Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
Settling in Kazakhstan means discovering a country of vast landscapes… and generous tables. In this ancient land of nomads, gastronomy is much more than a simple pleasure: it is a social language, a status marker, a tool for everyday diplomacy. For an expat, understanding what happens around a dish of beshbarmak or a bowl of kumis is almost as important as knowing the visa or lease rules.
This guide goes beyond a simple list of dishes. It offers keys to understanding and appreciating local cuisine by exploring restaurants, markets, home invitations, and cooking classes. It also provides essential advice on table manners to avoid faux pas, which is particularly useful for an expat’s daily life.
Kazakh Cuisine at a Glance
The cuisine of Kazakhstan was born on the steppes, in an environment where people moved their homes, livestock, and kitchens with the rhythm of the seasons. Several characteristics still very visible today stem from this nomadic history.
The first is the central place of meat. The famous concept of “tört tülik mal” describes the four essential major types of livestock: horse, camel, cow, and sheep. These animals provided food, clothing, fuel, and transportation. Logically, the dietary staples remain horse and mutton meat, with beef and chicken as supplements. The cuts are often boiled for a long time, served in large pieces, and sometimes smoked or dried for the winter.
The second characteristic is the omnipresence of fermented dairy products. For nomads, turning milk into kumis, shubat, ayran, qurt, or irimshik was both a preservation technique and a way to enrich the nutritional value of foods. Even today, some local doctors still speak of “kumis therapy” for digestive or respiratory problems.
Local Central Asian Doctors
Finally, it is a cuisine of preservation. Salting, drying, smoking, and fermentation are everywhere. Boiling in water in a large cauldron (kazan) remains the primary technique, whether for beshbarmak, soups, or plovs.
For an expat accustomed to Mediterranean, Asian, or Western cuisines, these reference points can be surprising at first. But behind the apparent rusticity, the recipes are codified, the service ritualized, and the hospitality omnipresent.
Understanding Hospitality at the Table
In Kazakhstan, one never eats just to nourish oneself. Inviting a guest is an almost sacred gesture. A proverb sums up this mentality well: “Welcome your guest as a messenger from God.” Refusing an invitation without good reason is seen as impolite. And once seated at the table (dastarkhan), you become a responsibility for your hosts.
When invited to someone’s home, it is frowned upon to arrive empty-handed. Opt for simple and appreciated gifts, such as chocolates, pastries, fruit, tea, or a small souvenir typical of your country. If the family includes children, consider bringing a small toy or candy. It is customary for the gift to be opened immediately in your presence, not set aside for later.
Entering the house comes with small rituals: you systematically remove your shoes, willingly accept a pair of indoor slippers, and avoid overly revealing clothing, especially in traditional families. And if you are offered a seat, you will be placed according to your status or age: the seat of honor is at the head of the table, facing the door, often reserved for elders or the most respected guest.
A traditional Kazakh meal, like beshbarmak, follows a precise ritual. It begins with tea and appetizers, followed by the main meat dish. The meal concludes with dessert, again accompanied by tea. This sequence is punctuated by toasts, blessings (batá), and long conversations, strengthening social and family bonds.
For an expat, the best advice is simple: go with the flow. Accept what is offered, taste at a minimum, never prevent the host from serving you, and show your satisfaction. If you are full, you must signal it clearly: leave a little food on the plate, place your hand over the bowl or plate when you really want to refuse another helping.
Beshbarmak, the Heartbeat of the Kazakh Table
It’s impossible to understand local gastronomy without starting with beshbarmak, considered the national dish. Its name means “five fingers,” referring to the traditional way of eating it with the hands.
What’s in a Beshbarmak?
At its core, beshbarmak consists of large sheets of dough (a bit like fresh lasagna sheets, but homemade, rolled, and cut) on which are placed large pieces of very tender boiled meat, usually horse or mutton. Sometimes, typical horse sausages like kazy or shuzhyq are added. The whole dish is topped with onions, often cooked in the broth, and enjoyed with a bowl of sorpa, the flavorful broth in which the meat was simmered.
In some regions, the noodles are replaced with rice (the case around Kyzylorda), or vegetables like carrots or potatoes are added, especially in modern versions served in cities.
A Highly Codified Dish
Beyond the recipe, it’s especially the way beshbarmak is served that makes it a cultural monument. The meat is cooked in a large kazan for several hours, then arranged on a huge communal platter. The elder or most respected person is tasked with cutting the pieces and distributing them according to precise rules of hierarchy and symbolism.
Receiving a boiled sheep’s head is an honor. The person in charge of carving assigns specific parts to specific guests: the ears to a child so they listen well, the tongue to a young girl for her eloquence, and certain bones to a son-in-law or daughter-in-law. Foreign guests are usually spared this responsibility and receive good cuts. Being invited to this ritual is a sign of great consideration.
Eating with the hand is still common in rural areas, but in big cities, restaurants almost always serve beshbarmak with utensils.
Where to Try “Authentic” Beshbarmak?
In major cities, several venues allow you to discover this dish in good conditions:
Discover restaurants in Kazakhstan’s main cities that serve the national dish, beshbarmak, in its most traditional or reinvented forms.
Restaurants like Navat, Rumi, Qaimaq, or the Qaganat canteens. The Green Bazaar also offers this dish alongside other classics (lagman, plov).
Restaurants like Qazaq Gourmet where chef Artyom Kantsev offers an 11-course tasting menu “Ómіr,” based on extensive research into traditions.
For an expat, tasting beshbarmak both in a family context (an invitation) and at a high-end restaurant is an excellent way to gauge the gap between the raw tradition of the steppes and the contemporary gastronomic scene.
Beyond Beshbarmak: Other Major Classics
The Kazakh table is not limited to a single dish. Rather, it forms a system where each recipe occupies a specific place in the day, the week, or the holiday calendar.
Among the must-try dishes, you’ll find:
– Plov (palaw, pilaf): fried rice with meat (often beef or mutton), carrots, onions, sometimes raisins. Of Uzbek inspiration, it is omnipresent in Central Asian bazaars, canteens, and restaurants.
– Lagman: long hand-pulled noodles, served stir-fried or in soup with meat (usually beef) and many vegetables (bell peppers, onions, carrots, tomatoes). Almaty has several reputable institutions for this dish, like As-Kazan.
– Manti: large steamed dumplings with minced meat (mutton or beef), sometimes with squash or pumpkin, served with smetana (sour cream) or a sauce based on onion and garlic.
– Samsa: puff pastry pastries baked in a tandoor oven, stuffed with meat and onions. Easily bought on the street or at the market.
– Kuyrdak (quwyrdaq): a rustic sauté of offal (liver, heart, kidneys) with onions and sometimes potatoes. A typical dish for countryside feasts.
– Koktal: whole fish hot-smoked and covered with vegetables, found mainly in lake and river regions.
On the bakery side, three symbolic breads constantly reappear: nan (tandyr oven bread), baursaks (fried leavened dough donuts, often served with tea), and shelpeks, round fried flatbreads prepared especially on Fridays, sometimes distributed to neighbors or the mosque.
The Central Role of Tea and Desserts
In Kazakhstan, the real beginning of a meal is not the main course, but tea. No sooner are you seated than you will see a teapot, bowls (piala, kese), and an avalanche of small things arrive: baursaks, qurt (salted dried cheese balls), dried fruits, sweets, sometimes cold salads.
In some cultures, serving tea in a half-full bowl is a sign of attentiveness, allowing it to be refilled often to maintain warmth and prolong conversation. Conversely, a full bowl would imply wanting the guest to leave quickly. Refusing tea is generally frowned upon, as it will be offered to you repeatedly.
Desserts, on the other hand, are often less sweet than in Western pastries: chak-chak (honey-glazed fried dough pieces), zhent (a mix of millet, butter, dried cheese, honey, and dried fruits), bal-kaymak (cooked cream with honey and flour)… In Almaty, you can also find Russian-inspired cakes like medovik (honey cake) in many cafés (Vanilla, Traveller’s Coffee, Coffee Boom, etc.).
Kumis, Shubat, and Other Fermented Drinks
While black tea is the daily drink, the most emblematic remains kumis, fermented mare’s milk, slightly sparkling and alcoholic (0.7 to 3% alcohol). For a foreign palate, the first sip can be disconcerting: marked acidity, milky notes, sometimes smoky or woody aromas depending on the fermentation vessel (horsehide, barrel, wooden cask).
How is Kumis Produced?
Traditionally, mares are milked several times a day, the milk is poured into a skin or wooden container already “seeded” with some of the previous kumis, and then churned for a long time. The mixture ferments for a few hours at a lukewarm temperature, then possibly for a few days at a lower temperature. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts do the rest, producing both lactic acid and alcohol. Industrial variants use cow’s milk enriched with sugar to mimic the composition of mare’s milk.
There are many kinds of kumis, varying in strength and age. Connoisseurs distinguish terroirs based on pastures (clover, flower meadows, etc.). Some regions, like Taraz, even produce kumis exported to the European Union.
Besides kumis, you can find other fermented drinks:
– Shubat, fermented camel’s milk, fattier, thicker, salty, with a very pronounced taste.
– Ayran, a diluted yogurt drink, sometimes mixed with water or other fermented milks.
– Katyk, boiled then fermented milk, thicker, halfway between yogurt and fresh cheese.
– Mixtures like shalap (water + fermented milk + salt, sometimes herbs) or koiyrtpak (milk instead of water).
For an expat, kumis represents a cultural shock and a unique opportunity, being a drink that shaped the life of nomads for centuries. You can find it at markets like the Green Bazaar in Almaty, in Astana’s bazaars, from street vendors, or at specialized bars in the city.
Alcoholic Drinks and Toasts
Even though Islam is the majority religion, alcohol is part of the daily life of many Kazakhs. Vodka remains the most common strong drink, but local beer (for example, Line Brew) and Kazakh wines are gaining ground. Legislation prohibits the sale of alcohol at night (generally between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m., depending on the day), and the legal age is set at 21.
During a meal with alcohol, expect a succession of toasts. The eldest or the person designated as “tamada” (toastmaster) sets the pace. Sometimes you stand, raise your glass, say a few words of thanks, then drink. Refusing outright can be misinterpreted; if you don’t drink, it’s best to state your reasons upfront (religious, medical) and just wet your lips, or even toast with juice or kumis.
Learning to Cook Kazakh: Classes, Masterclasses, and Immersion
For an expat who likes to get hands-on, Kazakhstan offers great learning opportunities. In Almaty as in Astana, several schools and agencies organize cooking classes, themed workshops, or more immersive experiences.
Cooking Classes in Almaty
The “Almaty Cooking School” has established itself as a reference: rated 5/5 on over a hundred reviews, it offers very guided classes, with pre-portioned ingredients, step-by-step explanations, and on-site tasting. Themes can be Kazakh, but also very varied (“Touch of the Caribbean,” “Asian Fusion”…). The format is designed as a complete evening: after two hours of cooking, you sit down to eat, with no need to go to a restaurant afterward. Each participant leaves with a certificate, and photos are encouraged.
This is the mentioned rate for two hours of themed classes, considered very reasonable for an expat relative to the local cost of living.
Another option: classes explicitly focused on Kazakh cuisine. A typical 7-hour program in Almaty proposes learning six local recipes (Lagman Guvry, Lagman Suyru, baursaks, onion bread, manpar soup, spicy sauce lazdzhan, local cake), with an English-speaking guide, tasting accompanied by wine, a final certificate, and the possibility to add a transfer for about 40 dollars per group of four. The advertised price is about 120 dollars per person for the day, all ingredients included.
Another, shorter class (5 hours) and more expensive (starting at 228 dollars, price varies by group size), focuses on a few emblematic dishes like baursaks, stews, and salads, with guidance from professional chefs.
Immersive Culinary Experiences
Beyond schools, some experiences mix cooking, culture, and crafts. In Astana, a tour titled “Gourmet Tour To A Kazakh Family Of Traditional Jewelers” takes participants to the home of a family of artisan jewelers. You learn to prepare a fried version of beshbarmak and other specialties, before sharing a meal together. On-site, you can also learn jewelry-making or felt-making. The experience lasts a day, with free cancellation, and starts around 225 dollars, adjusted based on group size.
This approximately 5-hour excursion allows you to discover Kazakh culture: visiting yurts, traditional ceremonies, equestrian show, initiation to archery and horseback riding, making and tasting local dishes (including kumis), all in a mountainous setting. The price, with free cancellation, varies between 160 and 180 dollars depending on group size.
Summary Table of Some Culinary Experiences
| Experience | City | Duration | Indicative Price* | Main Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kazakh Class (6 dishes, Lagman, baursaks, etc.) | Almaty | ~7 hrs (10 a.m.–5 p.m.) | ~120 USD/person | 6 recipes, English-speaking guide, wine, certificate |
| Cooking Class “Kazakh Cuisine in Almaty” | Almaty | ~5 hrs | From 228 USD/group | Baursaks, stews, salads, expert chefs |
| Almaty Cooking School (varied themes) | Almaty | ~2 hrs per session | ~7000 KZT/session | Friendly atmosphere, themed menus, certificate |
| Ethno village tour | Almaty Region | 1 day + 5 hrs | 163–183 USD/group | Equestrian show, archery, simple cooking, kumis |
| Gourmet Tour at Jewelers’ Home | Astana | 1 day | From 225 USD/group | Home-based class, fried beshbarmak, crafts |
Prices are indicative, vary by group size and season, and are subject to change.
For expats, these classes are not only a way to learn how to cook locally, but also a quick way to connect with English-speaking Kazakhs, other foreigners, and to understand the codes of the table.
Where to Eat: Landmarks for Almaty and Astana
The gastronomic scene is evolving quickly, especially in Almaty and Astana. Restaurants open and close, but some trends are emerging: multiplication of fusion concepts, explosion of modern cafés, upscaling of Kazakh cuisine, and maintenance of a wide network of canteens and bazaars for good, cheap food.
Almaty, a Crossroads of Cuisines
Nestled at the foot of the Tian Shan, Almaty concentrates an impressive number of venues. You’ll find restaurants of Kazakh and Central Asian cuisine (Navat, Qaimaq, Gakku, Sandyq), 24/7 canteens like Qaganat where a complete meal sometimes costs less than 2 dollars, gourmet markets like the Green Bazaar, or modern food courts (Dostyk Plaza, Platforma, Restopark).
The city’s ethnic diversity is reflected on the plate: Uzbek restaurants (Kishlak, Alasha), Korean (Masisso, Korean House), Russian and Ukrainian (Traktir Medved), Georgian (Patsatsina, Daredzhani), Italian (Del Papa, Fellini), Japanese (Sumo San, Samurai Sushi), Indian (Tandoor), Turkish (Cicek Mangal), etc. Expats can easily find fallback options if they want a break from plovs and shashlik.
This is the price in Kazakh tenge (KZT) for a cappuccino in cafés in central Almaty.
For those who want a more high-end experience of Kazakh cuisine, restaurants like AUYL (“neo-nomadic” cuisine in the mountains, near Medeu) or Sandyq focus on wood fire, horse meat, traditional atmosphere, and even live music.
Astana and High-End Kazakh Gastronomy
The political capital, Astana, focuses more on prestige. The restaurant Qazaq Gourmet, for example, has established itself as a showcase for the new Kazakh cuisine. Its chef, Artyom Kantsev, traveled the country collecting recipes, products, and know-how before creating an 11-course tasting menu (“Ómіr”) telling the gastronomic history of Kazakhstan. The restaurant, open since 2016, is regularly awarded (best Kazakh cuisine restaurant at the WHERETOEAT KAZAKHSTAN 2024 award, featured in LA LISTE of the world’s 1000 best restaurants, the first Kazakh venue referenced on 50 Best Discovery).
The restaurant’s interior incorporates traditional Kazakh visual codes (patterns, objects, references to the yurt) and offers VIP lounges, catering service, and an offer for private aviation. For an expat, dining there illustrates how traditional dishes like beshbarmak, kazy, dairy products, or ancient grains are reinterpreted with modern culinary techniques while retaining their cultural roots.
Markets and Street Food: The Everyday Playground
Markets remain the best place to understand what Kazakhs really eat. In Almaty, the Green Bazaar, near the pedestrian street Zhibek Zholy and the old Rakhat chocolate factory, is a must-visit. Open Tuesday to Sunday, it offers meats (including horse, with kazy and other dedicated charcuterie), fish, fruits and vegetables (including the famous Aport apples of impressive size), spices, dried fruits, dairy products (kurt, irimshik, kumis, shubat), sweets, and even an “oriental medicine” section with mountain herbs, animal fats, honey-coated insects, or various remedies.
A canteen upstairs serves plov, lagman, beshbarmak at very affordable prices. By haggling a bit (bargaining is expected in bazaars), it’s possible to put together a basket of local products for a week without breaking the bank.
In other cities, you’ll find the same type of structure: covered markets, more or less modernized, sometimes arranged on several floors, always with a food court. In Astana, centers like Khan Shatyr or Mega Silk Way mix modern shopping with more international dining options.
Budget, Cost of Living, and Prices at the Table
For an expat, one of the pleasant surprises of Kazakhstan is the price-quality ratio of food, especially compared to Western Europe or North America. While rents in city centers can be heavy, food expenses remain reasonable, especially for those who cook at home.
Some Rough Estimates
A simple meal at a small restaurant generally costs between 2500 and 7000 KZT (around 4–12 euros depending on the exchange rate and city), with an observed average around 4000–4500 KZT. A lunch menu in a business district is around 4400 KZT, while a complete dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant is more like 10,000 to 30,000 KZT. A fancier meal, with several courses and wine, can go up to nearly 30,000 KZT for two.
A typical burger-fries-drink combo at an international fast-food chain costs between 3000 and 3500 KZT in Kazakhstan.
Comparative Table of Some Food Prices
| Expense Item | Price Range (KZT) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Simple meal at a cheap restaurant | 2500 – 7000 | Average 4000–4500 KZT |
| Lunch menu in a business district | ~4400 | Daily special + drink |
| 3-course meal for 2 (mid-range) | 10,000 – 30,000 | Without high-end alcohol |
| Fast-food combo like McDonald’s | 2500 – 4000 | Burger, fries, drink |
| Local draft beer (pint) | 350 – 1500 | Average 600 KZT |
| Cappuccino | 600 – 1500 | More expensive in expat neighborhoods |
| Mid-range bottle of wine | 2000 – 7000 | Average 3500–3800 KZT |
| White bread (500 g) | ~210 – 214 | Very affordable |
| 12 eggs | 540 – 1188 | Average 800–830 KZT |
| Chicken (500 g of breast) | ~1100 | Depends on quality and store |
| 1 kg of apples | ~585 | Aport apples can be more expensive |
In practice, an expat who cooks and alternates between canteens, street food, and reasonable restaurants can live comfortably with a moderate food budget. Supermarkets like Gros, Ramstore, or local chains offer good quality products at prices lower than many Western countries. Open-air markets a few days a week are even more economical, at the cost of increased vigilance regarding freshness.
Vegetarians, Vegans, and Other Special Diets
For a vegetarian or vegan expat, Kazakhstan can be a challenge, especially outside major cities. The culinary culture is largely centered on meat and dairy products. A dish without meat is not necessarily considered a “real” meal, and the concept of veganism is still not widespread.
In the City: Increasing Choices
In Almaty, Nur-Sultan, or Shymkent, the situation is improving markedly. Explicitly vegetarian or very “veggie friendly” cafés and restaurants have emerged: Veggie Cafe 108m2, Trawa Modern Vegetarian, Eco Bar, or Govinda (Indian vegetarian cuisine) in Almaty, for example. Many foreign eateries serve as refuges: Indian, Thai, Lebanese, Italian, Georgian… Not to mention modern cafés where salads, bowls, vegetable soups, and lacto-vegetarian options are multiplying.
Bazaars and supermarkets offer a wide range of unprocessed raw products, such as grains (rice, buckwheat, lentils, chickpeas), vegetables (potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, eggplants, zucchini, cabbages, tomatoes, cucumbers), fruits, nuts, dried fruits, mushrooms, breads, jams, and honey. These foods allow you to cook varied and satisfying home meals without frustration.
In the Countryside: Anticipation Required
In rural areas, things get trickier. In a homestay at a farm or village, it’s not uncommon for a “meatless” meal to consist of bread, jam, and potatoes. Explaining vegetarianism without speaking Russian or Kazakh becomes very difficult, especially since it’s common for animal broths or fats to be used to cook vegetables.
Experienced travelers recommend that expats research the local culture in depth, master the basics of the host country’s language, and build a network of contacts on the ground before departure to facilitate their integration.
– anticipate, by clearly informing hosts or travel agencies of their dietary restrictions;
– learn a few key phrases in Russian (e.g., “I don’t eat meat/fish/dairy products”);
– carry easy-to-store supplements (granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, long-lasting tofu, dried plant proteins) on excursions;
– opt for cooked vegetables rather than raw salads in places where water quality is doubtful.
This caution applies to everyone, vegetarian or not: outside major cities, it’s better to be selective about raw vegetables and have medication on hand in case of digestive issues.
Codes, Gestures, and Mistakes to Avoid
Beyond what you eat, how you behave at the table matters enormously. A few habits can avoid misunderstandings.
To make a good impression, arrive on time (or with a maximum of 10-15 minutes delay). Upon entering, always remove your shoes and avoid stepping on the tablecloth or meal carpet. During formal dinners, wait for the elder or host to start serving themselves before you do. Taste the dishes offered as a sign of respect, calmly explaining any restrictions. Accept the “sarkyt” (leftovers or sweets to take home), as a refusal can be perceived poorly. Finally, during the final blessing (batá), cup your hands, bow your head, then pass your hands over your face, from eyebrows to chin, at the end of the prayer.
In a yurt, a few additional taboos exist: do not touch the central pole, do not step on the threshold, do not sit on the bed, do not throw trash into the fire, and avoid showing the soles of your feet toward the altar.
The richness of Kazakh gastronomy lies in its unique blend: a very ancient pastoral base, influences from the Silk Road, Soviet heritage, recent opening to international cuisine and modern techniques. For an expat, this context offers multiple avenues.
Living in Kazakhstan means being able to: explore varied natural landscapes, meet people from different cultures, and savor a rich cuisine. It also means benefiting from a vibrant cultural life and professional opportunities that are expanding.
A gastronomic trip to Kazakhstan can offer contrasting experiences: tasting rustic beshbarmak in a village house one day, then a refined interpretation in an award-winning restaurant the next; drinking potent kumis in a provincial bazaar, then a contemporary kumis-based cocktail in a trendy Almaty bar; learning to roll baursaks with a grandmother in an ethno-village, then participating in a themed cooking workshop in a design school; frequenting markets to buy products unavailable elsewhere (kazy, shubat, huge Aport apples, kurt) while enjoying cosmopolitan cafés and restaurants the rest of the week.
The essential thing, to fully enjoy this immersion, is to consider each meal as an opportunity to learn: not only recipes, but also stories, gestures, ways of saying thank you or making a toast. In a country where ” welcoming a guest as a messenger” remains a living value, the plate is often the best path to social integration.
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
