Azerbaijani men find refuge in traditional teahouses

Teahouses – chaikhana – have long played a fundamental role in Azerbaijani society. For centuries, men have gathered at their neighborhood teahouse to drink, eat and talk. While women are slowly being admitted to the teahouse tradition, they are subjected to several "unwritten rules" that range from where they can sit to where female staff should wash the dishes. In one of the many male-dominated food houses located in the capital Baku, food is still cheap and, while there are some female customers, the rules make it clear that male clientele is preferred. Author: Aygun Rashidova