Caucasian Food Tour

Kazakhstanis love a home-cooked meal, whether that's Kazakh manty dumplings or Russian borscht. But when they go out to eat, there's no cuisine more beloved that the meaty, herby, doughy-and-cheesy food of the Caucasus. Caucasian food places in Almaty are usually branded Georgian, but there's a paradox - Almaty actually has very few Georgians. Most of these simple barbecue places are run by other members of the Caucasian diaspora who were exiled to Kazakhstan by Stalin during WWII - Ahiska Turks, Azerbaijanis, Balkars, Chechens and Kurds. 

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The best place to try this Cacuasian cuisine is in the charmingly green neighborhood of Kompot (we have a walking tour exploring the whole neighborhood!). On two short main streets, Bogenbai Batyr and Kabanbai Batyr, there are more than a dozen "Georgian" restaurants and shashlychnayas, low-key barbecue joints selling shashlyk shish kebab. It's very much off-the-beaten-path for tourists, but incredibly delicious. Let's go!