Almaty
This branch of the popular nationwide microbrewery attracts the carnivorously inclined with stone-cooked meats, an assortment of steaks, some of the…
Must-see restaurants in Kazakhstan
Almaty
This authentic Indian restaurant is well worth seeking out. Sultry decor and crimson ceilings combined with such classic northern Indian dishes as bhuna…
Shymkent
Visually a sultry cross between a stone-walled cellar and a library, with plenty of books on art and design on surrounding shelves, this gorgeous…
Almaty
Yes, this place is self-consciously trendy, with pulsing ambient music, hip young staff and decor comprising giant steel feathers, but the food is…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Decorated with framed recipes from different regions of Italy, this refined, contemporary restaurant really delivers when it comes to pasta, risotto and…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Shymkent
Atmospheric multiroomed Kok-Saray, with carved-wood pillars, murals and an airy front terrace, serves the best Uzbek food in town (and in Kazakhstan,…
Almaty
The owners of this restaurant decided on a 19th-century Russian-country-mansion theme and then ran with it a few kilometres. Expect lots of samovars,…
Kazakhstan
There's no denying that the setting is idyllic: yurts with dining tables against a snowy mountain backdrop, a glacial stream crossing the property. The…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
This top-class Azerbaijani/Georgian restaurant has two lovely decks overlooking the river as well as an inside dining room with beautiful Azeri decor. The…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Popular with a young, laptop-wielding crowd, this trendy cafe has something for everyone: good coffee, ample breakfasts, some of the best burgers in town,…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Tasteful minimalist decor and friendly service greet you as you enter, and the extensive menu of Japanese dishes – from sashimi to cold soba noodles –…
Turkestan
Edem Hotel's courtyard restaurant – by far the best place to eat in town – is a fine place to down good shashlyk, sushi, pasta, salads and beer.
Almaty
Trendy without being snooty, this bare-brick-walled, industrial-themed place attracts meat lovers with the best steaks in Almaty. Ribeyes, T-bones, flank…
Almaty
It's worth travelling all the way to the outskirts of Almaty to sample some of Kazakhstan's most imaginative sushi rolls amid floor-to-ceiling manga art';…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
With a diagram on the exposed brick wall showing the different parts of a cow, fashion shows on the TV screen and a solid menu of (mostly) European wines,…
Almaty
Popular Venetsia sits beside the little Malaya Almatinka River and its outdoor terrace is a great place to eat on a summer evening. There's a huge choice…
Almaty
The pick of the city's Georgian establishments, Daredzhani serves numerous favourites from the Caucasus, including pkhali (cold, fragrant, herb-rich…
Almaty
This exotically decorated, Central Asian–themed restaurant is a place to come for quality regional cooking. Old favourites such as manty, laghman,…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
The owners of this restaurant chose a 'Ukrainian peasant inside a windmill' theme and then decided to run with it a few miles. Expect hay wagons,…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Walk in past the vintage Soviet cars by the entrance and you're free to indulge your communist fantasies. The decor is OTT USSR – Stalin portraits, hammer…
Almaty
This is one of Almaty's best Uzbek restaurants and especially nice in summer when you can sit around the courtyard. Go for the plov prazdnichny (festival…
Kazakhstan
Near the promenade and the MiG plane, this Georgian place has a medieval-cellar ambience. Standout dishes include slow-cooked lamb and veal chakhushuly …
Shymkent
Overlooking the park behind Kinoteatr Kakakhstan, Bar Villa's two levels of mostly sofa seating have big windows to enjoy the leafy view, and there's a…
Shymkent
Another superlative restaurant inside the Rixos hotel, this informal Pan-Asian place features original decor with Kazakh elements, an open kitchen that…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Respectable Georgian establishment, decked out in 'village' style: lots of clay vessels, grapevines and wooden farming implements. The menu is full of…
Atyrau
Owners of this kitschy restaurant chose a Ukrainian peasant theme and decided to run with it a few miles. The decor may be a little OTT, all log cabin and…
Almaty
In a green and leafy part of old Almaty, this popular, upmarket chain serves a smorgasbord of spicy, flavourful dishes from the Korean peninsula, from…
Almaty
With greenery-clad partitions granting patrons an illusion of privacy, this long-standing local favourite titillates local taste buds with a cornucopia of…
Almaty
Local professionals swear by the fish and seafood here – the grilled seabass, the oysters! – but the rest of the menu is also refreshingly different from…
Kazakhstan
Khachapuri (Georgian bread with melted sulguni cheese), chicken satsivi (in walnut sauce), lobio (hot, fragrant bean dish) and other Georgian favourites…
Kazakhstan
Ticking all the boxes when it comes to foreigner-friendliness, this shiny, casual place is part of the Pizza Blues franchise but specialises in perfectly…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
With polished service and stylish dark-wood decor, this establishment does a good job of replicating authentic Korean dishes, from bibimbap (rice topped…
Atyrau
A cross between a bordello and a nightclub, decor-wise – all crimson and mirrorballs – this is where Atyrau's trendy young things gather for sushi, steak,…
Kazakhstan
Georgian classics such as chicken satsivi (in walnut sauce), pkhali (cold, herb-infused vegetable starters), khinkali (steamed, meat-filled dumplings) and…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Cavernous restaurant specialising in authentic Indian food – mostly from the north, with tandoori chicken, lamb rogan josh and other favourites, but with…
Almaty
Cheerful Uzbek cheapie near the Green Market, with heaped helpings of manty (steamed dumplings), plov (pilaf), noodle dishes and chorba (stew). Popular…
Kazakhstan
The succulent grilled meats, boat-shaped manty (steamed dumplings), dolma (stuffed peppers), hearty soups and other Armenian dishes have won this…
Kazakhstan
Some of the best shashlyk in town – tender lamb, pork or sturgeon – are grilled up at this place with no sign but recognisable by the trees lining its…
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
The menu at this friendly Turkish eatery has a series of lamb/chicken/beef kebabs and shashlyk, as well as pide (Turkish pizza), steak and hearty soups…
