Almaty is Almaty is Kazakh and Central Asian cooking — beshbarmak, kazy horse sausage, baursak, lagman, and shashlik — from village-themed national restaurants to the Green Bazaar, under the Tian Shan mountains. We've organized 13 restaurants across 5 categories. Each entry includes prices, hours, local tips, and a Google Maps link so you can plan straight from the page.
AlmatyFood Map
Click pins to see restaurant info · 13 restaurants
Beshbarmak, kazy horse sausage, baursak and meat-and-noodle classics — the heart of Kazakh food
Auyl
Ауыл · Al-Farabi Avenue (upper city)
1
#1
MUST TRY
Beshbarmak with smoked horse brisket, kazy on the bone, kuyrdak (offal fry), baursak
One of Almaty's most celebrated Kazakh national restaurants, themed around traditional rural village ('auyl') life, with yurt-inspired décor and an open kitchen. Known for refined, experimental takes on the classics — beshbarmak with smoked horse brisket and kazy served on the bone.
$15-40
(KZT 7,000-18,000 (₸))
12:00-24:00 (daily)
Local tip: The signature beshbarmak is the dish to order, ideally shared at the table — it's a communal, celebratory dish. Auyl sits in the leafier upper part of the city, so take an app taxi. Book ahead for weekend evenings. This is a step up in price and presentation from a canteen, but a memorable introduction to Kazakh cuisine.
Beshbarmak (horse or lamb), kazy, manti, baursak, Kazakh tea service
A long-popular Kazakh national restaurant blending traditional cuisine with attentive modern service, often cited among the best places to sample the full range of national dishes in a comfortable, celebratory setting.
$12-30
(KZT 5,500-14,000 (₸))
11:00-24:00 (daily)
Local tip: A reliable choice for a first proper beshbarmak — generous portions, the dish brought to the table to share. Good for groups and families. Reserve for weekend evenings, when it's busy with locals celebrating. Pair the meat with the bread and broth as it's traditionally served.
Beshbarmak with horse or lamb, Uzbek plov, kazy, kuyrdak
A national restaurant whose menu spans Kazakh and Central Asian classics — beshbarmak with horse or lamb meat alongside Uzbek-style plov — in a traditional setting popular with locals.
$10-25
(KZT 4,500-11,500 (₸))
11:00-23:00 (daily)
Local tip: A solid mid-priced option that lets you compare Kazakh beshbarmak and Uzbek plov in one sitting. Good value and authentic. As with all beshbarmak, it's best shared. Cash is handy here, though cards are usually accepted.
A traditional Kazakh restaurant with both an indoor dining room and a pleasant outdoor terrace, serving national classics near the Baikonur metro station — a comfortable, local-leaning spot for beshbarmak and tea.
$10-25
(KZT 4,500-11,500 (₸))
10:00-23:00 (daily)
Local tip: The terrace is lovely in warm weather. Convenient if you're using the metro (Baikonur station is close). A good place to try shubat (fermented camel's milk) or kumis in a relaxed setting. Order beshbarmak for the table and finish with tea and baursak.
Plov, lagman, manti and samsa — the Uzbek, Uyghur and Dungan flavours that fill Almaty's tables
Kishlak
Кишлак · Central Almaty
5
#1
MUST TRY
Uzbek plov, lagman, manti, shashlik, samsa, beshbarmak
A cozy, rustic restaurant of Central Asian cuisine — Uzbek, Uyghur and Kazakh dishes — with several rooms decorated in distinct traditional motifs and low teahouse-style seating. A popular spot for the full Central Asian spread.
$8-22
(KZT 3,500-10,000 (₸))
11:00-24:00 (daily)
Local tip: Order plov and lagman to taste the Uzbek and Uyghur side of Almaty's food, plus shashlik and samsa for the table. The atmospheric, themed dining rooms make it a good experience as well as a meal. Portions are large — order to share. Book ahead on weekends.
Plov, lagman, manti, samsa, shashlik, tea in a traditional teahouse setting
A well-known Central Asian restaurant chain with a teahouse (chaikhana) atmosphere, serving generous Uzbek and regional classics. A dependable, popular choice across several Almaty locations.
$8-20
(KZT 3,500-9,000 (₸))
10:00-24:00 (daily)
Local tip: Great for a relaxed Central Asian meal — the plov and lagman are the staples to order, with pots of tea. The chaikhana styling and big portions make it good for groups. Several branches around the city, so there's usually one near where you're staying.
Plov, lagman, beshbarmak, manti, shashlik — Central Asian classics
A long-running restaurant known for its richly decorated, traditional Central Asian interior and a broad menu of Uzbek, Kazakh and regional dishes — a popular sit-down choice for plov, lagman and grilled meats.
$12-28
(KZT 5,500-13,000 (₸))
12:00-24:00 (daily)
Local tip: The ornate interior makes it feel like an occasion. A good all-rounder if you want to sample a wide spread of Central Asian and Kazakh dishes in one place. Order plov and a couple of shared dishes. Reserve for evenings.
Charcoal-grilled skewers (shashlik) and steakhouse fare — meat done over fire, Almaty-style
Line Brew
Лайн Брю · Nazarbayev Ave / Abay Ave
8
#1
MUST TRY
Grilled steaks, shashlik, ribs, house beer
A long-established, English-themed steakhouse and brewery — a local institution for grilled meats and steaks, with indoor and outdoor seating, English menus and English-speaking staff.
$20-50
(KZT 9,000-22,000 (₸))
12:00-24:00 (daily)
Local tip: The go-to for a serious meat meal beyond the national restaurants — steaks and grilled dishes done well. Easy for visitors thanks to the English menu and staff. On the pricier end for Almaty, but a reliable choice for a steak or a longer dinner with house beer.
Shashlik, beshbarmak, grilled meats — with city and mountain views
A Kazakh national restaurant set high on Kok-Tobe hill (about 1,100m), with a yurt-styled interior and sweeping views over Almaty and the snow-capped Tian Shan. Grilled meats and national classics in a scenic setting.
$15-35
(KZT 7,000-16,000 (₸))
11:00-23:00 (daily)
Local tip: Come for the view as much as the food — sunset over the city and mountains is the highlight, and it pairs naturally with a Kok-Tobe cable-car visit. Order shashlik or beshbarmak. Prices reflect the location, but the setting is hard to beat. Reserve for sunset.
Lamb and chicken shashlik, grilled vegetables, lepyoshka bread
A popular spot for classic charcoal shashlik (grilled skewers) — lamb, chicken and beef cooked over coals — a casual, meat-focused favourite that captures the everyday grill culture of the region.
$8-22
(KZT 3,500-10,000 (₸))
11:00-23:00 (daily)
Local tip: Shashlik is everywhere in Almaty, and this is a good, casual way to try it — order a mix of lamb and chicken skewers with bread and a salad. Affordable and unfussy. Great paired with the fresh flatbread (lepyoshka). A relaxed lunch or early dinner.
Georgian khachapuri and khinkali plus Almaty's broader cosmopolitan dining scene
Daredzhani
Дареджани · Shevchenko St (central)
11
#1
MUST TRY
Khachapuri Adjarian (cheese-and-egg bread), khinkali dumplings, Georgian tea
A well-loved Georgian restaurant chain in Almaty, serving traditional Georgian cuisine in a cozy setting — beautifully presented khachapuri, khinkali, and grilled dishes. The Adjarian khachapuri (boat-shaped, with cheese and egg) is a standout.
$10-28
(KZT 4,500-13,000 (₸))
11:00-24:00 (daily)
Local tip: Georgian food is one of the most popular non-local cuisines in Almaty, and Daredzhani is a reliable favourite. Order the Adjarian khachapuri to share and a plate of khinkali (eat by hand, hold the top knot). Good for vegetarians too (cheese-and-vegetable dishes). The central Shevchenko branch is convenient.
The Green Bazaar, baursak and tea, and Almaty's lively café and bakery scene
Green Bazaar (Zelyony Bazar)
Зелёный базар · Central Almaty (near Panfilov Park)
12
#1
MUST TRY
Kazy and horse-meat products, dried fruits and nuts, fresh baursak, samsa, kurt (dried cheese balls)
Almaty's famous covered central market — rows of meat (including kazy horse sausage), dairy, dried fruit, nuts, spices, pickles, and Korean-style salads, plus food stalls for samsa, plov and grilled snacks. The best place to graze and shop for local produce.
Local tip: Come hungry and browse — vendors offer tastes of dried fruit, nuts, kurt (dried cheese balls) and kazy. Haggling is normal for produce. Keep your bag zipped in the crowds. It's right by Panfilov Park, so combine it with the Zenkov Cathedral. Cash is king here. A great, cheap way to taste local food.
Specialty coffee, breakfast plates, baursak, local pastries and cakes
A representative of Almaty's lively modern café scene — specialty coffee, all-day breakfast, pastries and cakes in a relaxed, contemporary setting. Almaty has a strong, fast-growing café culture, and central spots like this are easy stops between sights.
$5-15
(KZT 2,200-7,000 (₸))
08:00-22:00 (daily)
Local tip: Almaty's coffee and café scene is genuinely good — a useful break from heavy meat meals. Order a specialty coffee and a breakfast plate or pastry. The central cafés have English-friendly menus and free WiFi, handy for planning your next mountain trip. Cards and Kaspi QR accepted.
Lagman + shashlik + baursak + Green Bazaar kazy/horse-milk tasting.
Mid-Range
$30-60/day
A Kazakh beshbarmak dinner (Auyl, Gakku) + Central Asian spread.
Luxury
$90+/day
Fine national dining + a mountain-view restaurant on Kok-Tobe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about food and restaurants in Almaty.
What is beshbarmak and where do I try it?
Beshbarmak — literally 'five fingers,' as it's traditionally eaten by hand — is Kazakhstan's national dish: boiled horse or lamb meat served over wide flat noodles with an onion broth (and often kazy horse sausage). It's communal and celebratory, meant to be shared. For an excellent sit-down version, head to Auyl or Gakku (the standout national restaurants), or Qaimaq and Zheti Kazyna for a more local, mid-priced take. Expect KZT 3,000-6,000 ($6-13) for a generous portion.
What other Kazakh dishes should I try?
Beyond beshbarmak: kazy (cured horse-meat sausage, often sampled at the Green Bazaar), kuyrdak (a hearty fry of offal and potato), baursak (fried dough puffs served with tea), and shashlik (charcoal-grilled meat skewers, everywhere). For drinks, the adventurous try kumis (lightly fermented mare's milk) and shubat (fermented camel's milk) — sour and fizzy, an acquired taste best in a controlled setting like a national restaurant.
What's the difference between Kazakh and Central Asian food here?
Almaty's table is a crossroads. Kazakh cuisine centres on meat (horse and lamb), noodles and dairy — beshbarmak, kazy, kuyrdak. The wider Central Asian dishes are Uzbek, Uyghur and Dungan: plov (rice pilaf with lamb and carrots), lagman (hand-pulled noodles with a spiced meat-and-vegetable sauce or soup), manti (steamed dumplings) and samsa (baked meat pastries). Kishlak, Navat and Alasha are great for this Uzbek/Uyghur spread.
Is there good non-local food in Almaty?
Yes — Almaty is more cosmopolitan than its size suggests. Georgian food is especially popular (Daredzhani for khachapuri and khinkali), and you'll also find Russian, European, Korean, Turkish and steakhouse options (Line Brew is the long-running steak choice). The central districts have a strong specialty-coffee and brunch scene too — a welcome change of pace from heavy meat meals.
Where can I eat with a view?
The Abay national restaurant on Kok-Tobe hill (about 1,100m) is the classic view dining — Kazakh classics and grilled meats in a yurt-styled space overlooking the city and the snow-capped Tian Shan, best at sunset. Pair it with the Kok-Tobe cable car. In the city itself, Auyl and Gakku are the upscale national restaurants for atmosphere and a proper beshbarmak.
How much should I budget for food, and is it cash or card?
Eating is affordable: a hearty national meal runs KZT 2,500-6,000 ($5-13), a coffee KZT 1,200-2,000 ($2.50-4), and a big shared dinner at an upscale national restaurant maybe $20-40 a head. Cards and the local Kaspi QR app are widely accepted in city restaurants, but carry cash (tenge) for the Green Bazaar, small cafés, and grill stalls. Tipping around 10% is standard at sit-down restaurants if not already included.
Are there options for vegetarians?
Kazakh cuisine is very meat-heavy, so pure vegetarians should plan ahead. The easiest options are Georgian (cheese khachapuri, lobio bean stew, vegetable dishes at Daredzhani), café and brunch spots in the centre, and some Central Asian vegetable dishes (vegetable lagman, salads, samsa can be meat or pumpkin). The Green Bazaar is great for fruit, nuts, dried fruit and breads. Vegans will find it harder, but the modern café scene helps.
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Jimmy Kong
TripPick founder · Travel content creator
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.
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