The streets around Fereshteh Avenue and Jordan in the Elahieh district have the highest concentration of good independent coffee shops in Tehran — the kind of places that take coffee seriously, have a pour-over menu, and attract a young, affluent, international-educated crowd. They represent one face of contemporary Tehran that is quite different from the historical and revolutionary narrative: quietly modern, design-conscious, and functioning as social spaces similar to café culture anywhere.
Alcohol is obviously absent, but the coffee is generally excellent (Iran has a long tradition of café culture, even if it was disrupted) and the social atmosphere is lively. The best options are concentrated within a few blocks. Names change; the general area near Jordan Avenue is where to look.