Self-Guided Plov Lunch at Besh Qozon

The Self-Guided Plov Lunch at Besh Qozon is an independent tasting meal of one to one and a half hours at 1 Iftihor Street in the Yunusobod District of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. There is no tour operator and no booking is required; visitors simply arrive, order and eat. Besh Qozon, whose name refers to five kazans, is widely regarded as the best-known plov hall in the city, and plov (palov) is considered the national dish of Uzbekistan.

The experience centres on rice cooked in giant cast-iron kazans over open flame, with lamb, carrots, onions and spices. Different plov varieties are prepared in the kazans, and the suggested order is a portion topped with slices of kazy (horse sausage) and a quail egg. The meal is rounded out with achichuk, a salad of thinly sliced tomatoes and onions that cuts through the richness of the rice, plus samsa pastries and a pot of tea. The balance is almost entirely savoury; any sweet element comes from tea or from dried fruit bought elsewhere in the city.

Prices are modest by international standards: about 80,000-150,000 UZS per person, or roughly $7-12.50, depending on the portion, the toppings and the extra dishes added. Food, tea and salad are paid for at the table, and there is no guide, transport or group arrangement. Visitors choose their own pace and party size, and portions are generous enough that sharing is common. Plov is traditionally a lunchtime dish and the kazans empty as the afternoon progresses, so the hall is best reached before about 14:00 to ensure that all varieties are still available. Vegetarians should note that plov is meat-based and ask staff about meat-free options.

The Yunusobod District is a residential and business area north of the centre, and visitors typically reach it by taxi or ride-hailing app from the Old City.