Best Restaurants in Uzbekistan 2026

Plov (Osh)

The national dish cooked in a massive iron kazan (cauldron) with lamb, yellow carrots, chickpeas, raisins, and garlic. Tashkent-style uses cottonseed oil and is more oily; Fergana-style is lighter. Traditionally eaten from a communal dish on Fridays and at celebrations.

Where to try: Central Asian Plov Center (Besh Qozon), any oshxona in Tashkent

Price: $2-5

Samsa

Triangular flaky pastries filled with minced lamb and onion, baked directly in tandoor clay ovens until the dough puffs and chars slightly on the bottom. Best eaten immediately from the oven, burning hot.

Where to try: Chorsu Bazaar samsa vendors, Siab Bazaar Samarkand, street vendors citywide

Price: $0.40-0.80

Lagman

Hearty noodle dish with thick hand-pulled noodles, lamb or beef, tomatoes, peppers, and spices. Served as a soup (suyuq lagman) or stir-fried (qovurma lagman). Fergana Valley versions are particularly celebrated for their hand-pulling technique.

Where to try: Uyghur restaurants in Tashkent, any traditional oshxona

Price: $3-7

Manti

Large steamed dumplings filled with minced lamb and onion, sometimes pumpkin, served with sour cream or yogurt. Larger than the Mongolian version and distinct from Chinese dumplings in seasoning.

Where to try: Caravan Restaurant, traditional oshxonas, Samarkand's old-town restaurants

Price: $4-8

Shashlik

Grilled meat skewers (lamb, beef, or chicken) marinated and cooked over charcoal. The most beloved street food and restaurant staple in Uzbekistan, with the aroma filling every city's evening streets.

Where to try: Street stalls and chaikhanas throughout all cities, particularly around bazaars and evening markets

Price: $2-5/skewer

Non Bread

Round flatbread baked in tandoor ovens, stamped with decorative patterns, and sold still warm from the oven. The smell of freshly baked non is ubiquitous in Uzbekistan's bazaars. Prices range from $0.20-0.50.

Find it at: Every bazaar and neighborhood bakery throughout the country

Chuchvara

Small boiled dumplings similar to Russian pelmeni but seasoned with Uzbek spices, served in broth or with sour cream. A winter comfort food sold at bazaar canteens and street stalls for $1-2 per bowl.

Find it at: Chorsu Bazaar canteen, bazaar food stalls in all cities

Shurpa Soup

Rich lamb bone soup with potato, carrot, and onion, simmered for hours. The quintessential Uzbek winter street food sold from enormous pots at chaikhanas for $1-2 per bowl.

Find it at: Morning markets and chaikhanas throughout the country, especially cold months

Dried Fruit and Nut Mix

Freshly dried Uzbek apricots, figs, white raisins, walnuts, and pistachios are some of the finest in the world due to Uzbekistan's ideal growing conditions. Sold by weight at every bazaar.

Find it at: Siab Bazaar Samarkand, Chorsu Bazaar Tashkent, Lyab-i-Hauz market Bukhara

Central Asian Plov Center (Besh Qozon)

The most famous plov destination in Tashkent, serving up to 6,000 portions daily from 10 giant kazan cauldrons by skilled ustalar (master cooks). The photogenic setting and authentic atmosphere make it a pilgrimage for food lovers.

Hours: 12PM-4PM (until sold out)

Siab Bazaar Samarkand

Uzbekistan's most atmospheric food market stretching along Tashkent Street near Bibi-Khanym Mosque. Spectacular non bread displays stacked to the ceiling, spice mounds, fresh fruit towers, and the city's best produce.

Hours: 7AM-5PM daily

Chorsu Bazaar Food Hall, Tashkent

The enormous Soviet-era domed bazaar with dedicated sections for spices, dried fruits, meat, dairy, and fresh produce. The basement level is particularly atmospheric with its warren of vendors selling everything from sesame oil to sheep's tail fat.

Hours: 7AM-7PM daily