how the gastro life change tashkent

The catering market in Tashkent is experiencing rapid growth, resulting in a higher need for commercial spaces in street retail and prime locations in shopping centers. This expansion has led to the emergence of new cafes, restaurants, and gastronomic markets across the city, providing residents and visitors with diverse culinary experiences. I’m interested in exploring the economic impact of the catering industry on the city, identifying the most attractive districts for cafes and restaurants, and evaluating the available investment opportunities.

All roads lead to Chorsu

Tashkent is not only the cultural and economic center of the country but also a significant influencer of gastronomic trends in Central Asia. The city’s culinary scene offers a diverse and rich array of dishes and cuisines from the various peoples who have inhabited the region for centuries.

Our gastronomic exploration of Tashkent begins at Chorsu market, a popular destination for locals and tourists. More than two thousand years ago, this market was the city’s heart, attracting traders and merchants from different parts of the world, offering various goods ranging from silk and pearls to spices and medicines. Today, the Chorsu market remains a focal point for local and regional street food, renowned for its diverse range of authentic food, spices and produce. It is a living testament to the culinary heritage and traditions of the people of Uzbekistan.

Flavour at every turn

Exploring the diverse culinary landscape of Tashkent reveals a myriad of dining options. From traditional Uzbek Milliy taomlar to trendy restaurants catering to a discerning clientele, the city’s catering establishments are predominantly in street-level retail spaces within residential and administrative buildings.

As Tashkent expanded, distinct zones with a concentration of street retail emerged. These retail hubs prominently feature a significant number of dining venues.

Our analysis identified key locations in Tashkent, such as the undergoing reconstruction of Taras Shevchenko Street, the bustling Amir Timur Avenue, as well as Shota Rustaveli and Shakhrisabz Streets. Additionally, two major neighborhoods, Ts-1 and the contemporary Tashkent-City, are noteworthy for their dining offerings.

Upon studying these areas, our team discovered that approximately one-third of the available spaces are dedicated to various dining formats, accommodating both takeaway options and full-service dining experiences for families and friends.

Based on the assessments by CMWP analysts, the distribution of catering outlets in Tashkent’s retail trade zones is as follows:

Taras Shevchenko: 33%
Amir Timur: 15%
Shota Rustaveli: 22%
Shakhrisabz: 30%
Ts-1: 20%
Tashkent City (retail zone in Boulevard Residential Complex): 16%”

Trends and traditions

Modern formats and establishments, including national cuisine, stay the same as the classic teahouses and Milliy taomlar. Such establishments remain an integral part of the everyday life of Uzbeks,

These symbols of national culture and hospitality are firmly rooted in the public consciousness and way of life of the people and create a unique authentic atmosphere that foreign tourists come for.

However, this format of establishments is also changing, offering more comfortable conditions but leaving unchanged its primary function – to quickly and inexpensively feed the guests with a traditional dish of national cuisine.

The genius of the place

Choosing the right location for a restaurant or cafe is crucial for its success, often more so than the concept itself. Studies show that 51% of an establishment’s success is determined by its location. Restaurants in high-traffic areas are more likely to attract tourists, passersby, and local residents.

In Tashkent, newly opened establishments have closed due to poor location choices where foot traffic could be minimal, increasing marketing expenses to compete. For instance, in the Moscow catering market, it has been demonstrated that a restaurant located on the first floor of a building can lose up to 50% of potential traffic. As a result, most restaurant concepts and owners prefer ground-floor locations to ensure easy and comfortable access for visitors.

New faces, new ways

In the past few years, the range of concepts in the market was limited despite numerous establishments. However, the situation has rapidly evolved. Presently, the market is experiencing a shift towards the stable and high-quality launch of new establishments and concepts by both local and international players and franchises.

Notable openings in 2024 include the introduction of international concepts such as Costa Coffee, Cinnabon, CZN Burak Burger, EVA, Gunaydin, Morelli’s Gelato, Yann Couvreur, and others into the Tashkent catering market. The active interest and entry of successful projects by Russian restaurateurs Arkady Novikov, Alexander Orlov, and others into the Tashkent market is worth mentioning.

Key openings include the Georgian restaurant TKX, the Belgian brasserie Lambic, and Yuzhanin, which offers Caucasian cuisine, live music, and vibrant parties. Pro.Khinkali, cafe June (formerly Dizengof/99), Kaspiyka, DYTY, and others.

This trend indicates that Tashkent’s catering market holds great promise for the international expansion of foreign restaurant chains and groups. It also reflects positive consumption trends among a growing population.

Ceilings and terraces

When entering Tashkent’s catering market, foreign players try to establish themselves in new housing stock or quality business centres on the ground floors, with large shop windows, the possibility of placing a spacious veranda and technical parameters that allow them to create the necessary level of comfort for visitors and staff.

The development of the food industry in the city increases the demand for street retail premises, especially in locations with a high flow of people and good visibility. New international brands and franchises are intensifying competition, fuelling demand for quality retail space.

In response, local developers are starting to create projects that cater to these requirements, including comfortable layouts, high ceilings and spacious summer terraces. Gastronomic neighbourhood projects are emerging.

This trend pushes the market to diversify and diversify the formats offered. This is how food halls and gastronomic clusters emerge. An example of such a cluster is Food Mall Tashkent, which on 2 thousand square metres brings together about 25 different gastronomic concepts-corners representing cuisines from all over the world

Thus, the growth of the food industry not only increases demand for quality real estate, but also transforms the urban retail market itself, creating new business opportunities and influencing architectural and urbanistic solutions.

Eating in Shevchenko Street

The most striking example of such transformation is the reconstruction of a part of Taras Shevchenko Street in Tashkent. It is planned to become a gastronomic street because it has one of the capital’s highest concentrations of cafes and restaurants.

On the one hand, this creates temporary inconveniences not only for the residents of the neighbourhood and the city, but also for the owners of establishments, temporarily reducing attendance and revenue by 2-3 times.

But, on the other hand, the temporary inconvenience may pay off in the short term. Upgrading the street infrastructure, organising parking areas and creating convenient bicycle and pedestrian routes make the street more attractive to citizens, which increases the flow of people and attracts more visitors to local cafes and shops.

In the future, such redevelopments can raise the profile of an entire neighbourhood, increase the income of local businesses and help create new jobs.

Choosing the right location and understanding the market are key success factors in realising a successful project. However, it is always important to follow trends and adapt to rapidly changing conditions, remaining relevant and meeting new consumer needs. In a dynamic market, this will allow you to stay competitive and actively develop your business, turning it into a network of projects and offering new experiences to consumers.