Besh Qozon, Plov Restaurant

Overview
This is a large Uzbek restaurant in Tashkent specialising in plov (pilaf). It is known for its open-kitchen format, where plov is prepared in multiple large cauldrons throughout the day. The restaurant operates mainly as a lunch and dinner venue and is popular with both locals and visitors.

Food & Menu
The menu focuses on traditional Uzbek cuisine, with plov as the main offering. Several types of plov are prepared daily using different meats such as lamb, beef, chicken, and horse meat, combined with rice, vegetables, and aromatic spices. Optional additions may include quail eggs and dolma.

Plov portions are typically served as complete single-plate meals. Other items include freshly baked bread, somsa, and simple salads such as tomato and onion salad (achichuk). The menu is limited and centred on national dishes rather than international food.

Drinks
Drinks include tea, compote (fruit-based drinks), sharbat-style soft drinks, and other non-alcoholic beverages. Separate stalls may offer fresh juices and coffee.

Layout & Atmosphere
The restaurant has a very large dining area capable of seating several hundred guests.

The kitchen is fully open and visible, with multiple oversized cauldrons used for cooking plov, as well as clay ovens for bread. Guests can walk through the cooking area and observe the preparation process.

Seating is available both indoors and outdoors. Indoor areas may be air-conditioned, while outdoor seating is shaded and sometimes cooled with misting systems. The restaurant is particularly busy during peak lunch hours.

The atmosphere is lively and functional, with a focus on high-volume dining rather than quiet table service.

Practical Information
Menus may be displayed near the payment counter rather than at tables. Illustrated displays help with ordering when English is limited.

Payment is typically made at a central cash desk after requesting the bill.

The restaurant is located near the Tashkent TV Tower and has multiple branches across the city, so addresses should be checked when visiting.

Toilets may be located in an adjacent building and may be shared facilities.