Chaikana Navat

Top choice in Bishkek


The city-centre outpost of this expanding local chain is among the most atmospheric, with Central Asian handicrafts decorating the space and tapchan (bedlike platforms) booths lining the upstairs dining room. The menu runs clear across Central Asia, and it's all reliably good.

Look for additional branches at Baytik Baatyr (Soviet) 53 and Sultan Ibraimov (Pravda) 42/1 near the intersection with Moskva.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bishkek attractions

1. White House

0.25 MILES

The seat of government in Kyrgyzstan, the sidewalk out front of this Stalinist Modern construction is also the site of regular protests organised by local…

2. Sadykov Sculpture Museum

0.36 MILES

Worth a quick look for the variety of sculptures (both working models and finished versions) of famous Kyrgyz and fabled legends, though it's a small…

3. Ala-Too Square

0.39 MILES

Surveyed by a triumphant statue of Айкол Манас (Mighty Manas), Bishkek's nominal centre is architecturally neobrutalist in style but has a photogenic…

4. Panfilov Park

0.43 MILES

Packed with amusements and carnival rides, this city-centre park is particularly pleasant and popular with local families on summer weekends.

5. Gallery M

0.43 MILES

This one-room gallery hosts rotating thematic exhibitions of works primarily by local artists. Much of it is for sale, and there is a handful of applied…

6. Lenin Statue

0.5 MILES

Having once dominated Ala-Too Square, Vladimir Ilyich turned his back on the mountains in 2003 and now lurks behind the National Historical Museum.

7. Art Group 705

0.51 MILES

Well-curated irregular exhibitions on a wide variety of themes and a grungy hipster-chic space make this a great stop for art seekers. Go through the gate…

8. Statue of Kurmanjan Datka

0.59 MILES

Dedicated to the 'Queen of the Alay', this 19th-century stateswoman and tribal leader was famous in Kyrgyzstan long before being featured in a 2014 film…