Heavy Luxury

A top-tier Asian restaurant and the only place in Almaty where sushi and rolls aren’t just delivery fare but haute cuisine. Chef Vyacheslav Kim handles premium fish with samurai precision, refusing any compromises — so you finally understand what real Japanese style tastes like.

What to try:

• Otoro or chutoro sashimi (₸8,400 for 40g)
• Scallop nigiri (₸3,400 per piece)
• Wagyu beef (₸19,800) seared on hot stones

Japanese luxury in the spirit of Loro Piana — no logos, but the quality speaks for itself. Otoro and chutoro are cold velvet with a rich fatty punch; Kuril scallops — pure northern freshness; A5 Miyazaki wagyu — edible marble. Akami’s menu is for those who can taste the difference between Hokkaido and Kagoshima.

On the 28th floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Seven predictably delivers high standards — in cuisine, prices, experiences, and the affluence of its guests. The menu blends premium European and Asian flavors, while the wine list boasts a grand collection, crowned by Burgundy’s finest crus.

What to try:

• USDA Prime ribeye, mushroom ketchup, wild garlic, mashed potatoes, jus gras (₸41,500)

Brutality meets chic à la Tom Ford Private Blend. The steak is like a bespoke suit — top-tier and cooked to perfection. Mushroom ketchup and fermented garlic add deep, dirty-sexy notes, while jus gras and silky mash offer business-class comfort where every element serves flavor.

A serious seafood restaurant with old-world European flair — no trend-chasing, no need to prove anything. Just doing its thing exceptionally well. The definitive answer to: Where to eat fish and seafood in Almaty?

What to try:

• Seafood sauté in creamy tomato sauce (₸27,000)
• Eel bruschetta (₸6,200)

Maritime aristocracy, Brioni-style. The sauté plays like Sicilian jazz — shrimp as bright notes, crab as sweetness, scallops as a silent but palpable bassline; the sauce — a silken underlayer of flavor. The eel on Borodinsky bread is an unexpected Loewe-like touch: smoky, rye-rich, stylish.

A luxurious villa in Chimbulak with views so breathtaking you’ll willingly accept an aesthetic tax on the bill. The menu is Europe with flair — foie gras, black caviar — while the wine list caters to those who understand appellations, vintages, and the zeros on their receipt.

What to try:

• Foie gras terrine (₸13,900)
• Lobster Thermidor (half, ₸59,000)

Deep texture à la Zegna Couture. The foie — aged, confident velvet; Almaty apple purée — a bold accessory. Lobster Thermidor — meat, cream, bronze, and a moment of silence on the plate.

A Mediterranean restaurant on a golf course — even the setting whispers old money. Quiet culinary luxury against manicured lawns, cinematic athletes, and majestic mountains. Fresh catch, European delicacies, and a confident wine list accompany flawless Italian dishes.

What to try:

• Aglio e olio (₸5,900)
• BBQ beef ribs (₸26,000)

Leisurely elegance in the style of Brunello Cucinelli. The aglio e olio is genius in its simplicity — for those who read between the garlic cloves. The ribs — slow-cooked power with smoke and BBQ charm. Here, you dine with dignity, without unnecessary fuss.

A mansion-restaurant of authentic Chinese cuisine, offering every imaginable batter, wok dish, and dim sum of delicate soulfulness — plus sweet-and-sour sauces, all the delights of the Middle Kingdom. But we’re here for the duck, roasted in a $180,000 oven. A crazy price for the device, but we deeply respect this investment in our delicious lunch.

What to try:

• Peking duck (₸25,990)

Imperial gastronomy in the spirit of Shang Xia — heritage perfected. The duck is dried, marinated, roasted like jade sculpture. Skin — crisp, meat — silk, serving — a ceremony. $180,000 invested for a taste of culinary eternity.

The city’s most social restaurant, where every evening is a celebration, every celebration a star-studded concert or party, and every guest one of Almaty’s most glamorous divas. The royal name demands luxury, and the menu delivers.

What to try:

• Lobster spaghetti for two (₸85,000)
• Crab and shrimp shawarma (₸8,500)

Glamour in the vein of Balmain — loud, expensive, crackling with power. Lobster spaghetti is like stilettos at a Monte Carlo dinner — hot, beautiful, and status-affirming. Crab shawarma — the East in a convertible, street food in a gold box. Queen is where you wear a plunging neckline and eat with your hands, where taste is an accessory, and you are the star.

The restaurant with the most notable champagne collection in town — 130+ labels without the usual markup, curated for connoisseurs, not profit. The menu? International urban cuisine — minimalist but not boring, straightforward but not simple.

What to try:

• Octopus with potato and Parmesan (₸16,990)

Intellectual minimalism à la Jil Sander — restrained, clean, on the edge of silence and flavor. The octopus is perfectly seared, with a light crunch and confident texture; potato — the perfect backdrop, plain but precise; Parmesan — an architectural accent: dry, salty, measured. Nuala speaks softly, yet commands attention.

One of the city’s strongest wine restaurants. Sommelier Alexander Glantz assembled a collection of nearly 300 labels, featuring Bordeaux first growths, Burgundy clos, vintage champagnes, and Super Tuscans. The delicate cuisine complements these great wines. Chef Oleg Petrichenko speaks in subtle flavors, respecting ingredients without unnecessary theatrics.

What to try:

• Atlantic turbot fillet with vanilla sauce (₸15,980)
• Chili crab with fried rice (₸13,290)
• Kamchatka scallops with parsnip cream, apples, porcini, and yuzu (₸11,510)

A Mediterranean intellectual in the style of Cifonelli — no shouting, just precise flavor strokes. Turbot with vanilla sauce — tenderness with a hint of provocation; fish like silk, sauce like a murmur. Chili crab — a gastro-dialogue between Southeast Asia and French technique, spicy yet refined. Kamchatka scallops — pure Nordic zen: sweetness, acidity, earth, and sea in a perfect balance. Horoshiy god’s menu is made for those who start tasting before the cutlery arrives.

Photos: restaurant websites and social media; Yandex Maps