Lali: Uzbek dining by Arkady Novikov and Yervand Galstyan

Lali’s menu is a deep dive into the culinary landscape of Uzbekistan. For a year before the restaurant opened, the team travelled across the country, tracing local food traditions and gathering recipes from its many distinct regions. Under the direction of brand chef Ruslan Italmazov, that research has been distilled into a menu that moves effortlessly between beloved Uzbek classics and lesser-known specialities rarely encountered beyond the places they come from.

Among the standouts are naryn, vaguri, kazan-kabob, kovurma lagman, manti served in a fragrant broth and several varieties of samsa. A dedicated section of the menu explores Uzbekistan’s regional cuisines in greater depth: from Bukhara come bodomi samsa, balaza soup, and the city’s signature Napoleon and Uch Panja kebabs, while Khorezm — long celebrated for its freshwater fish traditions — is represented by pike perch fried in a delicately crisp batter.

The wine list brings together labels from France, Australia, Georgia, Chile, Italy and Germany, while the bar offers an impressive collection of premium spirits and house cocktails. Yet no meal here feels truly complete without tea. Choose between classic black tea, the beloved Uzbek No. 95 or a fragrant Tashkent-style infusion with lemon and navat crystal sugar — an unhurried, quietly traditional ending to the evening. The average bill comes to KZT 10,000–15,000 per person.

Photos: the restaurant’s website and social media; Yandex Maps

Lali’s Almaty outpost stays true to the group’s signature aesthetic. The light-filled interior brings together sandy neutrals, sky-blue accents, natural wood and Uzbek patterns, giving traditional motifs a clean, contemporary setting. The open kitchen is visible from almost anywhere in the 180-seat dining room, while a terrace opens during the warmer months.

No Uzbek table is complete without plov, and here it is given the reverence it deserves. In a vast kazan, rice, zirvak and meat are layered with meticulous care and left untouched throughout the cooking process. The restaurant prepares two regional interpretations: the UNESCO-recognised Samarkand-style plov, made with beef (marked in 2016), and a Kabul-style version, where lamb takes centre stage.

The dessert counter is every bit as tempting, with chak-chak, baklava crowned with feather-light meringue, towering layers of Napoleon, tiramisu, pistachio roulade, delicate choux pastries and a cheesecake piled high with fresh berries. Equally captivating is the traditional display of halva, dried fruits and nuts — the generous assortment that has long been a defining feature of the Uzbek dastarkhan.