Darakeh's tea houses and garden restaurants follow the same pattern as Darband's but in a quieter, less-visited valley in the northwest of the city. Tables are set on wooden platforms over the stream, shaded by plane trees; the menu is tea, fresh juices, watermelon, and grilled food. In summer the temperature is five to ten degrees cooler than the lower city.
The distinctive Darakeh characteristic is the morning mist that clings to the valley floor for an hour or two after dawn in spring and autumn — making it worth an early arrival before the later-rising crowds. Several small restaurants along the lower trail serve full breakfasts and are popular with Tehran families on weekend mornings.