Food

Must-Try Dishes in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

September 05, 2022

Tashkent, Central Asia’s hub, is an intriguing “jumble of contradictions” that’s worth traversing through. The capital city of Uzbekistan is also an ancient city on the Great Silk Road from China to Europe. Tashkent remains under the radar for most travelers.

Surprisingly fun and pretty fascinating, Tashkent doesn’t always charm visitors instantaneously despite boasting vibrant nightlife, museums, a mix of modern and Soviet-era architecture, and great hiking, skiing, and rafting. But, as you spend more time, you will begin to fall for everything, including its delicious dishes.

Talking about its mouthwatering dishes, you will be bowled over by a variety of Uzbeki food – a perfect amalgamation of Turkish, Chinese, Slavic, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean influences. Reason? Through incessant invasions, wars, and of course, the Silk Route.

Also, there’s no better way to experience the local culture of Tashkent than gorging on its scrumptious food. So, if you are gearing up for a culinary trip with your family, we believe this handy food guide will help you discover the popular local dishes.

Let’s take a plunge and learn more about the delectable must-try dishes in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

8 Mouthwatering Tashkent, Uzbekistan Dishes You Must Try Once in Your Lifetime

Embark on a culinary trip to Tashkent and unearth Uzbekistan’s most favored local, traditional dishes.

1. Plov or Pilaf or Osh:

Considered to be the national dish, Plov is the main dish in Uzbekistan and has more than 200 varieties. Also known as Osh, Plov symbolizes the tolerance and hospitality of the locals.

Referred to as the Uzbek version of hearty rice pilaf, plov is traditionally prepared in a large cooking pot, which is known as Kazan. Although made in various ways, locals like to prepare it with a base of “grated and seasoned” onions, carrots, chickpeas, fruit, meat, raisins, apricots, etc.

To try authentic plov, you must stop by a plov center to pamper your taste buds. You can add some flavor to your plov by choosing additional ingredients.

2. Shashlik:

Love meat dishes? Shashlik is a must-try dish in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Stems from shashlyk, a Russian word for ‘shish kabob’, shashlik is loved in various parts of Central Asia, the Caucasus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Armenia, and Georgia.

This traditional dish is usually made with lamb. But in many parts of the country, you may find shashlik prepared from other types of meat, such as chicken, beef, and venison.

During your trip, you will be lucky to find several options, including meat rolls, chicken legs, cubes of lamb or beef, etc.

3. Manti:

Looking for something healthy? You will have a steamed dish on your plate. It is called manti. Also known as manty, manti is believed to have originated from the Chinese word “mantou”.

It is a very popular dish in Uzbekistan and fairly common all around Central Asia. Uzbeki manti is steamed and served in a dish filled with beef, herbs, and onions.

You can enjoy this delicious dish for lunch or dinner, and don’t forget to use your hands – because that’s how locals love eating.

4. Samsa:

Samsa is a crunchy, buttery, flaky pastry stuffed with minced lamb or beef, soaked in aromatic spices, and baked to golden perfection. Visit the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan or the nearby Amir Timur Museum in the morning and head to Samarkand at noon, where you can enjoy the best Uzbek Samsa. It is a heavy dish, so you must try this dish on the sightseeing day.

5. Salad (Achichuk and Shakadob):

Although meat plays an inevitable part in Uzbek cuisine, you can always avoid it (if you have had enough of meat & a heavy meal) by trying out its well-known salads – Achichuk and Shakadob. These salads are tomato-based, hence similar.

Achichuk comprises tomatoes, basil, and onions, whereas Shakadob consists of cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers.

You will instantly feel the difference as tomatoes in Uzbekistan taste differently than tomatoes in Europe.

6. Kazan Kabob:

People usually avoid high-calorie dishes. But Kazan kabob is an exception – given that it is really hard to tantalize your taste buds with something more delicious than succulent meat with fried potatoes seasoned with spices.

A must-try dish during your epicurean trip to Uzbekistan, Kazan kabob is generally served as fried marinated beef with a golden crust.

The taste of this special dish may vary from restaurant to restaurant and café to café, as lambs may get replaced with slices of beef. If you don’t want potatoes in Kazan kabob, let the restaurant know your preferences – just fried strips of soaked beef.

7. Uzbek Bread:

Your traditional Uzbek meal is incomplete without bread fresh from the tandoor. An indispensable part of Uzbek cuisine, you may want to “taste the salt of the bread” as it is traditional (hospitality) for Uzbeks.

Uzbek bread is generally made with flour, milk, salt, butter, sugar, and yeast, and you may come across different shapes and sizes of bread throughout the country. Consider enjoying the bread when it is hot (for better taste and fragrance).

Generally made with flour, milk, salt, butter, sugar, and yeast, Uzbek bread comes in different shapes, sizes, and appearances. Sprinkle some seeds on the top of the bread and consider enjoying it when it is hot (for better taste and fragrance).

8. Naryn:

Naryn in Uzbekistan tastes different than in other countries as this Uzbek cuisine is made of hand-rolled noodles and horse meat (horse meat is eaten throughout Central Asia). It is one of the popular dishes in the country that gained a massive reputation among cattlemen.

This is a perfect dish to indulge in if you visit Tashkent during colder weather.

Although unusual, the food in Uzbekistan is very scrumptious. There’s something for everyone. However, meat lovers will have a gala time gorging on different types of meat available throughout the regions.

We hope you find this guide “must-try dishes in Tashkent, Uzbekistan” helpful!