As of 2026, this Tashkent food guide covers 12 restaurants by category — including Central Asian Plov Center (Besh Qozon), Osh Markazi (Chorsu plov), Afsona. See prices, locations and must-try dishes below.
Tashkent is Tashkent is Central Asian Uzbek food — Tashkent plov, shashlik, samsa, lagman, and non bread — best at the legendary Central Asian Plov Center (Besh Qozon), plus Chorsu Bazaar street food. We've organized 12 restaurants across 4 categories. Each entry includes prices, hours, local tips, and a Google Maps link so you can plan straight from the page.
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Central Asian Plov Center (Besh Qozon)
Yunusobod (near the TV Tower) · Plov & Kazan Cooking
Uzbekistan's national rice dish, slow-cooked in giant kazans — the Central Asian Plov Center (Besh Qozon) is the canonical place, best before noon
Central Asian Plov Center (Besh Qozon)
Besh Qozon / O‘rta Osiyo Palov Markazi · Yunusobod (near the TV Tower)
1
#1
MUST TRY
Tashkent plov with quail egg, kazy (horse sausage), or garlic; served with non and salad
The city's most famous plov institution, nicknamed Besh Qozon ('five cauldrons'), beside the TV Tower. Oshpaz cooks prepare plov in enormous open-air kazans over firewood, and the kitchen is fully visible — you can walk through and watch before you eat. A single pot can serve a thousand people. The menu is essentially plov, salad, non, and green tea.
$3-6
(35,000-70,000 som)
09:00-23:00 (plov best/freshest before 14:00)
Local tip: Go before noon — the plov is freshest and the cooking spectacle is on, and it often sells out by early afternoon. Plov is a daytime dish here, so treat it as lunch, not dinner. Choose your add-ons (quail egg, kazy horse sausage, garlic). High-volume and lively rather than refined. Cash in som is easiest.
A no-frills plov canteen in the Old City near Chorsu, where locals queue for kazan-cooked rice at lunchtime. Less of a tourist set-piece than the TV Tower center, it's a cheaper, more everyday place to try the dish among Tashkent residents, with lagman and shashlik also on offer.
$2-5
(25,000-55,000 som)
10:00-16:00 (plov until sold out)
Local tip: Lunch only really — like most plov spots it winds down after the midday rush. Pair it with a morning at Chorsu Bazaar, which is steps away. Point at what you want if there's a language gap. Cash only; bring small som notes. Busy and authentic rather than polished.
Sit-down Uzbek (milliy taomlar) cooking — Afsona, Caravan, Rayhon, National Food — for lagman, manti, shashlik, and classic plov
Afsona
Afsona · City center (Mirabad)
3
#1
MUST TRY
Plov, manti, somsa, dolma, lagman; vegetarian options available
A popular modern Uzbek restaurant in the center that pairs contemporary design with national ornament — clay ovens, wooden screens, and a terrace. The menu runs across the classics (plov, manti, somsa, dolma, lagman) at fair prices, and it's one of the more reliable sit-down spots for travelers wanting traditional food in comfortable surroundings.
Local tip: A good all-rounder for a proper Uzbek meal without roughing it — the plov, manti, and somsa are the dishes to order, and there are some vegetarian choices, which are rare locally. Comfortable for groups. Cards usually accepted alongside cash. Reserve on weekend evenings.
Shashlik, manti, spinach soup, chicken baked in foil, lavash bread
An atmospheric restaurant serving Uzbek and European dishes in a setting styled like a Silk Road caravanserai — a partly shaded courtyard, decorated rooms, and Uzbek handicrafts throughout. The menu leans on national dishes (shashlik, manti, soups, lavash) alongside international plates, with a warm, welcoming feel popular with both locals and visitors.
Local tip: The courtyard is lovely in mild weather, and it's a good choice for a relaxed dinner with a bit of atmosphere. Shashlik and manti are the dishes to anchor a meal around. More polished and pricier than a plov center but still good value. Cards accepted; reserve for weekend evenings.
A two-story family restaurant in the Chilonzor district known for authentic, home-style Uzbek cooking. The lagman — long hand-pulled noodles stir-fried with tender lamb, tomatoes, and peppers — is the standout, alongside fragrant lamb plov, juicy manti, and comforting chuchvara (small dumpling) soup. A locals' favorite rather than a tourist spot.
Local tip: Come for the lagman, which is among the best in the city, plus the plov and manti. It's a bit outside the tourist core in Chilonzor — easy by metro or Yandex Go. Generous portions at low prices. Cash is safest; some branches take cards. Family-friendly and unpretentious.
Manti, plov, lagman, samsa — a broad spread, fast service
A long-running national-cuisine chain whose famous original branch is at Khadra (Xadra) in the Old City. It serves a wide assortment of Uzbek staples — manti, plov, lagman, samsa, soups — cafeteria-quick and cheap, which makes it an easy, dependable stop for trying several dishes at once near the Old City sights.
Local tip: Good for sampling a range of dishes in one sitting at low cost, especially the manti. Service is fast and casual. Several branches around the city; the Khadra original is the classic. Cash easiest; expect a busy, functional dining hall rather than a quiet restaurant.
Mixed Uzbek and European menu, good for celebrations
A higher-end restaurant in the center often chosen by locals for birthdays and celebrations, with good hospitality, an attractive setting, and a menu that crosses Uzbek and European cooking. It's a step into Tashkent's smarter dining scene for travelers wanting a special meal rather than a casual canteen experience.
Local tip: Best for a nicer evening out or a celebration meal; the service and setting are a notch above the everyday spots. Pricier by local standards but still reasonable internationally. Cards accepted; reserve for weekend evenings. A good contrast to a rough-and-ready plov-center lunch.
Charcoal-grilled meat skewers — Bek's Cafe and City Grill for lamb, beef, and chicken shashlik with non bread and salads
Bek's Cafe
Bek / Bek Cafe · City center
7
#1
MUST TRY
Lamb and beef shashlik, kebab, salads, non bread
A lively, locally popular grill spot known for some of the best shashlik in the city — charcoal-grilled skewers of lamb, beef, and chicken served with non bread, fresh salads, and tea. The atmosphere is busy and casual, the kind of place Tashkent residents go for a big meaty meal, and the meat quality is the draw.
Local tip: Order an assortment of shashlik plus salads and non to share — that's the local way. Busy in the evenings, so go early or expect a wait. Casual and meat-focused rather than refined. Cash and cards usually both fine. A solid choice for a hearty grill dinner.
A well-regarded grill restaurant in the center known for high-quality meat dishes, attentive service, and a vibrant atmosphere. It spans Uzbek shashlik and more international grilled fare and steaks, making it a step up in polish (and price) from the casual shashlik joints while keeping the focus on well-cooked meat.
Local tip: A good pick when you want a more comfortable, sit-down grill experience with good service. The mixed grill and steaks are reliable. Pricier than the local shashlik cafes but still reasonable by international standards. Cards accepted; reserve on weekend evenings.
Chorsu Bazaar samsa, lagman, non, dried fruit, and the Korean-Uzbek morkovcha salad counters — cheap, fresh, and authentic
Chorsu Bazaar food stalls
Chorsu Bozori · Old City (under the turquoise dome)
9
#1
MUST TRY
Tandoor samsa, lagman, shashlik, non bread, dried fruit and nuts, Korean-Uzbek salads
The city's largest market, under an iconic turquoise dome, and the best place to graze. Stalls sell fresh samsa straight from the tandoor, lagman, shashlik, mountains of dried fruit and nuts, spices, warm non bread, and the Korean-Uzbek salad counters (morkovcha and pickles). It's a working market, casual and cheap, with the most authentic eating in Tashkent.
$1-6
(10,000-70,000 som)
06:00-19:00 (varies by stall; quieter late afternoon)
Local tip: Go in the morning when it's freshest and busiest. Graze stall to stall — samsa, a non, some dried apricots, a scoop of morkovcha — rather than committing to one place. Bring small som notes (cash only) and watch your bag in the crowds. The samsa and the salad counters are the highlights.
Often called the city's top somsa spot, this no-frills place near the Minor area bakes samsa in a tandoor — flaky pastry parcels filled with juicy meat and onion, crisp-blistered on the outside. Locals come for a quick, cheap bite, and the samsa is the whole reason to visit.
Local tip: Order a couple of hot tandoor samsa straight from the oven with a pot of green tea — that's the order. Best eaten fresh and hot on the spot. A handy stop near the Minor Mosque. Cheap and quick; cash easiest. Expect a simple, functional setting, not a sit-down restaurant.
Light Uzbek and international plates, coffee, desserts
A relaxed café in the center with an arty, casual feel, good for a coffee, a light meal, or a break between sights. It mixes Uzbek staples with international café fare and a calmer atmosphere than the bustling national restaurants — a useful spot when you want a sit-down rest, Wi-Fi, and a coffee rather than a heavy plov lunch.
Local tip: A good change of pace from meat-and-rice meals — handy for breakfast, coffee, or a lighter bite. Central and easygoing, with English more likely than at traditional spots. Cards usually accepted. Quality-of-life rather than a destination meal, but a welcome reset on a long sightseeing day.
Plov at Besh Qozon + Chorsu samsa + shashlik + non.
Mid-Range
$15-35/day
A national-restaurant dinner (Afsona, Caravan) + lagman + green tea.
Luxury
$50+/day
An upscale Uzbek tasting (Sette) + wine + city-view dining.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about food and restaurants in Tashkent.
What food must I try in Tashkent?
Start with plov (osh) — rice slow-cooked in a kazan with lamb, carrots, onions, and add-ons like quail egg, garlic, or kazy (horse sausage) — at the Central Asian Plov Center (Besh Qozon). Then work through shashlik (grilled meat skewers), samsa (tandoor meat pastries), lagman (hand-pulled noodles), manti (steamed dumplings), and non (round tandoor bread). Don't miss morkovcha, the spicy Korean-style carrot salad that's a legacy of Tashkent's Korean community. Wash it down with green tea (kok choy).
Where do I get the best plov?
The Central Asian Plov Center, known as Besh Qozon ('five cauldrons'), near the TV Tower, is the famous spot — giant open-air kazans, oshpaz cooks, and hundreds of plates a day, best before noon while it's freshest and the cooking is on display (it often sells out by early afternoon). For a quieter, cheaper local version, Osh Markazi near Chorsu is good. For a sit-down plov in comfort, national restaurants like Afsona and Rayhon do it well. Remember plov is traditionally a lunch dish here.
Where should I eat a proper sit-down Uzbek meal?
Afsona pairs modern design with national dishes (plov, manti, somsa, dolma) and has some rare vegetarian options; Caravan offers shashlik, manti, and soups in a Silk-Road-caravanserai setting with a courtyard; Rayhon (Milliy Taomlar) in Chilonzor is a locals' favorite for outstanding hand-pulled lagman and lamb plov; and National Food (Milliy Taomlar) at Khadra is a cheap, fast chain good for sampling many dishes. For a celebration, Sette is a smarter option.
Where do I eat the best shashlik?
Bek's Cafe is a lively, locally popular spot known for some of the best charcoal-grilled shashlik in the city — order an assortment of lamb and beef skewers with non bread and salads to share. City Grill is a more polished, pricier grill restaurant with high-quality meats and good service. Shashlik is everywhere in Tashkent, including at Chorsu Bazaar; the casual cafes are cheaper, the sit-down restaurants more comfortable.
What is morkovcha and why is Korean food in Uzbekistan?
Morkovcha is a spicy Korean-style pickled carrot salad found on nearly every Uzbek table. It comes from the Koryo-saram — ethnic Koreans deported to Central Asia under Stalin in the 1930s — who adapted Korean cooking to local ingredients, and their food has woven into everyday Uzbek cuisine. You'll find morkovcha and other Korean-Uzbek salads and pickles sold by the scoop at Chorsu Bazaar's salad counters. It's one of Tashkent's most distinctive food stories.
Is Chorsu Bazaar good for eating?
Yes — Chorsu, under its turquoise dome, is the most authentic and cheapest place to graze. Stalls sell fresh tandoor samsa, lagman, shashlik, warm non bread, mountains of dried fruit and nuts, spices, and the Korean-Uzbek salad counters. Go in the morning when it's freshest, bring small som notes (cash only), and stall-hop rather than sitting at one place. Nearby Minor Somsa is also a famous spot for tandoor-baked samsa. Watch your belongings in the crowds.
Can I eat vegetarian in Tashkent?
It takes effort — Uzbek food is heavily meat-based, and even some vegetable dishes are cooked with lamb fat. Reliable options: non bread, seasonal pumpkin samsa (kovoq somsa), salads like morkovcha and achichuk (tomato-cucumber), lagman without meat, pumpkin manti, and the abundant fresh and dried fruit at Chorsu. Modern cafés (like Manas Art Cafe) and restaurants such as Afsona have clearer vegetarian choices. Strict vegan is hard at traditional spots; self-catering from the bazaar gives the most control.
Cash or card, and when do places open?
Carry cash in Uzbek som — plov centers, bazaar stalls, street food, and small cafés are cash-only, while hotels, malls, and bigger restaurants take Visa/Mastercard. Bring clean US dollars to exchange at banks or licensed offices. On timing: plov is a lunch dish, so plov centers and canteens peak before 14:00 and wind down after; national restaurants and grills serve lunch and dinner into the late evening. Tip by rounding up or 10% (check for a service charge first).
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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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