Platan Restaurant

Platan Restaurant is a restaurant at 2 Pushkin Street, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, serving Uzbek and European food. It is among the better-known sit-down restaurants in the city centre, with two dining halls and a bar, and some evenings feature live music. Lonely Planet has described it as possibly the best restaurant in Samarkand, although reviews are mixed and some diners mention bills that need checking. The menu covers Uzbek classics such as plov, shashlik and lamb dishes alongside European mains, and a wine list that includes Uzbek bottles. Opening hours are listed as daily 10:00–01:00. The phone number given for the venue is +998 91 555 88 88; numbers on listing sites sometimes differ from reality, so a call before a special trip is sensible. A typical meal costs about 90,000–250,000 UZS (~$7.5–21) per person at the Central Bank rate of roughly 12,000 UZS per US dollar, with tea usually inexpensive and drinks extra. Walk-ins are usually accepted at lunch, but booking by phone is wise for groups and weekend evenings. It sits in the central area within walking distance of the Registan. Payment is by cash in Uzbek som or by card at most sit-down venues, and a service charge of about 10 percent is sometimes added to the bill, so a glance at the receipt avoids double tipping. Lunch tends to be calmer than the evening rush, and the Samarkand summer heat from June to August makes shaded or air-conditioned seating worth asking for.