؟ (menu ro mitoonam bebinam?) “Can I see the menu?”
- منو غذا چیه؟ (menu-ye ghazâ chiye?) “What is on the food menu?”
- منو دیجیتاله یا کاغذیه؟ (menu digitâle yâ kâghaziye?) “Is the menu digital or paper?”
- منو نوشیدنی رو هم داری؟ (menu-ye nushidani ro ham dâri?) “Do you have the drinks menu too?”
Cultural note
Menus in Iranian restaurants increasingly appear as QR-code links on smartphones, especially since 2020. Many cafes in Tehran and other cities now offer bilingual menus in Persian and English. Larger traditional restaurants (sofrehkhâneh, سفرهخانه) may not use the word منو at all and instead display dishes on a board or bring them to the table for you to see.