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Best Food in Nur-Sultan (2026)
Start your culinary journey in the city center, where most top restaurants cluster. Head to the Astana Tower area or along the Nurzhol Boulevard for a mix of upscale and casual s… 🍽️ Where to Start
Start your culinary journey in the city center, where most top restaurants cluster. Head to the Astana Tower area or along the Nurzhol Boulevard for a mix of upscale and casual spots. For a first taste, try the modern Kazakh cuisine at Line Brew, located at 12/1 Sauran Street, with mains from 3,500 to 7,000 tenge.
🥟 Must-Try Local Dishes
Don't leave without sampling beshbarmak, the national dish of boiled meat and noodles, often served with onions and broth. Another essential is kazy, a horse meat sausage, which you can find at traditional restaurants like Saksaul, at 21 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue. For a quick bite, try manti, steamed dumplings filled with meat and pumpkin, available at most local cafes for around 800 tenge each.
🏙️ Best Neighborhoods for Food
The Green Quarter, near the Khan Shatyr mall, is packed with trendy cafes and international eateries, perfect for a diverse dinner. For a more local feel, explore the streets around the Central Market, where you'll find authentic Kazakh and Uzbek stalls. In the left bank area, near the Expo 2017 site, you'll find modern fusion restaurants that blend traditional flavors with global techniques.
🍢 Street Food and Markets
Visit the Central Market, at 3 Zheltoksan Street, to sample fresh produce, dried fruits, and local snacks like baursaki, fried dough balls. For a hearty street meal, try shashlik, skewered grilled meat, from vendors near the Astana Opera, priced around 1,500 tenge per skewer. In the evenings, food trucks often line up near the Nur-Astana Mosque, offering everything from burgers to lagman noodles.
🍷 Evening Dining Spots
For a memorable dinner with a view, book a table at the Sky Lounge Restaurant, on the 32nd floor of the Rixos President Hotel, where the panoramic windows overlook the city lights. If you prefer a cozier atmosphere, try Kishlak, at 15 Saryarka Avenue, which serves traditional Kazakh dishes in a yurt-inspired setting. Reservations are recommended on weekends, and most upscale restaurants open until 11 PM.
💰 Price Ranges and Budget Tips
A meal at a mid-range restaurant will cost between 4,000 and 8,000 tenge per person, while a budget meal at a cafe or street stall is around 1,500 to 2,500 tenge. For a real bargain, look for business lunch specials on weekdays, often offered for 2,000 tenge or less. Tipping is not mandatory, but rounding up the bill is appreciated.
🚇 Getting to Food Spots
The city's light rail system, the Astana LRT, is still under construction, so the most reliable way to get around is by taxi or the bus network. Use the Yandex Taxi app for affordable rides, with most trips within the city center costing under 1,000 tenge. Buses run from 6 AM to 11 PM, and a single ticket costs 180 tenge, but you'll need a transport card or cash to the driver.
the guide's spot on about the Keruen food court, that's where i grab lunch when i'm in the area. but if you're out late, don't miss the night market behind the Baiterek tower, it's small and only really pops off after 9 pm. there's a guy there who's been grilling the same shashlik for like fifteen years, his lamb ribs are the best in the city, 1,800 tenge and he'll throw in a chunk of fresh nan if you're nice.
also, about the LRT thing, yeah it's still a mess, but the bus 10 runs straight down the left bank and connects the Expo area to the old city, way cheaper than taxis if you're not in a rush. just have cash ready, the driver won't break big bills. and if you're into sweets, the bakery on the corner of Saryarka and Orynbor, next to the pharmacy, does a honey cake that's dangerously good, 900 tenge a slice, sells out by 4 pm usually.
Solid list, Line Brew is a good shout for a first night. One thing I'd add: don't skip the horse meat, it's not just kazy. Try zhaya, the smoked horse brisket, it's got a deeper flavor and most locals swear by it. You'll find it on menus at places like Saksaul, but ask for it specifically, it's not always listed in English.
Also, for a budget lunch that beats most business specials, head to the food court in the Keruen mall around 1 PM. There's a spot near the back that does fresh lagman and samsy all day, and a full bowl with bread runs you about 1,200 tenge. It's not fancy, but it's where the office workers from the nearby ministries eat, which tells you everything.
honestly the guide's right about the Central Market but don't sleep on the Arasan baths nearby. after you eat, go get a proper steam and then hit the little tea stalls outside, they do a decent shurpa that'll warm you right up. costs like 500 tenge a bowl, perfect after the cold.
also for a different vibe, check out the Belvedere area on the left bank, not the fancy restaurants but the small cafes tucked behind the office blocks. there's one called Kafe Dom that does a killer plov with lamb, no tourists in sight, just locals on their lunch break. it's about 2,500 tenge and they don't have an English menu, so either point or bring a photo, worth the effort though.
one thing the guide missed: the weekend farmer's market near the Old Bridge, it's only on saturdays and sundays till noon. you'll get fresh kurt and irimshik, those dried cheese balls, way better than the stuff in the shops. grab a bag and eat them on the walk back, they're salty and perfect with a beer later.
Almaty neighborhoods for a two-month stay?
if u want something quieter but still walkable check out the area around microdistrict 5 or 6 in alatau district. it's a bit further from the center but the bus 46 and 63 connect u to abay ave in 20 mins. there's a decent cafe called coffee with a view on satpaev that does good lattes and has a nice balcony. rent is cheaper and u get more space for two months
fwiw I'd pick the area around Dostyk and Abay if u want a good mix of cafes and metro access. There's a solid cluster of coffee spots near the corner of Zheltoksan and Satpaev that stay open late. The green line bus runs straight down Abay and gets u to Arbat or the park in like 15 mins. Rent might be a bit higher than say Samal-2 or Orbita but u save on transit time and actually have stuff to walk to.
honestly i'd look at the area around the intersection of baytursynov and timiryazev. it's not super touristy but has a good rhythm for a longer stay. there's a quiet courtyard cafe called 'the book' with decent wifi and solid filter coffee, plus the 99 bus runs straight down timiryazev to al-Farabi ave in under 15 min. the rent's a bit cheaper than the central spots and you're close to the botanical garden if u need a walk