Even if Uzbek restaurants in Berlin aren't exactly springing up like mushrooms right now, it's noticeable that there are more and more of them. No matter which neighborhood I walk through, I come across some new places with dishes like Plov, Samsa, and Manti. Some of them I spot in Friedrichshain, some in Mitte, Kreuzberg, Schöneberg, and Neukölln.
(Source: Top TV 2019, Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0)
I must have tried the first plov of my life back in 2005, when my Uzbek neighbour in the student dorm served it to me, again and again. Later, I tried variations in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara, which is reason enough to check out how well the best Central Asian restaurants in Berlin are cooking this legendary rice dish with lamb, beef, or horse meat, carrots, chickpeas, garlic, and raisins. Even a vegan version is available!
Small glossary of Uzbek kitchen
- Plov: Uzbek rice dish that is usually made with lamb, beef, or horse meat. Other ingredients are carrots, chickpeas, garlic, and raisins.
- Samsa: A pastry filled with minced meat or other ingredients, baked in a tandyr oven, and sprinkled with sesame and black cumin.
- Lagman: Hand-pulled noodles with potatoes, paprika, and beef.
- Manti: Boiled dumplings, usually filled with minced meat or vegetarian options.
- Ljagan: Colorful ceramic plates used to serve plov and other dishes in Uzbekistan.
- Kasan: A large iron pot for preparing plov.
- Kompot: A refreshing drink made of dried fruits.
1. Plove Berlin Ostkreuz (Kyrgyz): Juicy Lamb Plov
The owner of Plove Berlin actually comes from Kyrgyzstan and not Uzbekistan, but since both countries are neighbours and have enclaves in each other's territory, there are enough culinary similarities to find some great Plov at Plove Berlin as well.
The name already says it all: Plove serves Plov with Love. Plus, the focus really lies on the Central Asian rice dish here. It is accompanied by a few other popular meals, like Manti, lamb soup, Lagman noodles, and crunchy Samsas - sort of the Uzbek/Kyrgyz version of Indian Samosas. Same, in a way, but also quite different.
Plove Berlin particularly convinces with its homely atmosphere and authentic taste. I wasn't able to spot the traditional Kasans, the large iron pots in which Plov is prepared, but the outcome says it all. Just from tasting it, I can tell it was made the original way.
Like it should be for a proper Plov, the rice was nicely oily and left a film of grease on the beautiful Ljagan plate. A sign of quality! For the meat, Plove uses a mix of lamb and beef. Only the whole cloves of boiled garlic were missing to make the experience complete.
13,90 Euro isn't exactly cheap for Plov, especially since the portion was rather small, yet sufficient. It seems to be a great lunch option, but if you are hungrier, you might want to add a few more things to your table. There are even some larger festive tables to have a bigger feast with family and friends.
A bit of a disappointment were the Borsooks, small bits of yeast dough deep fried in oil. Even with a bit of smetana cream, it was hard to swallow them down because of their incredible dryness. Luckily, we had ordered a jar of Kompot (Компот), a refreshing home-made fruit drink that helped to rehydrate our dry throats.
Compared to other Plov restaurants in Berlin, this one was more sparsely decorated, which, however, wasn't unpleasant at all. At the entrance, there are even three of the regional hats of the Turkic brothers of Central Asia: a Kyrgyz one, an Uzbek one, and a Turkmen one. The Kazakh hat must have gotten lost or forgotten.
Location: Neue Bahnhofsstraße 25
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 12:00-23:00
Website: https://www.instagram.com/ploveberlin
2. Uzbek Eats: Small Snack Bar with Show Kitchen in Schöneberg
Because of its strong social media campaign since late 2023, Uzbek Eats is one of the best-known Uzbek Restaurants in Berlin. The name alone, reminiscent of Uber Eats, is catchy and fun. Online, you can see the workers virtuously and passionately cooking their Plov in a large Kasan pot between Eisenacher Straße and Bayerischer Platz in Schöneberg.
The place is run by a group surrounding the Kyrgyz entrepreneur Ernazar Imankadyr. The chef Sardor Sobitow, on the other hand, is from Tashkent and is said to have cooked in the Uzbek embassy for years. At least, that's how the legend goes. For that reason alone, I had high expectations when taking my Plov research trip to West Berlin.
The place isn't much bigger than a small kiosk. Half of the area is occupied by the kitchen featuring two large Kasan pots, in which you can watch the Plov simmering. It turns the whole visit into an authentic experience, which you won't have in many of the other restaurants. Apart from that, you can help yourself to some tea from the electric samovar as much as you want.
Uzbek Eats mainly serves Wedding Plov Tashkent-style. I had the pleasure to try this dish multiple times in Uzbekistan, and my favourite feature in it are the raisins. Apart from those, which add a sweet nuance, the cooks in Uzbek Eats add a mix of lamb and beef, carrots, chickpeas, and garlic.
The taste is absolutely convincing. The soft-cooked meat is chopped small and added on top of the slightly oily rice. As a little extra, they top the Plov with some hot peppers and some spring onions.
Unfortunately, the dish isn't served on the beautiful Ljagan plates. Instead, the restaurant uses the classic disposable paper bowls also used by Uber Eats and other delivery companies. That's probably due to the rather small space this Uzbek restaurant in Berlin has to offer.
What also speaks for Uzbek Eats having one of the best Plovs in Berlin: Within the hour I spent inside the restaurant, almost no one ordered in German. The majority of the guests were Russian speakers, probably coming from the whole post-Soviet space. It seems as if word of mouth has spread in the area, and everyone wants to have a nostalgic try of this popular meal.
Apart from Plov, there are also a few other options on the menu. The handmade Samsa and Manti are worth a try, as well as the chicken version of Plov. Usually, the restaurant also offers hand-pulled Lagman noodles, unfortunately, just not when I was there.
Location: Grunewaldstraße 35
Opening Hours: Tue-Sat 12:00-20:00
Website: https://www.instagram.com/uzbekeats.berlin
3. Taste of Samarkand: Oriental Flair in SO36 Kreuzberg
Taste of Samarkand opened in 2023 and is one of the newest additions to the Central Asian food scene in Berlin. The restaurant is located right on Oranienstraße, just a few steps away from the legendary club SO36. You will notice the large SAMARKAND letters already from a distance, referring to the former capital of the Turk-Mongolian strongman Timur in today's Uzbekistan. It's also run by Ernazar Imankadyr, sort of as a restaurant alternative to his small snack spot, Uzbek Eats in Schöneberg.
Compared to other places, the interior is a bit more modern, but also carries a lot of traditional elements. On the walls, you will notice the long decorative tapes with Central Asian ornaments as well as a big mural showing Registan, the main square in Samarkand with its impressive turquoise-coloured mosques and madrassas from the Timur period.
But now let's talk about the food: The Plov is comparably affordable, with a price of 11 Euros, most likely because the restaurant uses beef instead of lamb. The food seems to be quite popular, as it was sold out when we arrived here. The waiter said it would take about another hour for the next batch to be ready. So in the meantime, we enjoyed some vegetarian Manti dumplings filled with pumpkin and spinach and a big Samsa.
The Samsa was simply perfect. Crunchy on the outside, yet nicely juicy and flavorful on the inside, sprinkled with black cumin for the authentic Uzbek taste. The snacks are large and filling, all for a price of 4 Euros only. To pass the time, we also ordered a big 900 ml pot of green tea with large, beautiful bowls to drink from.
After an hour, the Plov finally arrived. It was a rather large portion that, in my opinion, would have been enough for two people. It was topped with chopped beef and presented on a pretty Ljagan plate.
The beef does make a difference here, especially for price and taste. All in all, the Taste of Samarkand version is delicious, but compared to the lamb Plov a bit drier. This is at least evened out by a good portion of raisins or barberries.
The use of beef is generally fine and, together with lamb and horse meat, absolutely normal in Uzbekistan. The region of Samarkand itself is even known for a cooking style that uses less oil and is considered a bit lighter compared to other places in the country (as far as one can call the Central Asian kitchen light).
Everyone who wants to try the full variety of Uzbek food can order the Samarkand plate for 17 Euros. For this price, you will get a big plate, covered by a third with Plov, accompanied by two Manti, a Samsa, and some fresh salad.
Location: Oranienstraße 187
Opening Hours: Tue-Sat 12:00-22:00
Website: https://www.tasteofsamarkand.de/
4. Chaikhana Karl-Marx-Straße: Uzbek Street Food in Neukölln
Chaikhana is a rather small snack place that started from the food truck scene. The approach here is a bit more international and includes influences from Uzbekistan's neighbours as well. In the week, you can come here from noon on and enjoy your Plov until the evening. Saturdays and Sundays, you can find the cooks in their mobile kitchen in Mauerpark as well.
My first impression was positive because I was offered a free black tea from the samovar. No surprise of sorts, since the name Chaikhana doesn't mean anything other than tea house. Also, since it was Ramadan, the little shop cut prices and offered me the Plov for 7 Euros instead of 9 Euros.
The portion wasn't served on such beautiful Ljagan plates as in other places, but in classic disposable paper bowls used for take-away. You can place them at the long table next to the kitchen or find a spot to eat in front of the restaurant.
What surprised me a bit about the Chaikhana Plov was the huge amount of vegetables on top. Together with the chopped beef, it covered the rice completely. Another difference from other Uzbek restaurants was the rice itself, which reminded me a bit more of the type of grain used in Arab dishes like Saudi Kabsa or Yemeni Mandi. Maybe the reason for this is the proximity to Neukölln's Arab shops selling this type of rice.
Overall, the Plov was tasty, but not overwhelming. The fresh note of the vegetables was generally nice, and once in a while I could find a raisin inside – a tiny little bit of wedding style.
After the Plov, I also ordered a beef Samsa to take away, but on the journey back home, it got squished too much to be able to judge the quality. One should try it fresh to see if it's good or not. It did look nice, though, when the cook handed it over to me.
What also seemed unusual about Chaikhana in Neukölln: Apart from the beef Plov, they also offered a chicken version. Other recommendable options to order when trying Uzbek and Central Asian food here are the Lagman noodles, the Manti, and the Russian Pelmeni soup.
Location: Karl-Marx-Straße 125
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 12:00-21:00
Website: https://www.instagram.com/chaikhana_berlin
5. Tadschikische Teestube in KunstHof Mitte: The Risotto version of Plov
The Plov in Tadschikischen Teestube (Tajik Tea House) in Berlin Mitte isn't too authentic, but interesting enough to mention. The restaurant takes precautions by adding that it's "Teestube"-style on the menu. The legendary tea house was already founded in 1974 as a part of the Soviet pavilion at the fair in Leipzig. Today, it's a unique part of Socialist history in Berlin.
You can find the restaurant inside the KunstHof at Oranienburger Straße and enjoy a very wide selection of international teas, from Moroccan mint to Chinese smoked Lapsang Souchong. I particularly liked the Russian tea ceremony with black tea concentrate, a samovar, jam, sweet snacks, and a shot of vodka. This fits perfectly to the hand-carved columns and ceiling made of wood. The historic paintings on the walls were made to celebrate the nomadic culture of Central Asia.
Flipping the menu to the food pages, you will eventually come across the "Teestube"-style Plov. It is made of lamb, carrots, chickpeas, but no raisins.
The result: well, it's more a risotto than a plov, to be honest. Don't get me wrong, it's really tasty, just not what I expected. I wasn't sure if it was done intentionally like this or if the cooks just left the rice too long to simmer in the pot. What ended up on the plate was quite creamy and had a strong lamb flavor. All the other restaurants decided to choose a mix of lamb and beef at best.
The garnish seemed a bit odd. Salad still made sense, but the huge heap of smetana cream was a bit random. On the other hand, it doesn't disturb the experience, it's nice with the salad, and in the worst case, you can just ignore it.
All in all, there is no reason to complain. The rice dish isn't really comparable with the original made in a Kasan pot, but since it was still quite good, it can't be missing among the best places for Plov in Berlin. The big advantage of Teestube is certainly the combination of Plov, a wide selection of teas, and a unique interior with historic value – it's one of the top restaurants for Central Asian cuisine in Berlin.
Important to know: Teestube is relatively small, so it is very much recommended to reserve a seat by phone. Furthermore, they don't accept any cards. So make sure that you have enough cash to spend 14,90 € on Plov, plus a bit more for some delicious tea.
Location: Oranienburger Straße 27
Opening Hours: Tue-Sat 16:00-22:00, Sun 12:00-21:00, Mon 16:00-21:00
Website: http://www.tadshikische-teestube.de/
6. Besh: Vegan, Sattvic Kitchen from Uzbekistan in Kreuzberg
Besh near Jannowitzbrücke is quite a young restaurant with some peculiarities in comparison to other Uzbek food places in Berlin: It serves its visitors healthy, vegan – better to say "Sattvic" – kitchen. The Sattva philosophy originally comes from India and not only abstains from using meat and eggs, but also from onions and garlic.
Vegan and Uzbek? Do the two even go together? The approach is indeed unusual, but is implemented by the crew with a lot of passion and virtuosity. To make the traditionally fatty and meaty food healther, Besh uses a few inspirations from other regions like the Arab world and India as well.
(Where is the Plov?)
At Besh, you can order Bowls or Sandwiches. These consist of falafel, halloumi, lentil köfte and, of course, Plov. The latter is part of most of the plate dishes. They will be also topped with salad and other ingredients. Individually, you can add different sauces from sesame hummus to spicy. The strong Central Asian black tea is often complimentary.
So, how does it taste? Of course, it's not an authentic Plov you'll be eating here. For this, many important flavors like garlic and the meat are missing. However, the result is very tasty and a real alternative to the usually heavy Uzbek kitchen. In that way, the Besh Plov is a bit outside of the ranking. It's simply something different that is worth trying as well.
For anyone who wants to try Uzbek cuisine in a healthy way, Besh is the place to be, especially since the owners seem to be very creative and experiment with exciting fusion ideas. The same is the case for the second restaurant of this group, Dervish, where you can try a few other sattvic Uzbek dishes like Manti, aubergines filled with soy protein, and gluten-free Lagman noodles.
What makes Besh (and Dervish) also so interesting is the design. Inside Besh, you will spot beautiful traditional carpets hanging on the walls and ceiling. The copper pipes, through which the electric cables reach the stylish Edison light bulbs, add some industrial charm to the whole interior. Also, you will find a lot of other gems between those decorations, from antique tea sets to Central Asian Dutar lutes.
Location: Brückenstraße 15
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 11:00-22:00, Sat 12:00-22:00, Sun 11:00-22:00
Website: https://be5h.com/de/hauptseite/
Conclusion: Where to Find the Best Plov in Berlin?
- Plove Berlin and Uzbek Eats
- Taste of Samarkand
- Chaikhana
- Tadschikische Teestube
- Besh (outside of the ranking)
In my opinion, Plove Berlin and Uzbek Eats offer the best and most authentic Plov in Berlin. The reason might, of course, be that I do like the taste of lamb, which both restaurants use in their recipe. The oiliness and the rice seemed perfect for me and reminded me of what I used to eat back in the days in my dorm and in Uzbekistan.
Generally, I would say both restaurants are equally good. I did like the taste of Plove's Plov a tiny bit more; on the other hand, the portion seemed quite small. When it comes to price-to-value, Uzbek Eats is definitely winning. The dish is cheaper and you get a bit more quantity.
Following after Plove and Uzbek Eats, I would go for the beef versions, which are a bit drier. Taste of Samarkand, the side project of Uzbek Eats, delivered a massive portion with a well-done beef Plov. Also, the crispy Samsas were surely a factor in putting Taste of Samarkand on rank 3.
After that, I would put Chaikhana on the list, a bit lower, because the rice seemed to be quite different from what I was used to from Uzbekistan. Nevertheless, it's the spot for Plov in Neukölln and a great place to grab a delicious lunch.
Tadschikische Teestube-style Plov, then again, wasn't Plov at all. They do claim that it's their approach, though, and for anyone who wants to taste a lamb risotto with oriental flavors, you won't be disappointed. Plus, you get to see an amazing interior and taste some great teas.
Besh (and Dervish) are clearly outside of the ranking. One could also just say, they offer the best vegan Plov in Berlin, also because it's the only one. The Sattvic owners have created something completely new that is equally tasty as the original Plov. Without meat and garlic, it's hard to compare to the other restaurants' cooking. However, if you're looking for a great alternative to classic vegetarian and vegan food in Berlin like Falafel, Tofu & Co., you should give Besh and Dervish a try.