Tashkent City is Uzbekistan's capital and largest city, a sprawling Silk Road crossroads of old-town madrasas, a vast blue-domed bazaar, Soviet-era monuments and a fast-changing modern centre.
Tashkent cooks Uzbek classics — plov, samsa, lagman, shurpa and shashlik — alongside Uyghur, Korean, Turkish and European dishes. Plov is a lunchtime dish and the main ritual meal of the city.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Tashkent City.
Plov (osh)
Rice, carrots and lamb cooked in a kazan; Tashkent style is a dry, golden pilaf with chickpeas.
Where to try: Besh Qozon Plov Center
Price: 40,000–70,000 UZS (~$3.3–5.8)
Samsa
Baked pastry filled with lamb and onion, cooked in a tandir oven.
Where to try: Chorsu Bazaar bakeries
Price: 8,000–15,000 UZS (~$0.7–1.2)
Lagman
Hand-pulled noodles in a meat and vegetable stew.
Where to try: Lagman House
Price: 40,000–60,000 UZS (~$3.3–5)
Shurpa
Lamb and vegetable soup.
Where to try: Most Uzbek restaurants
Price: 35,000–60,000 UZS (~$2.9–5)
Manti
Steamed dumplings with lamb and onion.
Where to try: Caravan, Afsona
Price: 40,000–70,000 UZS (~$3.3–5.8)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
European
Italian
Japanese
Lebanese
Mediterranean
Food tours & tastings in Tashkent City
Eat your way through Tashkent City with a guide.
Browse food experiences in Tashkent CityWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Non (tandir bread)
Round bread baked on tandir walls; stamped with patterns.
Find it at: Chorsu Bazaar bread rows
Samsa from tandir
Hot lamb pastry sold at bakeries and market stalls.
Find it at: Chorsu and Alay bazaars
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Chorsu Bazaar
The largest food market; dried fruit, spices, bread and meat.
Hours: Daily roughly 06:00–18:00
Alay (Oloy) Bazaar
Neighbourhood covered market for produce and dairy.
Hours: Daily roughly 07:00–18:00
Mirabad Bazaar
Local produce market in Mirobod District.
Hours: Daily roughly 07:00–18:00
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Plov is mostly eaten at lunchtime; many plov centres sell out by mid-afternoon.
Bread is never placed upside down; break it by hand.
Tipping of about 10% is common in restaurants; some add a service charge.
Tea (choy) is served free or cheaply with meals.
- Vegetarian
- Possible but limited; try achichuk salads, vegetable shurpa and moshkichiri; confirm no meat stock.
- Vegan
- Challenging outside Western-style cafes; fruit, nuts and bread are plentiful.
- Halal
- Almost all Uzbek restaurants serve halal meat; pork is rare outside international hotels.
- Gluten free
- Limited; bread and noodles are staples.
- Allergies
- Carry a translated allergy card in Russian and Uzbek; nuts and sesame are common.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | 40,000–90,000 UZS (~$3.3–7.5) per meal | Plov, samsa, lagman at local canteens and plov centres. |
| Mid-range | 100,000–250,000 UZS (~$8.3–21) per meal | Uzbek restaurants with table service. |
| Upscale | 250,000–500,000 UZS (~$21–42) per meal | Hotel restaurants and Japanese or Mediterranean dining. |