Traditional Kazakh cuisine revolves around hearty meat dishes and rich dairy specialties. The centerpiece of any feast is beshbarmak, made with tender boiled horse meat or beef served over delicate sheets of homemade pasta and garnished with onions and fresh herbs. Be sure to order sorpa, a rich meat broth, or its creamy version ak-sorpa, as well as kuyrdak, a flavorful roast of tender meats and offal, savory palau (pilaf), and steamed manti dumplings. A prized delicacy is kazy, a spiced horse-meat sausage served boiled, smoked, or dried.
Meals are always accompanied by freshly baked breads, including puffy golden baursaks, tandoor flatbreads, and crisp fried shelpek. For traditional drinks, sample fermented mare's milk (kumis), camel's milk (shubat), refreshing ayran, and savory dried kurt cheese balls. Feasts typically conclude with strong, hot black tea poured with milk or rich cream.
To savor authentic dishes in a stylish setting, visit restaurants like Saksaul, Satti, or Arnau. Turan Avenue has also become a renowned culinary strip, gathering dozens of dining spots specializing in Kazakh, Georgian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Thai cuisines in one vibrant hub.