This gluten and dairy free guide to Uzbekistan covers the main tourist cities along the country’s silk road: Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand.
In this blog post, I have only noted places that I ate at/what I ordered. I will be honest, during my time in Uzbekistan, my diet was very meat-based. For those who follow a vegetarian/vegan diet, when combining with gluten free, it will be much harder to find suitable places.
I found travelling easier with help from translation cards/Google Translate. I do recommend downloading these these before you go. I made sure to have translation cards in both Uzbek and Russian, as well as an offline translator.
There were many cases where I communicated in the preferred language using the offline Google translate. This was not just for dining out, but also talking to locals in general. I could not recommend it more.
Overall, I would certainly put Uzbekistan on your travel bucket list. It is up there with the best countries I have ever visited, with the locals being very hospitable and welcoming. It is truly sensational, and I could have spent more than just the two weeks there.
Happy travels xx
Updated May 2024
General food advice for Uzbekistan
Most of the food in Uzbekistan is naturally gluten free and dairy free. I found they did not tend to add ‘fillers’ in products. I had a few confused looks when asking about ‘added gluten’, and was given replies that ‘it is just meat and nothing else’. This made it easy to eat when basing my diet on kebabs/meat and Plov in the majority.
Plov, which is naturally gluten free, is the national dish of Uzbekistan. It is made of rice, oil, meat, spices, and sometimes dried fruits/chickpeas. Large vats of these are often made once a day, so do be prepared to eat early if you want to nab some of this. I recommend you do as I fell in love with Plov throughout my trip.
As well as dining out, I stayed in both hotels and guest houses. Both were able to cater for me, with minor adjustments. I just made sure to notify them in advance of my dietary requirements.
Tashkent
Glutenfree.uz
I had less than 24-hours in Tashkent on my first visit to Uzbekistan. Therefore, I can only mention one place. A bonus that it is 100% gluten free with dairy free and vegan options. Who knew Tashkent would have a fully coeliac safe bakery-cafe? It is a little out of the main city centre, but only a short journey on the metro. You could always stop off at the stations on the way to gaze at the Soviet architecture.
I did go very late in the day (30 minutes from closing), so I could only grab a few treats to take away. I opted for several vegan bite-sized biscuits, as well as a few buckwheat baguettes. I filled the latter with breakfast meats where possible, to supplement my lunches.
As well as the bakery, they have pantry products for sale. This is ideal if you are travelling with extra luggage/staying in Tashkent for a few days. It was the only place I found that had easily accessible gluten free snacks – so I do recommend stocking up for your trip here.
Using Google translate, I was able to commnicate with the staff in Russian. They were extremely friendly, and told me about all their delicious cafe dishes. This included gluten free vegan dumplings, filled with spinach and pumpkin. I wish I had more time to go back and check these out.
Khiva
Terrassa Restaurant
Terrassa Restaurant gives one of the most iconic views in Khiva, Uzbekistan. It overlooks the Minor Minaret and one of the main squares, which looks particularly beautiful when lit up at night. Make sure to book a table in advance, though, as this is a very popular spot. I visited at 9:30pm and still had to wait for an inside table.
As for the food, they have plenty of gluten free options, as well as some which also suit vegetarians. I opted to share a beef strip starter with my friend, as well as having skewers for my main. The starter meat was extremely tender. As for mains, there was a slight mishap at first when ordering. Despite me informing them about my dietary needs, one of the waiters did not understand. However, the manager came straight over and sorted this straight away. Their knowledge was faultless, and they understood my translation card about cross-contact. I had a short wait for a fresh meal, which was delicious. I must say, they did have to remove several items off the plate (such as potatoes) because they mentioned ‘the oil is bad for you’. I was greatful they understood the severity of my needs, but it would have been nice to know in advance what would be removed (as I was still charged full price). Just make sure to check out any adjustments with your server upon ordering.
Overall, whilst the food is more expensive for the area (although Uzbekistan as a country is affordable), the quality is beautiful and the evening views even more so.
Khiva Moon
This was my favourite of the two places I dined in Khiva. It was a short walk outside the Itchan Kala (city walls), which also meant a reduction in prices. I found it more of a restaurant that locals would dine at, with some traditional tapchan dotted around (I advise booking these in advance for larger groups).
The waiters understood the allergen cards very well, which was really helpful. I had a similar starter to that at Terrassa Restaurant, this time being a slightly different cut of beef. For main, I opted for Plov. This was the first one I had during my trip and it set the bar high. It was very flavoursome, and naturally gluten free.
I also recommend the fresh juices here. I opted for a cherry-based drink. They are made with fruits, water (which has been boiled for safety), and sugar. Perfect for a summer evening.
Bukhara
Old Bukhara
This was my top pick for where to eat in Bukhara, serving a range of traditional cuisine. Old Bukhara served, in my opinion, the best Plov in Uzbekistan. Not only was the food gorgeous, but the setting was perfect, too. The prices were very reasonable for the location, being central to main attractions. You will find quite a few tourists here for this reason.
The waiters spoke really good English, and understood all my dietary needs very well. I felt in safe hands. In terms of tables, we did not need to book for lunch in May, and were seated easily with no wait. It is a restaurant with a terrace, which also provided an area of cover and cool air on a hot and humid day.
Lyabi House Hotel (Ayvan Restaurant)
This place is one I highly recommend. I had initially dismissed it, as on the surface it is quite expensive and in an ‘Instagrammable’ hotel restaurant location. Do not get me wrong, the prices were not the cheapest (for Uzbekistan anyway), but the service and quality was brilliant.
I ate here with ease. The waiting staff all spoke perfect English, and understood my translation cards very well. They even checked the dishes I had ordered with the chefs, without me even asking. This was the place I felt safest eating at over the whole time.
The menu was a little different, too, meaning I could take a break from the Plov and kebabs. For starter, I opted for chicken sausages with cabbage. As soon as the food came out, I knew I was in for a treat. The size of the portions were hearty – and I had definitely won the jackpot with this one. One of the most flavoursome dishes I have had. For main, I then opted for a lamb and vegetable dish. There was quite a bit of oil in the dish (but this is expected with Uzbek book), but also lots of fresh vegetables and chunks of tender meat.
I also ordered a tipple during my visit here; a beautiful basil and fruit-based cocktail. It was refreshing, and complimented my meal well.
I have seen mixed reviews online, but we must have done well here. We booked in advance for a late lunch sitting, so were very attended to. It appears that it may not be as ‘up to scratch’ at busier times – so do be aware. Also note a high 20% service charge on all bills.
Jam Restaurant
This restaurant is situated a little outside the area of the main attractions, nearer where to the locals reside. It has very good reviews online, and is highly rated/recommended by locals. However, my visit was not the best. We arrived late in the evening to the eatery, which may have influenced this. The service was extremely slow, albeit friendly. We did feel at points we were forgotten, particularly between starter and mains.
The food was OK, but at least they had several gluten free options. For starter, I had a beef and vegetable soup, followed by kebabs and vegetables for main. The kebab meat was fine, but I did not expect chunks of fat on the skewer as well. I had ordered the pan fried vegetables, but was served the ‘grilled’ option instead. These were lovely, but the portion was relatively small for the price. I do not know if being served this dish was a translational issue, but it certainly put the bill up, which was a slight frustration. So do be aware of this.
Looking at other reviews online, it appears that this place can be hit and miss. Whilst it was OK, I would not recommend it as one of the top places I ate in Uzbekistan.
Chor Bakr
This place is on the outskirts of central Bukhara, which we visited as part of a private tour (booked via our Guesthouse) to the Winter Palace. The guide convinced us to grab a bite to eat here before our train to Samarkand. We were told that people come here from all over to visit to try the meats. I can see why – this was one of the nicest places I ate at on my trip. However, it is not somewhere you would visit if you adhere to a vegetarian diet.
The kebabs were extremely succulent, and the salad was fresh. I can personally recommend the beef fillet. You could see they took pride in the quality here, and also do not scrimp on portion sizes. Overall, it felt very ‘homey’ here, where lots of local people frequent.
Samarkand
Shokhrukh Nur
Shokhrukh Nur was a restaurant I frequented whilst in Samarkand. I loved it here so much that I dined there on four separate occasions, once also inviting a fellow traveller with me. In terms of gluten free, they had kebabs galore: meat, vegetable and potato. All of which were at a very good price, particularly for the location (as it was only a 3-minute walk to the Registan Square).
This is somewhere that I originally tried based on the Google star rating alone, as gluten free reviews for Uzbekistan were scarce. Safe to say it lived up to the reputation and more. My friend recommended the Manti for the gluten-eating folk, which did look gorgeous. I wish I could have tried these. Like with most other places I ate, I opted for kebabs to be safe. Not only was the kebabs my overall favourite of my 10-day trip, but the staff were fabulous. I couldn’t resist their lemon tea, either. They were always smiling, and were so greateful to see us each night. They even insisted we could not tip them because they ‘just love having tourists there’. It was really heartwarming.
Art Cafe Norgis
In a nutshell, I do not recommend this place at all (a real shame as it was one of a few that did offer vegetarian/vegan options). My friend and I opted to go here as we had just finished an 8-hour tour, but were yet to have lunch. It was the closest restaurant that we could find. I just wish I had seen the reviews before hand.
At first, it appeared welcoming, with a lovely outdoor seating area with traditional tapchan. I will be honest, I did quite enjoy sitting here as it was my only opportunity during the trip. That was the only positive about this place, though.
We ordered some lemon tea and Plov. I do not know how someone can make bad lemon tea, but they managed it here. Then for the Plov. Not only was it the most expensive dish Plov that we purchased during the trip (~50,000 SOM), but it was by far the worst. It felt as though it was a week old, with hard, stale rice, barely any meat (which was tough and appeared like off-cuts). When I say we were waiting for the food poisioning to hit, I am not kidding. It was not a pleasant thought.
We did end up getting the service charge removed, as we explained how awful our visit was to the manager. It appeated to us that it may have been a common occurrance, as he just said ‘OK’ and took it off without question. Such a shame, but luckily it was not the last meal of the trip.
Zargaron Restaurant
Whilst dining at Art Cafe (above), my friend and I bumped into some fellow travellers from a previous walking tour. We had mentioned that we were looking for some better places to eat after the bad experience, and were recommended Zagaron (which was situated right behind). So we made sure to pop in the next day.
This was our final day in Samarkand, so I am glad this place lived up to expectations. The views from the window were spectcular; breathtaking really. You have to see it for yourself – certainly one of the top two views from my Uzbekistan trip. The food was phenomenal, too. I had various options, with the staff being very attentive to my needs. Nothing felt like too much.
In terms of the food, my friend and I shared some kebabs and a vegetable platter. This was the biggest meal portion I was served during the trip, and was shocked. The presentation was top-notch. Almost too pretty to eat. It lived up to expectations in terms of taste and texture. The meat melted in the mouth and was seasoned well, with a fresh array of vegetables.
We must have arrived just at the right time, as shortly after we ordered, there were two tour groups which turned up. Zargaron Restaurant can get busy, so I do recommend booking in advance at peak hours.
Emirhan Restaurant
When looking for ‘rooftop restaurant views’, Emirhan comes up high on Google searches. Honestly, though, it did not live up to the hype. Whilst it did have a nice terrace seating area, which I am sure would be beautiful for sunset, it was not in the best position for good views. I certainly had seen better during my time in Uzbekistan.
The Plov here was nice, but nothing overly special. I was certainly expecting more for the price. I guess the money is paying for the ‘view’ from the rooftop. It felt a little greasy and lacked meat toppings, although well-presented.
We also had a small issue with the drinks. Upon ordering, we had not been told that the juice we requested was out of stock. Instead, we were simply given the most expensive one as an alternative. I am not quite sure why this was, but they reluctantly changed it upon request.
In all, I would not dismiss trying here, but just be aware that you are essentially paying for the terrace rather than the quality.
Shoxjaxon Milliy Taomlar
Shoxjaxon Milliy Taomlar is a place I stumbled on due to its good reviews online. This felt somewhere that locals would go for a ‘nicer’ meal, and is run as a family restaurant. A nice setting with friendly staff. It has quite an extensive menu of salads, kebabs and more.
There was a little issue in terms of communication about gluten free items here. My friend and I had ordered a salad to start, followed by kebabs to share for mains. When the salad arrived, after being told it was fine, it appeared dowsed in soy sauce. Alarm bells rang for me, so I called them over to check. They confirmed it was soy sauce (but were confused about that having gluten). I was not offered it to be taken away, so my friend had to finish it themselves.
Due to this, I was skeptical about the mains. I asked three times to check whether my kebab was safe (showing them the translation cards again). I made sure to ask multiple waiting staff for a consensus. Thankfully, these were fine. It just meant that my diet stuck to the usual ‘kebab/Plov’ once again.
The general vibe of this place was calm and welcoming. However, just a note to double and triple-check allergens upon ordering and recieving dishes.
I hope you found this blog post helpful. I know there was not a lot of gluten free content in Uzbekistan in my first visit (May 2024), so I really wanted to share my knowledge with you all.
I hope you have a fantastic time in the country. It honestly tops it as one of the three best places I have ever visited. The hospitality, the architecture, the everything. Something I will never forget.
