Almaty Food Guide: Beshbarmak, Shashlik & the Green Bazaar

Kazakh cuisine developed from the logic of nomadic life — high-calorie, meat-heavy, built for cold winters and long distances on horseback. The national dishes reflect this history: whole boiled sheep, fermented mare’s milk, hand-rolled noodles. But Almaty, as the cosmopolitan former capital of a Soviet republic, layers Russian, Ukrainian, Korean, Uighur, and Uzbek cuisines on top of the Kazakh base. The result is one of the more interesting food cities in Central Asia, and the Green Bazaar is the physical center of all of it.

The National Dishes

Beshbarmak

The ceremonial dish of Kazakhstan — the name means “five fingers” (it was traditionally eaten by hand). Boiled mutton or horse meat served over wide, flat boiled noodles (shal) with onion sauce (tuzdyk) and broth served separately in bowls. Eaten at celebrations, weddings, funerals, and large family gatherings. The cut of meat served indicates honor: the head is for the most honored guest, the shoulder blade for sons-in-law, the thighs for elder women.

The correct way to eat it in a traditional setting is to share from a common plate, pulling pieces with the fingers. At restaurants, it arrives in individual portions.

Where to eat it: Gakku restaurant (traditional setting, full ceremony), Navat restaurant (atmospheric Kazakh interior, reliably good quality), or any of the dastarkhan (traditional spread) restaurants in the Medeu district.

Kuyrdak

The Kazakh version of offal — a fried dish of sheep or horse heart, liver, kidney, and lung, with onion and spices. A working-class staple and a good indicator of a restaurant’s commitment to traditional cooking. Richer and more intensely flavored than beshbarmak.

Shashlik

Central Asian-style skewered grilled meat — lamb, pork (at non-Muslim establishments), or beef, marinated and cooked over charcoal. The Almaty version tends toward larger cuts and longer marination than Turkish-style kebabs. Eaten with raw onion, flatbread, and vinegar-dressed vegetables.

Where to eat it: The shashlik restaurants along the Malaya Almatinka river above Medeu are the most atmospheric — eating grilled meat at 1,800m elevation with mountain views. The shashlichniye (shashlik houses) in the central city are simpler but equally good.

Laghman

The Uighur noodle soup that has become universal across Central Asia — hand-pulled thick noodles in a spiced meat and vegetable broth, with lamb or beef. Almaty’s large Uighur population (the city is close to the Chinese Xinjiang border) means the laghman here is among the best outside Xinjiang itself.

Where to eat it: The Uighur restaurants along Raiymbek Avenue (east of the center) are the specialists. Uighurskaya Kukhnya (Uighur Kitchen) on Raiymbek is the most established.

Manti

Large steamed dumplings filled with minced lamb, onion, and spices — the Central Asian cousin of Chinese baozi or Georgian khinkali. Eaten with sour cream or vinegar. Available everywhere; the Uighur versions tend to be larger and more spiced.

The Green Bazaar (Zelyony Bazar)

Central Almaty | Open daily from early morning to late afternoon

The main covered market of Almaty — a large Soviet-era bazaar hall covering several city blocks, selling meat, dairy, dried fruit, spices, pickled vegetables, nuts, and prepared food from every cuisine in the city. It’s simultaneously the best food market in Central Asia and a sociological exhibit in the ethnic diversity of Kazakhstan.

What to buy:

Kurt: Dried fermented milk cheese — small, hard, intensely salty white balls sold in bags. Nomadic trail food, high in protein, very long shelf life. An acquired taste; try one piece before buying.
Dried fruits and nuts: Apricots, figs, raisins, and pistachios from Uzbekistan and southern Kazakhstan. Better quality and lower prices than anywhere in Western Europe.
Honey: Kazakhstan’s mountain honey (particularly from the Tian Shan foothills) is exceptional — the buckwheat and wild flower varieties are the most distinctive.
Horse sausage (kazy): Cured horse meat sausage — dark, rich, and strongly flavored. Sold vacuum-packed or by the length. One of the most specifically Kazakh foods available.
Samsa: Baked pastry filled with lamb and onion — the Central Asian equivalent of a meat pasty. Sold at the prepared food stalls around the market perimeter.

Koumiss and Tea Culture

Koumiss (Qymyz)

Fermented mare’s milk — the traditional drink of the Kazakh steppe. Slightly fizzy, mildly alcoholic (1–3% ABV), sour, and thinner than cow’s milk. Consumed in large quantities at celebrations and considered medicinal. Summer-only (mares produce milk primarily May–August); found at the bazaar and at traditional restaurants.

Acquired taste: the sourness and slight effervescence are unusual to Western palates. Try a small amount before committing to a full glass.

Shubat

Fermented camel milk — similarly sour and fizzy, slightly richer than koumiss. The camel herding regions of southern Kazakhstan (near the Aral Sea) are the production heartland; Almaty’s bazaar has it year-round.

Tea (Chai)

Kazakh tea culture is Central Asian but with Russian influence — black tea served in small porcelain bowls (piala), with or without milk (Kazakh style: kara chai = black; with milk: süt chai). Tea is served before, during, and after every meal; refusing tea is impolite. The traditional accompaniment is baursaki — fried dough balls, slightly sweet, served in a bowl on the table.

Russian and Soviet-Era Food

Almaty’s Russian population (about 20% of the city) and Soviet culinary infrastructure mean that Russian dishes are deeply embedded in everyday eating.

Pelmeni: Boiled meat dumplings — smaller and differently spiced than manti. Universal Russian comfort food, available at any stolovaya (Soviet-style cafeteria).

Stolovaya: The Soviet-era canteen format — tray service, glass display counters, daily rotating menu of soups, mains, and salads. Extremely cheap (a full lunch for under 1,500 KZT). The format has survived because it’s genuinely functional. Look for the word столовая above the entrance.

Olivier salad: The Russian potato salad (potato, carrot, peas, pickles, egg, mayonnaise) that appears at every Russian celebration and many Kazakh ones. Available at bazaar prepared food counters and most restaurants.

Neighborhoods for Eating

Alatau Avenue / Dostyk corridor: The upscale restaurant zone — Georgian, Uzbek, Japanese, European, and modern Kazakh restaurants in the neighborhood around the Hotel Kazakhstan.

Raiymbek Avenue (east): Uighur restaurants and Chinese-influenced eating. The cheapest and most authentic laghman in the city.

Green Bazaar surroundings: Central Market area has good prepared food stalls for lunch — samsa, laghman, manti, shashlik at street food prices.

The mountains (Medeu-Shymbulak): The gorge restaurants serve traditional Kazakh food and shashlik in the best setting. Higher prices than the city but reasonable for the location.

Practical Notes

Budget eating: Stolovayas and market food stalls offer complete meals for 500–1,500 KZT (~~€1–3). Restaurant mains run 2,000–6,000 KZT (~~€4–12) at mid-range establishments.

Alcohol: Kazakhstan is majority Muslim but not strictly observant; alcohol is widely available and consumed in restaurants and bars without restriction. Russian beer (Karaganda is the local brand), vodka, and Kazakh wine are the common options.

Tipping: Not customary but increasingly practiced at upscale restaurants. 10% is appreciated but not expected.

Vegetarian options: Limited in traditional Kazakh restaurants (the cuisine is fundamentally meat-based). Georgian restaurants (there are several in Almaty) offer good vegetarian options — Georgian food includes excellent cheese and vegetable dishes.