Restaurants in Shymkent

Ladushki (Turkistan 12; 8am-9pm) - With decor like a kids’ restaurant, Ladushki is actually a very popular cafeteria where you can get a serve of manty or bliny, or two pastries and a coffee.

Madlen (Ilyaev 17; coffees & desserts; 10am-midnight Thu-Tue, 11am-midnight Wed) - Great coffee house with delicious cakes and desserts, and pavement tables too. Has other branches in Ethnopark Ken-Baba and Mega Shymkent mall.

Kafe Address (Momyshuly 3; 10am-midnight) - Bright Turkish cafe rapidly serving pide (similar to pizza), shashlyk, doner, kofta and more, including some vegetarian options.

Karavan (Etnopark Ken-Baba) - Karavan specialises in Uyghur food and there’s plenty of choice, but those in the know come for the very tasty burro-laghman (fried laghman).

oKok Saray (Zholdasbekov 22) - This atmospheric restaurant serves the best Uzbek food in town (and in Kazakhstan, claim aficionados). Don’t miss the perfect plov (tashkentsky with white rice, andizhansky with black) or the superb samsas, which include a delicious pumpkin (stykvoe) variety. Located just off the north side of Tauke-Khan: you can’t miss its bright lights after dark.

Also recommended: El Dorado (Tauke-Khan 82; 24hr) - Pizza and mayonnaise-free salads. There’s no sign: it’s next to BTA bank. Mozzarella (corner Ilyaev & Shaymerdenov) A slick Italian job.