The thing to do in Ashtarak between churches is to find one of the small cafés near the main square and order Armenian coffee with a piece of gata. Ashtarak gata — a flaky pastry stuffed with a sweetened flour-and-butter mixture called khoriz — is considered by many Armenians to be the best in the country. The town has several bakeries that make it fresh. It keeps well and is an ideal thing to take back to Yerevan.
The café culture here is quiet and local. Conversations are unhurried, backgammon boards appear in the afternoons, and no one will rush you out. Strong, sweet coffee is the default.