We didn’t know anything about Uzbek food before we arrived in Uzbekistan.
But looking back now I can proudly (and ok, obviously) say, we have clearly we stepped up to become dedicated experts of Uzbek food and Uzbekistan BREAD during our stay…
And we have sampled more than our fair share of plov, kebabs, and Uzbek vodka!
So what about the rest? What are the most famous foods to try in Uzbekistan?
If you are travelling to Central Asia and wondering about the cuisine that awaits you; do not worry. Uzbek food is different, diverse and a cool learning curve!
Here are some of our favourites and the best foods to try in Uzbekistan:
- Plov
- Non (bread)
- Shakarap
- Uzbek Vodka
- Kabob
- Barak (fried dumplings)
- Chalob
- Qurut (yoghurt balls)
- Show Tut juice
- Halva
1. Plov
On our first day in Tashkent we were introduced to ‘Plov’. Aside from bread, this is the staple Uzbek food dish.
Taste wise and in presentation it is similar to Indian pilaf but the term ‘plov’ covers all of Central Asia with each region having their own variation.
Uzbek plov is cooked with rice, fresh mutton or beef, carrot, chickpeas, raisins, onions and vegetable oil. And it’s delicious!
- Tip: Visit the ‘Plot Centre’ in Tashkent for a fantastic Plov experience and a great introduction to Uzbek food.
The size of the plov cauldrons at Tashkent Plov Centre is unbelievable. There are five on the go at once so they can serve 500 people at a time!
2. Uzbek bread
We had heard about the famed bread of Uzbekistan before we came and I confess it was high on our list ‘to do’ on day one…
We set out in Tashkent on the very first day to try the famous Uzbek bread at Chorus bazaar.
- Fact: By tradition, when someone leaves the house on a long journey he should take a bite of bread and the remaining loaf will be hung and kept until his return(!).
3. Shakarap
Shakarap is a typical Uzbek salad prepared with tomato, onion – and (in the Pepsi bottle) a vinegar dressing.
We loved how each table is laid for a mealtime in Uzbekistan! There are so many dishes and each dish is shared.
This was just a roadside restaurant, but the table is immediately given bread to share and a plate of Shakarap.
Coffee is always black (and usually pre-mixed with sugar). There are no knives on the table. And each setting has a water glass and a small glass… for vodka!
4. Vodka
This had to be added to the blog about Uzbek food as it features a LOT on mealtime tables in Uzbekistan.
Imagine ordering a whole bottle of vodka for the dinner table at a New Zealand restaurant?!
But here in Uzbekistan it is totally standard. And without kidding, sometimes vodka was brought to the table before we even ordered water(!).
- Fact: The cost of a bottle of vodka in Uzbekistan starts from around $2.90 USD.
5. Kabob
Amazing!
Kebab or Kabob became a staple part of our hunt for eateries while travelling Uzbekistan.
I especially recommend the restaurant Lyabi Hauz in Bukhara right by the lake, for the best kabob we found in Uzbekistan!
6. Halva
A delicious desert and it looks so beautiful on display at the markets.
Halva is a traditional Uzbek food made from sugar syrup, egg whites, and sesame seeds. It is very sweet!
7. Shoh Tut
Shoh Tut is a berry juice, made from freshly squeezed Mulberry berries. Mulberries are similar to blackberries – but the tree is huge.
We loved this! It even felt healthy!
This is a common Uzbek food that locals drink for health. Our friend Aslbek translated that people drink it for healthy blood.
8. Katyk
The kids loved this!
Katyk is a sour-milk yogurt, similar to Greek yoghurt.
It is served with lunch in a big jug, made up to a drinkable consistency. (And it’s slightly sour, so we were surprised the kids enjoyed it – but they did!).
- Tip: If you have travelled in the Middle East, Turkey or Morocco, Katyk it is similar to Leben and sometimes translated from Arabic as ‘buttermilk’.
9. Chalob
Chalob is one of those Uzbek foods you likely won’t have heard of but will find on every list of foods to try in Uzbekistan.
It is a shared milk drink with onion and herbs. There is typically one bowl for the table that is passed around to accompany lunch. (That in itself makes it an ‘interesting’ dish as well!).
9. Barak
Yum! We all loved these!
Barak is a fried Uzbek dumpling.
With the geographical location of Uzbekistan you’d probably think dumplings were an Uzbek food with influence from China. But historians have traced the origin of dumplings to Central Asia and the connection to migration of Turkic people.
It’s said that Turkic and Mongol traders and horsemen traveled from West and Central Asia in cold winters carrying ‘mantu’, which we now call dumplings.
Barak is is a must-try food in Uzbekistan.
10. Khiva milk bread
Another style of Uzbekistan bread.
Khiva bread is a flatbread made with milk and water to give it a slightly smoother, creamy taste. Perfectly matched to the beautiful surroundings!
11. Qurut
I can’t even fake it. These are one thing we really didn’t develop a fondness for during our time in Uzbekistan.
Qurut are sold like treats at the market and you can buy a small bag to eat as a snack. They are literally fermented, sour yoghurt balls…
What do you reckon? Would you give them a try?
12. Dried fruit
The markets in Central Asia are amazing for their selection of dried fruits and nuts.
- Tip: Head upstairs at Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent for an entire floor dedicated to dried fruits and nuts.
Uzbek food and mealtimes in Uzbekistan
Mealtimes are a special part of experiencing Uzbek food.
We treasured the times we shared a meal with a family or were welcomed into the homes of locals wherever we found ourselves.
Breakfasts are huge, and comprise of fresh fruit (especially melons and grapes), fresh bread, salami/sausage meat, cheese, and yoghurts. [Except for the time our driver surprised the boys and brought chocolate cereal all the way out to the Aral Sea for them!].
The best of memories!
More about travel planning for Uzbekistan and beyond…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- Hostelworld– The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world.
- Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Make sure you have insurance before traveling to Uzbekistan!
Read more about Uzbekistan
- Three days in Nukus, Karakalpakstan: What is there to do there?
- Exploring Khiva, our favourite Silk Road city.
- Visiting human disaster at the disappearing Aral Sea in Muynak.
- Uzbekistan Travel Guide: Our route along the Silk Road cities.
- Kyrgyzstan Travel Guide: Kyrgyz’ What?!
- Taking an overnight train from Tashkent to Nukus.