Shafaq News- Najaf

In Najaf's Old City, one of Iraq's oldest ice cream traditions continues to draw visitors despite the spread of modern frozen desserts. Prepared by hand using techniques dating back to 1939, Najaf's traditional dondurma has become part of the city's cultural identity and a fixture for pilgrims and tourists alike.

Inside a modest shop, the rhythmic sound of wooden paddles striking metal containers still accompanies the preparation of the dessert, a method that has changed little over the past eight decades.

Mohammed Sharba, grandson of founder Hajj Jassim Al-Damirji, said the family has preserved the original recipe and continues to make the ice cream entirely by hand.

"Our family has remained committed to the tradition established by our grandfather more than 80 years ago," Sharba told Shafaq News. "The manual preparation gives the ice cream its distinctive texture and flavor, which generations of Najaf residents and visitors have come to associate with the city."

The dessert is prepared from fresh milk, qaymar —Iraq's traditional clotted cream— and salep, an orchid-root flour widely used in Middle Eastern ice cream to create its characteristic chewy texture. It is typically topped with pistachios, vermicelli and saffron, alongside newer additions such as Nutella and baklava.

Sharba said production is carried out daily using fresh ingredients rather than long-term storage, helping preserve the quality that has sustained the business for decades.

The shop has become a regular stop for visitors arriving from across Iraq, particularly from Karbala, Basra and Baghdad.

For Mohammed Najeh, who traveled from Al-Diwaniyah with his family, tasting the traditional ice cream has become an essential part of every visit to Najaf.

"Our trip is never complete without stopping here," he said. "Its flavor is unlike any other because it is still prepared by hand using natural ingredients."

Despite rapid changes in Iraq's dessert industry and the growing popularity of international ice cream brands, Sharba said demand for the traditional product has remained strong.

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