🇰🇿 Almaty · 5 Days, 10 Meals: Tried & Tested · Avoid the Japanese Fo

1.1.Eating out in Almaty can lean pricey, but local “bars” are a steal—just go easy on the drinks to keep costs down 🥢. 1.2.Top pick: the Navat chain. It’s never let me down, with that authentic local vibe. I hit it up for two dinners and one breakfast—think of it as Almaty’s answer to a reliable casual diner, with shockingly cheap drinks 🍷. Pics 2️⃣-5️⃣ show one meal: horse sausage pilaf + whiskey + veggies, totaling ~¥100 (a bit indulgent for one person). Later, I had just the pilaf for dinner, ~¥40. It’s not as good as Xinjiang’s pilaf—some grains stayed undercooked (same issue in Uzbekistan later)—but solid, 7.5/10. Salty and satisfying enough 🤤. Pic 6️⃣ is breakfast, ~¥20. Taste was so-so, but heads-up: breakfast stops sharp at 11 AM—no switching to lunch early! I skipped my hotel breakfast to combo it with lunch—total waste of ¥20! 😤 1.3.Second favorite: street-side pastries Pics 7️⃣-🔟: Sweet tooths, don’t miss these! Stuffed with creams, dried fruits, and soft bread—dangerously sweet but utterly delightful 🍩. Plastic-bagged ones on counters cost a few yuan; nicer boxed ones (Pic 🔟) are ~¥20 but bigger. I ate so many during the trip—addictive 🥐! P.S. There’s meat-filled bread (Pic 9️⃣)—surprisingly tasty, savory. Ask first—you can’t tell from its oval shape. Skip if you hate meat! 1.4.Chinese chain: Panda Serves all kinds of noodles, like an upgraded Lanzhou noodle shop 🍜. Decent if you’re homesick for Chinese flavors—~¥40 a bowl. I only tried noodles; check Pic 11 for the full menu. 1.5.Street-side bistro (Pics 12-13) Found near my residential area hotel (not the university/new district). A fish dish + whiskey cost just over ¥100—great value for the vibe and drinks ☕. 1.6.Pic 14: Pancakes from Green Bazaar’s 2nd-floor restaurant Flatbread topped with beef/pork—savory, but nothing special. Split one with a group if you pass by, but don’t go out of your way. 1.7.Biggest mistake: the Japanese food in Pic 15. Over ¥100 for a bowl that tasted like instant noodles—literally seasoning packet vibes, with barely any local beef. It’s near the wealthy district; I stayed at Garden Hotel and walked 700-800m. Avoid! That area’s dull—stick to lively parts 💸. #AlmatyEats #KazakhstanDiary #CentralAsiaFood