Auyl

Bringing architects, artists and artisans together, Auyl is an immersive “neo-nomad” project set in the Medeu mountains, its shell a Soviet-era yurt relocated and reimagined as a multi-space stage around an open kitchen. The mood is cinematic: hand-made furniture, textiles, lighting and sound choreograph the meal as much as the chefs. 

In the fire-lit heart of the room, chef Ruslan Zakirov cooks with the pillars of nomadic cuisine: water, flour and meat, over open flames, in a qazan, on a mangal, and in a tandoor. The result is food that’s primal yet polished: long-cooked lamb neck with seasonal garnishes; horse-meat tartare and mini-shashlik reframed for modern palates; and samsa lifted straight from the tandyr. It’s the definition of Auyl’s “neo-nomad” ethos: history held up to the light. 

The wine program, led by sommelier Yulia Lomteva, threads local bottles with progressive international picks, with an eye to unconventional and sustainable choices, a thoughtful counterpoint to all that smoke and flame.

Tatler Tip

Aim for daylight into sunset to catch those Medeu views (the restaurant sits just up from the famous skating rink) and book ahead, it’s a destination as much for design lovers as for diners.