Bishkek
Bishkek's favourite craft-beer bar, where drinking the best beer in town straight from the taps more than makes up for the higher than average prices. On…
Must-see nightlife in Central Asia
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Bukhara
This boutique teahouse offers a delightful diversion from all that sightseeing. It has three spicy varieties of tea, as well as cinnamon or cardamom…
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Dushanbe
The large terrace of this central cafe makes the perfect spot to pause on a stroll along leafy Rudaki. With excellent service, good coffee and reliable…
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Bishkek
Some of the best coffee in Bishkek, maybe in all of Central Asia. It's small and can get quite crowded, but they can also make coffees for takeaway to…
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Almaty
Good rock bands from around 9pm and DJs spinning house, soul, hip hop and disco after midnight make sure the dance floor is never still at this ever-hip…
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Bishkek
Bishkek's most loveable old pub is hidden in a basement beneath the west side of the Russian Drama Theatre. The walls are festooned with old tape…
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Almaty
The brainchild of award-winning baristas from Moscow, Sova not only serves some of the city's best lattes, espressos and frappuccinos, but it also goes…
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Dushanbe Plaza Restaurant Club
Dushanbe
With a 360-degree view of Dushanbe, the top floor of this wedding-cake building offers the perfect place for sundowners. A DJ ensures that the dance…
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Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Latte art has made it to Kazakhstan! This friendly cafe has won many fans with what is, arguably, Nur-Sultan's best coffee. Ample breakfasts and snacks…
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Kazakhstan
This branch of the Almaty cafe, founded by award-winning baristas from Moscow, brings a slice of latte art to the wilds of Ust-Kamenogorsk. Best coffee in…
Bishkek
The location in a residential area near Orto-Say Bazaar makes this spot hard to find, but the too-cool ambience and well-crafted mixed drinks at …
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Bukhara
The switched-on management behind the Minzifa Restaurant opened this charming cafe in the Toki-Sarrafon bazaar. The location is dreamy, housed in a former…
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Bukhara
A German-Uzbek coffee shop where you can get real coffee and a slice of German-style apple strudel. The interior design is a bit stark, but a cappuccino…
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Samarkand
On a warm summer evening it's hard to beat a stein of unfiltered weissbier (wheat beer) at this pleasant people-watching terrace. The beer is a bargain at…
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Samarkand
A surprisingly tasteful and low-lit bar deep in the Russian old town, Blues Cafe is one of Samarkand's coolest spots and has live jazz and blues music…
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Bishkek
Rock on the radio, footie on the tele, and locally-made craft beer on tap – this little basement bar certainly checks all the boxes. The burgers and…
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Bishkek
Hidden away on the top floor of a business centre, this German-themed pub's beer (brewed in-house) and burgers make for a good start to a night out, and…
Bishkek
Coffee is the main focus and the desserts aren't far behind, but a long liquor and cocktail list combine with a lounge vibe to make this something of a…
Bishkek
The first branch of this popular Moldovan coffee chain in Kyrgyzstan makes up in cheesecake and coffee quality what it lacks in atmosphere and space. It's…
Almaty
A quaint little beer bar opposite Hotel Ambassador, with a dozen indoor and outdoor tables, not much in the way of ambience, but an excellent choice of…
Bishkek
Among the best of Bishkek's coffee offerings, it's all hipster chic and repurposed pallets for seating.
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Tashkent
The sunny outdoor terrace here is a great place to kick back over a house-brewed Czech-style pilsner or unfiltered wheat beer (the tmavi lejak dark beer…
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Bishkek
The setting sun pouring through an upper window illuminates a Kyrgyz yurt-crown draped in hops in this spacious two-level beer hall. The bar is built…
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Almaty
Almaty's premier expat drinking hole is a large pub-like space always with a lively atmosphere (especially Friday and Saturday nights), a big drinks…
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Tashkent
For flat-out debauchery, it’s hard to beat this hipsterish student venue, formerly known as VM. Ostensibly a warm-up (or warm-down) bar for club-goers,…
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Samarkand
Beer fans can drink Samarkand's most famous brew direct from the source at this wood-lined bar just outside the Pulsar brewery. Czech-style pilsner, weiss…
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Nur-Sultan (Astana)
This dark Czech cellar-bar – stone walls, wooden booths and long wood tables – is a convivial place for mugs of the unfiltered house beer, Kelly (800T for…
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Bishkek
Though the ambience feels a bit too forced, the namesake bagels (бублик) are undeniably good. The streetside tables are a hot commodity, but great for…
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Bishkek
'Craft' might be a bit of a stretch – most of what's on tap is mass-produced for distribution around Bishkek and Chuy – but there's no doubt that it's…
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Bishkek
Cafe/bar that's especially popular when the gigantic shaded summer terrace is open. The service is slow, so expect to stick around awhile. There's a broad…
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Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Once past the face control (look your very best) you’ll have a wild time dancing to hip hop, dance and '80s DJs with Nur-Sultan's beautiful 20-somethings…
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Kyrgyzstan
Stop by for a chat with affable owner Marsbek and try his international quality espresso and quite respectable ashlyanfu, served in a tiny cafe in the…
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Bishkek
More Barcelona than Bishkek, this self-consciously cool cocktail and shisha bar seems out of place in Central Asia, and only time will tell if it catches…
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Dushanbe
This convivial Irish pub is standing room only with expats after work on Friday evening. At other times it offers a breezy, street-side venue in which to…
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Bishkek
This buzzing international-style coffee shop roasts its own beans and whips up soups, sandwiches and even Tex-Mex dishes. There's outside seating in…
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Tashkent
Sports fans flock here to watch big football matches on one of several screens in the cavernous basement. Upstairs features live music, German sausages…
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Tashkent
This reliable local chain serves good coffee and cakes, lemonades and shakes from half a dozen locations across Tashkent, with larger branches like this…
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Kyrgyzstan
The selection of national foods and hot drinks – most notably a proper espresso – have made this a bit of a traveller hangout in Kochkor. Just inside the…
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Almaty
Expats and locals pack Soho for tankards of beer, international food and crowded dancing to the good resident rock/jazz/blues band from 10pm. It’s got a…
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Tashkent
There’s good homebrew here, along with such dubious Irish culinary delights as sausages with cabbage and baked beans (mains 20,000–40,000S). There's…
