Culinary Experiences in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan boasts more than just stunning architecture adorned with intricate tilework and celebrated craftsmanship—it has a rich culinary heritage shaped by centuries of trade and cultural exchanges, where warm hospitality is a cherished value.

If you're fortunate enough to be welcomed into an Uzbek household, you might enjoy a lavish array of dishes laid out on a dastarkhan (a low dining table). Kazans bubbling with plov (Central Asian pilaf) and shurpa (a hearty meat and vegetable soup) are staples in every Uzbek kitchen, while aromatic shashlik (grilled meat skewers) are served alongside fresh vegetable salads, showcasing the artistry of presentation.

In addition, you can indulge in hand-pulled noodles in savory vegetable broth, relish exquisite street food influenced by centuries of invasions, nurture your gut with katyk (yogurt), share bowls of tea with locals, and satisfy your sweet cravings with delicious fruits, dried treats, and an abundance of other confections, all while enjoying some of the finest wines in Central Asia.

Experience the rich culinary tradition of Uzbekistan with plov

Traditionally prepared by men, plov is a cornerstone of Uzbek culture, with each town and family boasting its own unique recipe. This dish has even been designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Savoring plov is an essential experience in Uzbekistan. This slow-cooked rice dish is made in a large kazan (cauldron) and typically features mutton, lamb, or beef, along with spices, onions, and carrots. The Tashkent variant usually involves roasting most ingredients before cooking, while the Samarkand version is known for its layered and steamed preparation.

Where to enjoy it: Visit the Plov Centre in Tashkent, Osh Markazi in Samarkand, or The Plov in Bukhara.

Indulge in hearty meat dishes

As iconic to Uzbek cuisine as plov, shashlik comes in a variety of options including mutton, lamb, beef, chicken, liver, and lyulya (ground beef). Each is spiced to perfection, juicy, and grilled over hot coals, with secret marinade recipes closely guarded. For meat lovers, there are also treats like hacip (boiled sausages made from minced meat and rice), kazy (horse meat sausages), and dolma (grape or cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice).

Where to sample it:  Enjoy the finest at Mansur Shashlik in Samarkand, Terassa Restaurant in Khiva, or Caravan in Tashkent.

Savor a bowl of delicious noodles

Legend has it that laghman originated from three hungry travelers who decided to combine their resources (flour, dried meat, radish, fragrant herbs). This dish, found throughout the country, features steaming bowls of long, flat noodles in broth, complemented by separately cooked mutton (or beef) and finely chopped vegetables like onions, bell peppers, eggplant, carrots, and potatoes, all topped with a bounty of fresh herbs.

In Tashkent, you can try Uyghur-style hand-pulled chuzma-laghman, which reflect the dish's ancient Chinese influences. Elsewhere, you’ll find noodles cut into long strips in the Uzbek style. Another variation, qavurma laghman, consists of noodles without broth. In Khiva, don't miss shivit-oshi (green noodles made with fresh dill) topped with fried meat and vegetables. You might also encounter beshbarmak (noodles with horse meat and broth) and naryn (cold noodles with horse meat sausage).

Where to experience it:  Visit Khorezm Art Restaurant in Khiva, Anor in Tashkent, or Besh Chinor in Samarkand.

Pause for tea

Step into one of the many chaikhanas (tea houses) – the Uzbek equivalent of a pub – and you’ll find local men immersed in leisurely chats, playing backgammon, striking business deals, and sharing thoughts over tea served in small bowl-like cups. While green tea is widely favored across Uzbekistan, in Tashkent, you’ll often encounter a blend of black and green tea served with lemon and honey. The tea brewing ritual, known as kaytar ('to return'), involves steeping the tea leaves in boiling water and then pouring the tea back and forth between cups three times. Although traditionally a male gathering spot, some chaikhanas welcome foreign women; regardless, tea will be offered to you before and after every meal.

Where to sample it: Any chaikhana.

Share a meal with newcomers

A cornerstone of Uzbek cuisine, naan (bread) is baked in traditional tandoor ovens and plays a vital role in cultural traditions and festivities. With many regional variations, Tashkent offers patir naan (made with milk), while the version from Samarkand includes onions and meat. In the Fergana Valley, katlama (buttery flatbread or bread brushed with katyk) accompanies every meal. To honor the bread, break it by hand and never place it down with the decorative side facing the table.

Where to enjoy it: Any Uzbek household.

Enjoy a comforting bowl of soup

Uzbekistan’s hearty, flavorful soups are perfect for winter, simmering in kazans (cauldrons). The most beloved is shurpa, a meat broth featuring chunks of mutton, cooked on the bone and removed before serving, along with vegetables. In the southern regions, you’ll find kovurma shurpa, where the meat is fried beforehand. Other nourishing options include mastava, a rice soup with beef and vegetables often garnished with sour cream; mashhurda, a thick soup made from boiled beef or lamb bones with rice and mung beans; and nohat shurak, made with chickpeas and beef, typically served with a piece of kazy (horse sausage).

Where to sample it: Visit National Food in Tashkent or Osh Markazi in Samarkand.

Begin your morning with dairy delights

Rise early and explore the bustling bazaars of Tashkent or Samarkand, making your way to the dairy section, where you’ll discover trays of kurt (sun-dried, salty, fermented milk cheese, either cubed or round) – a popular snack rich in protein that can last for weeks without refrigeration due to its natural preservative. Vendors will also offer bottles of ayran, a refreshing drink made from katyk (fermented cow’s or sheep’s milk) mixed with sparkling or still water, herbs, and a pinch of salt (you’ll likely find it served at breakfast in traditional guesthouses), along with pots of suzma (yogurt made from katyk, with the excess liquid removed).

Katyk also features prominently in other dishes: it’s a common ingredient in shurpa and plov, as well as a base for katykli (katyk-based soup with meat, vegetables, and rice) and chalop (a cold soup with finely chopped vegetables).

Where to find it: Check out the dairy sections in Uzbekistan’s markets. You can also purchase ayran and katyk at local supermarkets.

Indulge in street food

Uzbek street food is ideal for budget-conscious travelers. It's affordable, flavorful, and hearty enough to sustain you through any adventure. The star dish is manty, large steamed dumplings stuffed with finely minced meat. This quintessential nomadic food serves as both a soup and a main course: puncture the dough, sip the savory juices, then enjoy the rest.

Other delightful doughy treats include smaller boiled chuchvara dumplings served in a vegetable broth, crispy fried chuchvara, hanum (log-shaped steamed dumplings filled with potatoes and onions), and tukhum-barak (square dumplings with raw egg added just before boiling) – the latter being a unique specialty of Khiva.

Samsa – a crispy, flaky triangular pastry filled with minced or chopped meat, baked in a traditional clay tandoor oven – serves as Uzbekistan’s answer to the samosa. In fact, Central Asian traders introduced this concept to India in the 13th century, while gumma samsa (stuffed with offal) offers a particularly delicious variation.

Where to find it: In Uzbekistan, samsa and dumplings are typically found at covered markets like the Choru street food market in Tashkent, rather than on street corners.

Discover Uzbekistan’s exquisite wines

Grape cultivation and winemaking in Uzbekistan date back thousands of years. The arrival of Alexander the Great’s armies in the 4th century BCE further cemented viticulture in Central Asia. Marco Polo, the famous Venetian traveler, praised the quality of wines from Samarkand and Bukhara during his travels in the 13th century. The late 19th century conquest by Tsarist Russia led to large-scale grape harvesting and wine production, and today, visitors can enjoy excellent vintages made from both classic grape varieties (like pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, and Riesling) and local ones (rkatsiteli, soyaki, hindongna).

Where to experience it: Numerous wineries provide tours of their facilities, complete with wine tastings. In the Zarafshan valley, just 15 km from Samarkand, the Bagizagan winery produces saperavi and cabernet, along with Riesling, bayan shirey, and kuldjinskiy blends, as well as vermouth infused with local mountain herbs and brandy.

In Samarkand, explore the rich history of winemaking in Uzbekistan at the museum associated with the Hovrenko Winery, where you can sample a variety of wines, including local port and the strong Balsam Samarkand. Close to Tashkent, the family-owned Uzumfermer Winery offers tours of its vineyards, followed by tastings of their pinot noir, saperavi, and hadji murat selections.

Savor a sweet ending

During the summer months, locally-grown apricots, cherries, peaches, figs, and melons elevate every meal. For the rest of the year, look for dried melons and apricots, as well as treats like halva (a crumbly confection made with tahini), khashtak (a nut and dried fruit mixture), kozinaki (sugar syrup-coated nut brittle), pashmak (sweet threads of halva), bugirsaki (holiday pastries), Turkish delight, holvaitar (a sweet flour, sugar, butter, and water dessert), and sumalak (a traditional dish cooked in a large cauldron for Navruz, the Persian New Year).

Where to find it: A variety of fruits and sweets can be found at Uzbekistan’s vibrant food markets, including Samarkand’s Siad Bazaar.

Options for vegetarians and vegans

Uzbekistan’s rich soil and sunny climate provide an abundance of exceptional fruits and vegetables, making it a delightful destination for vegetarian travelers. Traditionally, vegetarian options in Uzbekistan were limited to side dishes, as main courses typically featured beef or lamb. However, with the rise in tourism, many chefs in larger cities are now creatively substituting meat with legumes or vegetables in classic dishes like plov and laghman.

Vegetarians and vegans can enjoy mashhurda (a hearty soup made with rice and mung beans), though it’s wise to confirm it’s meat-free. Salads like achichuk (a zesty blend of tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers) and shakarob (a sweet tomato and onion salad seasoned with salt) often accompany plov. Both supermarkets and local markets offer a wide range of seasonal and exotic produce, and some street vendors serve vegetarian samsa filled with potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, and mushrooms.

For vegans, navigating the food scene can be more challenging, as bread and many dough-based products may contain eggs or be brushed with milk or katyk prior to baking.

Where to try it: Check out Caravan or Afsona in Tashkent, Karimbek or Platan in Samarkand, Temir’s in Bukhara, or Khiva Moon in Khiva.