Alcohol is illegal in Iran, so bars in the Western sense do not exist. What Tehran has instead is an excellent café culture — particularly in the northern suburbs — and a long tradition of the chaikhaneh (tea house), which serves as the social equivalent. The tea houses near Darband mountain trail are among the most atmospheric in the country. Coffee shop culture has grown notably in northern Tehran over the past decade, with several good independent cafés in the Elahieh and Jordan areas.