Best Restaurants in Kazakhstan 2026

Beshbarmak

Kazakhstan's national dish of slow-braised lamb or beef served over wide hand-rolled noodles with onion sauce. The name means 'five fingers' — traditionally eaten communally with hands from a large platter.

Where to try: Navat Restaurant or Gakku Restaurant, Almaty

Price: $10-20

Kazy and Karta (Horse Meat Sausages)

Traditional horse meat sausages — kazy made from the rib fat section and karta from the large intestine — cured and dried using ancient nomadic preservation methods. Strong, distinctive flavor beloved by Kazakhs.

Where to try: Green Bazaar meat section and any Kazakh home kitchen

Price: $5-15/portion

Shashlik (Grilled Meat Skewers)

Marinated lamb, beef, or chicken grilled over charcoal on metal skewers, served with raw onion, lavash bread, and spiced vinegar dipping sauce. The most universally eaten dish across all of Kazakhstan.

Where to try: Any chaykhana, outdoor café, or Green Bazaar area stall

Price: $3-8 per skewer

Baursak

Puffy deep-fried dough balls made from yeasted dough, served with jam, clotted cream, or honey at tea time. A staple of Kazakh hospitality and the first thing served to guests at any Kazakh table.

Where to try: Any Kazakh café or market stall across Kazakhstan

Price: $0.50-2

Lagman

A Central Asian noodle soup of hand-pulled wheat noodles in a rich tomato-based lamb broth with peppers, carrots, and garlic. An Uighur dish adopted across Kazakhstan with regional variations.

Where to try: Uighur restaurants and local canteens across Almaty

Price: $4-8

Kumis (Fermented Mare's Milk)

Lightly alcoholic fermented drink made from mare's milk, with a tangy, effervescent taste unlike anything else. Deeply embedded in nomadic cultural identity and believed to have significant health benefits by Kazakhs.

Where to try: Navat Restaurant, yurt camps, and specialist stalls at Nauryz festivals

Price: $2-5/glass

Samsa

Triangular or circular pastry filled with minced lamb, beef, and onion, baked in a tandoor clay oven until golden and flaky. Sold piping hot from street stalls outside bazaars throughout Kazakhstan.

Find it at: Outside Green Bazaar and Kolkhozny Bazaar, Almaty

Shashlik Stalls

Charcoal-grilled meat skewers sold from dedicated shashlik stalls and open-air chaykhana (tea houses) with accompanying fresh bread. Best experienced in the evening around Green Bazaar.

Find it at: Green Bazaar perimeter and Arbat street, Almaty

Pirozhki

Small soft buns filled with cabbage and egg, meat and onion, or potato — baked or fried, sold from vendors and small bakeries. A Soviet-era staple that remains hugely popular across Kazakhstan.

Find it at: Market stalls, street vendors, and local bakeries everywhere

Corn on the Cob (Roasted)

Charcoal-roasted corn sold by street vendors in summer months throughout Almaty parks and markets. Inexpensive and delicious on the spot.

Find it at: Panfilov Park and Kok-Tobe area in summer

Kurt

Hard dried balls of salted sour yogurt cheese — the ancient nomadic preservation food that sustained Kazakh tribes across the steppe. A unique snack sold at every market.

Find it at: Green Bazaar dairy section, souvenir shops

Green Bazaar (Zelyony Rynok)

Almaty's most famous covered market and the city's culinary heartbeat. Rows of stalls overflow with dried fruits, nuts, spices, fresh produce, dairy, meat, and ready-to-eat foods. The experience is as much cultural as culinary.

Hours: 8AM-7PM daily

Kolkhozny Bazaar

A sprawling traditional market in Almaty more popular with locals than tourists, with authentic produce stalls, meat vendors, and a vibrant canteen section serving cheap hot meals. Excellent prices.

Hours: 7AM-6PM daily

Astana Central Market

Astana's main food market serving the capital, with a good selection of fresh vegetables, meat, dairy, and Central Asian specialty products from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan alongside Kazakh staples.

Hours: 8AM-7PM daily