In recent years, Uzbekistan has shown itself to be a promising tourist destination, and people come here not only for the beautiful architecture and hot climate, but also to try real pilaf and lagman. But as you know, in the east “you need to know the places”, so we decided to turn to the indigenous people to find out where the best restaurants of Uzbek cuisine are located.
Russian tourists can visit Uzbekistan with a foreign passport; without a visa, they are allowed to stay in the country for no more than 90 days. COVID documents are not needed.
Tashkent
A plane ticket from Moscow to Tashkent costs 12,000 rubles in September, travel time is 3 hours 50 minutes.*
We recommend staying in Tashkent at the luxurious four-star hotel The Royal Mezbon Hotel & SPA with swimming pool and bar. The cost of a night in a double room is from 7,200 rubles).*
“Caravan”
In the design of this restaurant, the creators used national motifs, and as a result, it seems that visitors find themselves visiting a large Uzbek house. Carpets, comfortable furniture, designer tiles and terracotta ceramics – everything was chosen with love and carries local flavor. For those who want privacy, there are private offices, and those who prefer to dine al fresco can sit in the open courtyard, covered with vines and ivy. You can often find evenings with live music here: regulars claim that this is the best place to listen to young Tashkent performers.
By the way, a small life hack for those who are just planning to start getting acquainted with Uzbek cuisine: you should wash down your meals not with soft drinks, but with tea – this way fatty foods are better absorbed. This is exactly what the Uzbeks themselves do.
What to try: naryn (finely chopped horse meat with noodles) with broth, Uzbek lula, kuk-somsa (pie with herbs), Shivit osh (spicy stew with meat and vegetables).
Afsona
This establishment positions itself as a restaurant of modern Uzbek cuisine: for example, they try to make traditional dishes less fatty. You can spy on the secrets of cooking – the chefs work in an open kitchen. The design of the restaurant was developed by the London agency Design LSM in collaboration with one of the best living artists of Uzbekistan, Bobur Ismailov. True, national motifs can still be traced here: the hall is decorated with stylized tandoors and clay jugs.
What to try: grilled dishes, baklava (the range of this sweet here is simply huge).
Bahor
The restaurant, opened in 1958, is located in a building included in the list of cultural monuments of Uzbekistan. Locals often book it for their celebrations and events – the interior is luxurious – and come here for generations. The menu includes not only Uzbek dishes, but also European, Arabic, Indian Chinese and even sushi (guests sometimes want gastronomic variety). In the evening, a show program with national dances and music takes place on the stage of the restaurant.
What to try: mampar (soup similar to lagman), pilaf.
Navvat Lounge Bar
The Navvat teahouse is decorated in a classic oriental style: visitors can even have dinner while reclining on a trestle bed. The decor includes traditional national instruments, brocade tablecloths, ceramic lamps made from lyagans and bowls, and embroidered skullcaps. This place is considered an original cuisine restaurant and is famous for its original coffee service, unusual desserts and hookah menu. After 8 pm there is live music.
What to try: manti (including with pumpkin), shurpa (rich soup with lamb and vegetables), stewed lamb on the bone.& ;nbsp;
Shedevr Garden
This is a real oasis in hot Tashkent: as the name suggests, the restaurant is located in the middle of a garden, which even has a small pond with a waterfall and swans. Guests can sit in gazebos on the street, and inside the restaurant there are several rooms for banquets, karaoke and a relaxing family holiday. The cuisine is original, combining Uzbek and European traditions.
What to try: “masterpiece pilaf” with original serving, lamb in a frying pan, kebabs, harira (thick spicy soup of tomatoes and chickpeas).
Samarkand
An air ticket from Moscow to Samarkand costs 15,300 rubles in September, travel time is 3 hours 51 minutes.*
One of the best accommodation options in Samarkand is the small but luxurious Platan Hotel, located not far from the historical architectural ensemble of Khoja-Ahrar. The cost of a night in a double room with breakfast is from 10,500 rubles.*
“Sycamore”
The design of the Platan restaurant is made in an elegant European style, made of natural materials – stone and wood. The main hall is decorated with an artificial waterfall, and you can also sit in the greenhouse. Moreover, the dishes here are Uzbek, with excellent presentation. Many travelers who have visited several cities of Uzbekistan note that it was here that they were lucky to find the best cuisine and excellent service.
What to try: kyufta-shurpa (chickpea soup with meatballs), chalop (Uzbek version of okroshka), grilled eggplant with cheese, signature dish ” Platan” from the most tender lamb.
Samarqand Osh Markazi
This place is called the “center of pilaf,” so it’s easy to guess that they come here specifically for this dish, which has glorified Uzbek cuisine throughout the world. True, the interior may confuse you a little: the cafe looks more like a Soviet canteen, but the queue of local residents that forms early in the morning is more eloquent than any recommendations on travel sites. It is customary here to eat pilaf with your hands, according to tradition. It’s better to arrive before two o’clock in the afternoon: after that, the prepared pilaf may simply run out, so if you want to start the day with the main national dish, stop by Samarqand Osh Markazi.
What to try: Samarkand pilaf (with sesame oil, with lamb and quail eggs). Order half a portion, because a whole portion is simply gigantic, and here it is customary to finish your meal out of respect for the cook.
Samarkand
The cozy and at the same time luxurious restaurant Samarkand can be visited immediately after the key attractions of the city: it is located right in the center and, moreover, its design is a wonderful stylization of the cultural heritage of the country. It’s customary for locals to dress up to visit this restaurant – we advise you to follow their example and take gorgeous photos in its incredible interiors.
What to try: ugra-osh (egg noodle soup), sih-kabob (lamb kebab), jiz (tender lamb with onions ).
Bukhara
An air ticket from Moscow to Bukhara costs 13,700 rubles in September, travel time is 3 hours 55 minutes.*
We recommend staying in Bukhara at the Amulet Hotel, which is located in the Old Town. The cost of accommodation is from 8,000 rubles per night with breakfast.*
Old Bukhara
The restaurant is stylized as a traditional home of wealthy residents of Bukhara, and the owners and staff make every effort to make visitors feel like welcome guests. The terrace overlooks the garden and the old town, and the patio in the evenings is where people dine at long communal tables – a very authentic experience.
What to try: manti, Bukhara pilaf (with raisins), charcoal lamb loin, khan shashlik (lamb liver).& nbsp;
Silk Road Tea House
This tea house was opened by Mirfayoza Ubaydov, a famous supplier of spices introducing Uzbek spices to the whole world. This cafe is decorated with trestle beds with soft kurpachas and pillows, carved wooden furniture and handmade carpets. On the street you can sit in soft chairs or on benches. People come here not for lunch, but for aromatic teas made from medicinal herbs and oriental spices: according to tradition, drinks are served with dried fruits, nuts and caramelized sugar – navat. You can buy tea mixtures to take with you.
What to try: herbal teas, teas with spices, coffee with cardamom, national sweets – halva, baklava, kozinaki.
“Adras”
The restaurant is located in an ancient building of the 19th century – the architectural monument Caravanserai Gulomjon, in the very center of the historical district of Bukhara. It is also decorated in the national style: traditional musical instruments of Central Asia are hung in the wall niches; here, like in a museum, you can look at the kitchen utensils that the Uzbeks used in the old days of nomadic life. “Adras” hosts performances of national dance ensembles and groups performing enchanting oriental music, as well as a display of national clothing of the 19th century, so this place can be safely recommended to art lovers. The dishes here are prepared according to preserved authentic recipes.
What to try: kuzacha-kabob (kebab in a pot), damlamu (meat with vegetables, stewed in a cauldron), manti with lamb. & ;nbsp;
*Prices valid at time of publication.
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