The best restaurants in Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan

Many restaurants have succeeded one another in this strategic location, just a stone's throw from Erkindik Avenue and the main points of interest in the city center. But this is the first time you'll find a tchaikhana featuring national recipes rather than the usual pizzas for tourists. The clientele is rather young, lingering over a cup of tea and a few chachlyks. It's relaxed, inexpensive and the choice of dishes, salads, soups, etc., is excellent, for a budget that knows how to remain modest.

A warm, resolutely young, festive and lively atmosphere. This restaurant, which has decided to give pride of place to chicken in all its forms and in all its recipes (with a clear focus on Japan and Korea), has also chosen to devote a setting focused on art and creation. The furniture is design, the decoration is neat, so that the restaurant has become Bishkek's somewhat bobo lair, with a mix of artists, intellectuals and students. Jazz on Friday night, open mic on Saturday.

This is the place to go if you want to try a top-of-the-range version of Central Asian cuisine. The menu covers all Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Kazakh specialties: several types of plov, beshbarmak, pilmenis, jiz-biz... Everything is appetizing, and the best option is to go with friends to order the widest possible variety of dishes and taste everything! And don't forget to make a reservation if you want to find a place at the end of the week: the restaurants on little Orozbekov Street are literally jam-packed!

In the north-west of the city, this friendly café is beautifully decorated with a variety of handicrafts, and is as welcoming as it is warm. In the evenings, you can come with family or friends in a friendly atmosphere (no alcohol on the menu!) to enjoy regional cuisine featuring Kyrgyz recipes as well as Dungan specialties: Chinese salads and fried ravioli rub shoulders with plov and beshbarmak, alongside the ever-present chachlyks. It's a little greasy, but the overall value for money is good!

You won't have a phenomenal choice when it comes to dining at At Bashi, but this café, although a little "aseptic" inside, with its chandeliers, marble floor and somewhat rigid furniture, can be a good option. The food is fresh (salads, soups, kebabs...) and the atmosphere is either calm or very festive, in the case of weddings or anniversaries taking over the large room. In short, a good option for rubbing shoulders with the locals and getting into the swing of things, without breaking the bank and with very good food.

In true Central Asian style, the restaurant features numerous booths, decorated with various motifs evoking Kyrgyzstan and nomadic culture. This same evocation is successfully reflected in the dishes, which are both generous and fragrant. Crisp samsas, fresh salads and hearty nomad dishes are the highlights of this restaurant, whose budget is very reasonable given the quality of the products. For stomachs nostalgic for the West, there's also a fine selection of pizzas.

A very pleasant address that doesn't necessarily shine for its decor or the professionalism of its waiters, but the efforts and kindness of the team are more than commendable. What's more, the food is good, with a fine range of Kyrgyz specialties, pretty salads and generous kebabs. The house also specializes in fish, often fried and served with onions, sautéed vegetables and fragrant rice. The atmosphere is friendly, and families gather here for a relaxed evening meal.