Astana became Kazakhstan's capital in 1997 and its accommodation infrastructure reflects construction phases since that decision. The city changed its name to Nur-Sultan in 2019, reverted to Astana in 2022. International hotel chains established properties between 2008 and 2017 as the government built administrative districts on the Ishim River's left bank. The Ritz-Carlton Astana opened in 2012 at 8 Dostyk Street in a 37-story tower. The St. Regis Astana operates at 10 Kunayev Street. Marriott properties include the Rixos President Hotel Astana at 8/1 Mangilik El Avenue and the Park Inn by Radisson at 10/1 Kenesary Street. These hotels cluster near the Bayterek Tower and government quarter where ministries occupy buildings constructed between 2000 and 2015.
Mid-range hotels operate in the right-bank older city section. The Jumbaktas Astana Hotel at 10 Beibitshilik Street opened in 2004. The Ibis Astana at 14/1 Syganak Street provides economy accommodation near the train station. Apartment rentals function as supplementary lodging particularly during the Astana Economic Forum held annually in May. Summer accommodation demand peaks July through August when internal Kazakhstani tourism increases. Winter temperatures regularly drop below minus 30 Celsius from December through February reducing tourist volume during those months.
Beshbarmak remains the reference point for Kazakhstani cuisine in the capital. The dish consists of boiled horse meat or beef served over wide flat pasta sheets with onion sauce. Line Brew at 37 Dostyk Street serves beshbarmak using traditional recipes. Gakku Restaurant at 13 Respublika Avenue specializes in Kazakh dishes including kazy, the horse meat sausage stuffed into horse intestine casings and boiled. Alasha Restaurant at 20/1 Kenesary Street operates in a yurt-styled building and serves shubat, fermented camel milk with a sour taste and thick consistency. Kumis, fermented mare's milk with lower alcohol content than shubat, appears on menus at traditional restaurants. The fermentation process for kumis takes approximately three days compared to five to seven days for shubat.
International restaurants concentrate in the left-bank administrative district. Tsesna Bar at 5/1 Mangilik El Avenue serves Italian dishes. Saffron Restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton provides Indian cuisine. Korean restaurants including Arirang at 10/2 Kenesary Street reflect Kazakhstan's ethnic Korean population, descendants of Soviet-era deportations from the Far East in 1937. Approximately 100,000 ethnic Koreans live in Kazakhstan according to 2021 census data. Chinese restaurants operate throughout both banks serving primarily business clientele from Chinese construction and energy companies operating in Kazakhstan.
The Mega Silk Way shopping center at 16 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue contains a food court with approximately 30 restaurants and fast food outlets. Plov appears on menus at Uzbek restaurants in Astana including Chaykhana at 14 Zheltoksan Street. The rice dish cooked with lamb, carrots, and onions reflects Uzbek immigration to northern Kazakhstan during the Soviet Virgin Lands Campaign from 1954 through 1960 when the government sought agricultural workers for grain production. Traditional teahouses called chaykhanas serve baursak, fried dough balls consumed with tea. Kurt, dried salted cheese balls made from strained sour milk, functions as a preserved food product with roots in nomadic food storage practices.
Samsa, baked pastries filled with minced lamb or beef, are sold at small vendors and bakeries throughout the city. The triangular pastries bake in tandoor ovens at approximately 400 Celsius for 20 to 30 minutes. Street vendors near the Green Water Market at 60 Zheltoksan Street sell samsa during morning and afternoon hours. The market operates daily and includes sections for meat, dairy, produce, and prepared foods. Vendors sell fresh irimshik, a soft white cheese made from boiled milk mixed with sour milk or kefir.
Specialty meat products including zhaya, meat from the horse hip considered a delicacy, and karta, the horse rectum typically boiled or smoked, appear at traditional Kazakh restaurants. These items derive from the complete-animal-usage practices of nomadic pastoralism where horse slaughter provided the full range of food products. The practice continues in rural areas where horses are raised for meat production. Kazakhstan slaughtered approximately 116,000 horses in 2020 according to national agricultural statistics.
Manty, steamed dumplings filled with minced lamb or beef and onions, appear at both Kazakh and Uyghur restaurants. Uyghurs, a Turkic ethnic group numbering approximately 300,000 in Kazakhstan, brought variations of Central Asian dumplings including larger versions steamed in multi-tiered metal pots. Navat Restaurant at 12/2 Kenesary Street serves Uyghur dishes including hand-pulled noodles called laghman. The restaurant opened in 2010 and operates in a two-story building with traditional textile decorations.
European-style cafes concentrated along Dostyk Street and Respublika Avenue serve coffee and pastries reflecting urban café culture that developed after 2000. Starbucks opened its first Kazakhstan location in Almaty in 2018 but has not expanded to Astana as of 2024. Local chains including Coffee Room and Coffeedelia operate multiple locations in the capital. Tea remains the dominant beverage in traditional settings with black tea served in piala bowls without handles, a practice shared across Central Asia.
Alcohol sales follow Kazakhstan's licensing requirements. Restaurants require permits to serve alcohol and sales hours are restricted from 2300 to 1000 daily. Beer production in Kazakhstan includes Derbes and Tyan-Shan breweries with factories in Almaty. Russian beer brands including Baltika remain widely available. Wine production occurs in southern Kazakhstan near Shymkent but quality and variety remain limited compared to imports from Georgia, France, and Italy. Vodka consumption follows patterns established during the Soviet period with Russian brands dominating the market.
Restaurant pricing in Astana reflects the capital's higher cost structure compared to other Kazakh cities. A meal at a mid-range restaurant including an entrée and beverage typically costs 3,000 to 5,000 tenge, approximately 6 to 11 US dollars at 2024 exchange rates. Traditional Kazakh restaurants with beshbarmak servings charge 2,500 to 4,000 tenge per portion. Fast food meals at international chains including KFC at Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center cost 1,500 to 2,000 tenge. Grocery prices at supermarket chains including Magnum and Small enable self-catering for apartment renters.
The dining schedule in Astana follows patterns where lunch occurs between 1200 and 1400 and dinner service begins at 1800. Many restaurants close by 2200 except on weekends when hours extend to 2300 or midnight. Traditional Kazakh meals emphasize meat with vegetables playing secondary roles. Potatoes appear frequently as Soviet dietary influence continues. Bread including nan and tandoor-baked flatbreads accompanies most meals. Meal portions at traditional restaurants are substantial reflecting the historical caloric needs of nomadic populations and cold climate requirements.
Dietary accommodations for vegetarians remain limited at traditional Kazakh restaurants where meat defines the cuisine. Vegetable dishes including fried potatoes, cabbage salads, and tomato-cucumber salads provide options. Korean restaurants offer more vegetable-based dishes including kimchi and vegetable pancakes. Islamic dietary laws are observed loosely in Astana despite Kazakhstan's Muslim-majority population. Most restaurants serve pork though it appears less frequently than beef, lamb, and horse meat. Halal certification exists but is not universal.
Food delivery services including Glovo and Wolt operate in Astana with restaurant partnerships covering most of the left-bank administrative district and central right-bank areas. Delivery expanded significantly from 2020 through 2022 during COVID-19 restrictions. Minimum order amounts typically range from 2,000 to 3,000 tenge with delivery fees of 500 to 1,000 tenge depending on distance. Payment by card has become standard though cash remains accepted at most establishments.