About Cafe Zarafshon
Cafe Zarafshon is one of Khiva's contemporary cafe-style restaurants, operating from outside the Itchan Kala walls (the surrounding outer-city Dichan Kala area) — the cafe is local-frequented, particularly popular with Khiva-resident college students and visiting young Uzbek tourists. The format is unfussy and the prices are noticeably lower than the more tourist-tier options inside Itchan Kala.
The menu is Uzbek classics with international cafe additions. National dishes include Plov ($4), Manty ($3 for six), Lagman ($3), Shashlik ($2 per skewer), Khorezmian Pilaff ($4), and Mastava soup ($2). International cafe section includes pasta ($5-7), pizza ($6-9), hamburgers ($5-7), and a small breakfast menu (eggs, oatmeal, $3-5). A meal of two Uzbek dishes and a soft drink for two runs $12-18.
The room is small but well-arranged. Twenty seats across a single ground-floor open dining hall plus a small streetside outdoor section, with bay windows facing the local residential street. The atmosphere is relaxed-cafe rather than tourist-restaurant — Khiva-resident families, young couples, and college students populate the dining room throughout the day. Walk-ins always work; cards are accepted.
What makes Cafe Zarafshon worth the visit beyond the price is the local-resident character — for travellers who've eaten the Itchan Kala tourist-tier restaurants, this is the room where Khiva-resident eaters actually spend their time. The food is unambitious but solid, the prices are local-rate, and the vibe is genuinely Uzbek rather than tourist-Uzbek.
Best Occasion Fit
Solo travellers — small table with an Uzbek dish and a tea, $5 bill, the local-frequented daytime anchor. As a first date with someone visiting Khiva, the unfussy student-cafe format gives a low-stakes character that contrasts nicely with the more tourist-tier Itchan Kala options. Team dinners up to six work in the back tables.
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