Kurdish cuisine is meat-heavy and flavoured with herbs from the mountain region — lamb grilled over wood or charcoal, rice with butter and herbs, yogurt-based sauces, and stuffed vegetables are the staples. Sulaymaniyah has a lively restaurant scene by Iraqi standards, with good local restaurants alongside a growing number of cafes and modern restaurants catering to the expatriate and educated professional population. The bazaar area has the best selection of cheap local food; the newer commercial districts have the fancier options.