Venues to Take Your Parents To

Step into Love and Doves — it’s like opening a postcard from the past: the restaurant channels a 1990s Soviet-era apartment, complete with slipcovered armchairs, grand chandeliers, glassware cabinets with fine china «for special occasions», and embroidered napkins. The walls are adorned with photos of beloved movie stars — you half expect Lyudmila Gurchenko to walk out of the kitchen. The vibe is as warm and familiar as a family gathering, with a menu of childhood favorites: borscht, Olivier salad, cutlets with mashed potatoes, dumplings, dressed herring salad, and homemade compote. Everything is cooked to classic recipes, no modern twists.

This cozy downtown spot is named after chef Artem Marchenko’s grandmother, the inspiration behind his Zina restaurants in Astana and Tashkent. Inside, mosaic panels, floral wallpaper, tasseled lamps, and velvet-upholstered chairs mix with samovars and vinyl records on the shelves, while a hand-painted stove takes center stage. The kitchen nails homestyle dishes like Olivier salad, beef stroganoff, stuffed peppers, goulash, cutlets with mashed potatoes, and similar comforting family favorites. Even the desserts — Pavlova, jam-topped ice cream, apple strudel — taste like nostalgia. Kids can play in a dedicated play room while parents unwind on the summer terrace with wine, feeling utterly at home.

Housed in a historic mansion that once hosted Almaty’s first Kazakh drama theater in 1928 (saved from demolition in the 2000s by its restaurant revival), Maryina Roshcha immerses guests in the vibe of the Soviet crime classic The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed — right down to the waitstaff’s character-name badges. Four dining rooms, two verandas, a gazebo, and a terrace let everyone pick their ideal «movie scene». The menu leans into retro comforts: jellied meat, pickled mushrooms, «snack-style» dumplings, and roasted marrowbones. A perfect spot to rekindle the cozy ’70s spirit with parents — and a dash of civic pride.

A modern ethnic restaurant with a menu that reads like a gastronomic atlas of the Turkic world. Eternal Sky serves curated dishes from Kazakh, Uzbek, Tatar, Kyrgyz, Uyghur, Turkish, Turkmen, Azerbaijani, and Balkar traditions (the number 9 in Turkic mythology symbolizes the heavens). One meal might unite Caspian lagman, Circassian gedlibzhe, Samarkand pilaf, and beshbarmak — followed by the sweet sensation of having traveled across regions without leaving the table. The understated but soulful décor — clay vases, wall murals, linen tablecloths, and herb bouquets — feels like stepping into a reimagined ancient epic.

A dedicated steakhouse built for family feasts: 13 cuts from local farms, KazBeef, and the U.S., dry- and wet-aged, grilled to precision — Beefeater has championed carnivorous pursuits since 2017. The industrial-loft interior (think chunky chandeliers, concrete ceilings, and a crude 500-label wine display) balances ruggedness with warmth. The open kitchen puts the magic of fire and knives on full display, while servers make you feel like regulars — attentive but never overbearing.

More than just an Eastern-themed venue, Alasha is a sprawling ethno-complex where every detail — from hand-painted tableware to carved Uzbek columns — is artisan-crafted. Designed like a khan’s residence, complete with balconies, iwans, domes, and shaded pavilions, it offers a culinary tour of Central Asia: pumpkin or lamb samosa, Tashkent-style fried chicken, hearty mampar noodle soup with dumplings. Ideal for showing parents or out-of-towners authentic Eastern hospitality — no kitsch, just pure craftsmanship and excellent cuisine.

A treasure chest (Sandyq means «chest» in Kazakh) of regional heritage. Here, wooden tableware, clay pots, and arabi- and takyr-technique carpets aren’t just décor — they’re living history. The interior reflects Southern Kazakhstan’s traditions of woodcarving, ceramics, carpet weaving, and glassblowing. The menu reimagines national classics: kazy, kuyrdak, beshbarmak, kozhe, and fire-cooked meals. Bring your parents to spark conversations about preserving tradition — and to hear them say, «Now this feels like home».

Photos: restaurants’ websites and social media; Yandex Maps