The Ultima Guide 2026, a ranking of Tashkent's top 25 restaurants, was unveiled at a ceremony on June 11 at the JW Marriott in Tashkent. All finalist establishments received pearl-shaped statuettes, symbolizing recognition of their contribution to the city's gastronomic culture.
The guide includes venues praised by guests for their original concepts and food quality. The top 25 features restaurants with national cuisine such as OBI Hayot, Lali, and The Choyxona; European and Mediterranean options like Sorrento by Novikov, La Mer, Punto, and Quadro; Asian concepts Kitana and Furusato; panoramic restaurants Gravity, Oko, and Restaurant 12; and the cozy Zira Cafe, among others.
Three restaurants won additional nominations. Ora restaurant triumphed in the categories of 'Excellent Service', 'Best Interior', and 'Users' Choice'. 'Experts' Choice' went to PRO.Khinkali, while 'Ultima Yandex Go Users' Choice' was awarded to Syrovarnya by Novikov.
The ranking was formed in several stages. First, a neural network analyzed over 3,000 establishments in Tashkent based on more than 100 criteria. Venues operating for less than three months at the start of voting, as well as classic bars, coffee shops, food courts, and chain restaurants, were excluded.
The AI selected 183 restaurants, after which voting began. Participants included 69 local experts (restaurateurs, chefs, and gastro-influencers) and 6,500 Yandex Go users who interacted with venues through Yandex services. Each user could vote only once via a personal link.
The final results were calculated using a special evaluation model developed for Ultima Guide and verified by the international consulting firm Yakov & Partners. The Ultima Guide project complements the premium Ultima Yandex Go services launched in Tashkent in September 2024.
The ceremony gathered representatives from the restaurant industry, media, business, and cultural community. The gastronomic program was handled by the Selfie Astana team led by chef Yevgeny Chekanin. Special dishes combining Kazakh and Uzbek culinary traditions were prepared for the evening, including local tomatoes and eggplants, Akmola ribs, and Balkhash pike perch.
Source: uznews.uz