10 Best Restaurants
Blue domes and tiled facades rise above Samarkand, where the Registan, Gur-e-Amir and Shah-i-Zinda reveal the ambition of its Timurid rulers. Siyob Bazaar adds the smell of bread and the bustle of everyday shopping, while the paintings at Afrasiab reach further back into the city’s history. Small courtyard hotels offer a quieter side of the old town. The monuments are spread across several neighbourhoods, and Konigil’s traditional paper mill lies outside the city.
Platan Restaurant
Pushkin Street, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Platan is a rewarding reason to leave the immediate monument circuit for dinner. Natural materials give its dining spaces a warm character, while the menu ranges across Uzbek, European and Asian influences. The breadth makes it a useful choice for companions with different appetites, without losing the sense of a proper evening out. Expect a more composed setting than a quick sightseeing stop. Reserve time for dinner itself, rather than treating it as a pause between attractions.
A polished dinner beyond the monument circuit
Samarqand Restaurant
Mahmud Koshgari Street, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Samarqand Restaurant makes an exuberant evening out of Uzbek cooking. The large, elaborately decorated dining rooms are a setting for celebrations as well as ordinary meals, and the menu includes kebabs and salads alongside other national and European dishes. Its appeal is the combination of confidently traditional food and a room with unmistakable personality. Come ready for a sociable atmosphere, and ask about the evening’s bookings if you would prefer a quieter corner for conversation.
Uzbek food and a celebratory dining room
Boulevard Restaurant & Bakery
University Boulevard, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Boulevard combines a restaurant, bakery and coffee setting on University Boulevard, giving it several useful roles in a Samarkand itinerary. The current menu moves from dishes such as ravioli and duck confit to steaks, alongside the bakery’s offerings. Its modern presentation and open-kitchen atmosphere distinguish it from the city’s large traditional dining halls. Come for a considered lunch or dinner, or build a quieter morning around coffee and something freshly baked before returning to the monuments.
Modern cooking with a bakery sensibility
Emirhan Restaurant
Registan area, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Emirhan pairs a memorable outlook towards the Registan with a restaurant substantial enough to justify an evening reservation. Uzbek dishes sit alongside European choices on a menu suited to a leisurely dinner. The rooftop is the obvious request, although indoor tables offer a different atmosphere. Plan a proper dinner here after exploring the monuments, with enough time to enjoy the changing light rather than arriving only for a hurried photograph.
A full dinner with Registan views
Old City Restaurant
Abdurakhmon Jomiy Street, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Old City provides a more intimate alternative to Samarkand’s grand dining halls. The restaurant serves Uzbek and European food, with vegetarian choices that make it especially useful when a group has different preferences. Hearty cooking, a homelike interior and a fireplace room give it a relaxed atmosphere. Choose it for a relaxed meal with conversation at the centre of the evening, rather than a large celebration or theatrical setting.
A smaller dining room and vegetarian choice
Giotto Ristorante
Hilton Garden Inn, Dakhbed Yuli Street, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Giotto sits inside the Dakhbed Yuli Street Hilton Garden Inn, with an open kitchen and a menu that extends beyond its Italian name. The operator advertises a pizza oven and à la carte lunch and dinner, while the professional hotel review specifically assesses the restaurant and its broad choice. This is a practical option when you want a comfortable contemporary dining room after a busy day. It also offers a children’s menu, useful for a mixed-age party.
A comfortable modern restaurant after sightseeing
Oshqand
Zarafshon Shokh Street, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Oshqand gives Samarkand’s characteristic plov the attention it deserves. This is a focused food stop, best approached for the regional dish and the energy of a busy local dining room. The city’s version presents its components more distinctly than some other Uzbek preparations, making it an interesting comparison for travellers exploring the country through food. Build a lunch around it rather than expecting a formal, multi-course evening, and confirm that day’s serving arrangements before setting out.
Samarkand-style plov in a specialist setting
Istiqlol Restaurant
Amir Temur Street, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Istiqlol is a useful choice for an evening built around Uzbek dishes and a more spacious dining setting. Plov, manti, soups and grilled meats sit alongside European options, with large halls and smaller private rooms described by the local booking specialist. Traditional cooking comes in generous portions. It works particularly well for a group that wants to share several dishes. Ask about the room and atmosphere before committing to a celebration or quiet dinner.
Uzbek dishes and a private-room occasion
Noviy Arbat
Mirzo Ulugbek Street, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Noviy Arbat brings a more elaborate interior to a menu of Uzbek and European dishes. Sculptural decoration, paintings and spacious rooms create a setting suited to a sociable dinner, with plenty of room for tour groups and family celebrations. Lamb kebabs and European preparations illustrate the menu’s range. This is a choice for travellers who enjoy an animated restaurant and a longer evening, with table location worth discussing if conversation is the priority.
A sociable dinner in an elaborate interior
Oasis Garden
Abdurakhmon Jomiy Street, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Oasis Garden offers a change of scene from Samarkand’s stone squares and monumental courtyards. Its garden setting and distinctive timber architecture give the meal a relaxed, sociable character, while the menu combines national and European dishes. The attraction is a leisurely occasion in pleasant surroundings rather than a formal tasting-menu experience. It suits companions who want a broad choice and time to settle in. In warmer weather, ask about the garden rather than assuming every reservation is outdoors.
A leafy setting for a leisurely meal