Plov is the national religion

Each city cooks plov differently — Tashkent's is the heaviest (with quail eggs and horse sausage), Samarkand's is layered, Bukhara's is sweetened with raisins. The legendary Central Asian Plov Centre at Tashkent TV tower serves 1,000 portions a day; arrive before 1 PM.

Other essentials

• Shashlik — charcoal-grilled lamb, beef, or liver skewers.
• Lagman — hand-pulled noodles in spiced broth (Uyghur-Uzbek).
• Manti & somsa — steamed dumplings and tandoor-baked pastries.
• Non — round bread; never place it upside down (taboo).
• Choy — green tea is the default. Decline politely by covering the cup.

Halal & dietary

Uzbekistan is ~94% Muslim and effectively all meat is halal by default. Pork is rare and clearly labelled in Russian-style supermarkets. Alcohol is widely served at restaurants but not inside mosques or madrasahs. Vegetarians fare well in Samarkand and Tashkent; harder in Khiva.

Mosque etiquette

• Remove shoes before entering prayer halls.
• Women: cover hair and shoulders; long skirts or trousers. Most mosques provide loaner scarves.
• Men: long trousers, no sleeveless tops.
• Avoid visiting during the Friday jumu'ah prayer (12:30–14:00).
• Do not photograph people praying.

Ramadan

Uzbekistan stays open during Ramadan — restaurants, bazaars, monuments and Afrosiyob trains all run normally. Tourist sites are at their quietest. Be discreet with eating and drinking in conservative cities (Bukhara, Khiva, Margilan) during daylight. The iftar meals in family homes are unforgettable — ask your operator to arrange one.

Guest customs

If invited home, bring sweets or fruit (never alcohol unannounced). Receive tea with the right hand. The eldest at the dastarkhan (cloth) is served first. Compliment the plov, even if you can't finish it.