Cover Winners at The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty for the inaugural Tatler Best Kazakhstan 2026 ceremony (Photo: Max Belek)
Winners at The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty for the inaugural Tatler Best Kazakhstan 2026 ceremony (Photo: Max Belek)
1 / 1
Kazakhstan celebrated its first-ever Tatler Best awards ceremony, honouring a total of 73 venues across restaurants, bars and hotels
For the first time in its history, Tatler Asia brought its hospitality awards programme to Kazakhstan with a full-scale ceremony, holding the inaugural gala at The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty.
For nearly five decades, Tatler Asia has been the region’s definitive voice in luxury lifestyle. What began in 1984 as a trusted dining guide has since evolved into Tatler Best: a rigorous, cross-sector framework for hospitality that brings food, drink and travel under one evaluative standard. Kazakhstan joined the programme in 2025 at the Tatler Best Asia-Pacific Awards, but 2026 marked the first time the country’s rankings were celebrated with a its own ceremony.
The event arrives at a moment when the country’s hospitality landscape is being reshaped from within, by chefs returning home with global training, by bartenders building menus around local botanicals and ferments, and by hoteliers who understand modern luxury. The old guard is giving way to something distinctly Kazakh, and now Tatler Best Kazakhstan 2026 is here to chart it.
Above Kazakhstan's hospitality industry gathered for the first Tatler Best Kazakhstan ceremony (Photo: Sultan Archakov)
Kazakhstan's hospitality industry gathered for the first Tatler Best Kazakhstan ceremony (Photo: Sultan Archakov)
1 / 1
A total of 73 awards were presented across restaurants, bars and hotels, with 50 venues named in the inaugural Tatler Best 20 lists and 23 Best-in-Class trophies recognising excellence in service, design, innovation and individual talent.
The results are the outcome of a comprehensive assessment conducted by a panel of more than 400 experts, including Tatler editors, restaurant critics, food and travel journalists, influencers and industry professionals. The highest-scoring venues in each category earned the distinction of Best-in-Class.
The evening’s top honours: Restaurant of the Year, Bar of the Year and Hotel of the Year were awarded to the highest-scoring venues, recognising those that demonstrated the most consistent and exceptional performance across the board.
As part of the Tatler Best regional framework, all winners from the Tatler Best 20 and Best-in-Class categories will be eligible for the Tatler Best Asia-Pacific Awards taking place in Shanghai this October, offering international visibility while elevating local excellence onto a broader stage.
Above The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty, hosted the inaugural ceremony (Photo: Sultan Archakov)
The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty, hosted the inaugural ceremony (Photo: Sultan Archakov)
1 / 1
After the official ceremony, the evening loosened its tie and became a party. Sadraddin, one of Kazakhstan’s most-streamed young pop artists, took the stage; the 23-year-old from Shymkent has sold out Almaty Arena and is a fixture on the country's contemporary music scene. A DJ set followed, keeping the room moving into the evening.
The buffet was a showcase of Kazakh hospitality. Yurta, the boutique hotel and restaurant in Almaty known for reimagining nomadic cuisine, served smoked zhaya (horse meat from the hind leg, a traditional delicacy), meat specialities, assorted baursaks, the deep-fried dough balls that appear at every Kazakh celebration, and more; Japanese restaurant Akami contributed its signature appetisers, including shrimp with truffles; and The Ritz-Carlton served a decadent mushroom risotto from a Parmesan wheel. Meanwhile, Beluga and Martini kept the glasses full.
Above Sadraddin, the 23-year-old pop artist from Shymkent, performing for guests (Photos: Max Belek / Sultan Archakov)
Above The afterparty set that turned a formal ceremony into a dance floor (Photos: Max Belek / Sultan Archakov)
Sadraddin, the 23-year-old pop artist from Shymkent, performing for guests (Photos: Max Belek / Sultan Archakov)
1 / 2
THE FULL LISTS FOR TATLER BEST KAZAKHSTAN 2026
Tatler Best 20 Restaurants
Qarlygash Café, Almaty
Oyster Bar, Almaty
Palomar, Almaty
Rifugio del Monte, Almaty
Akami, Almaty
La Barca, Almaty
Ogonyok, Almaty
Auyl, Almaty
Qazaq Gourmet, Astana
Eva, Astana
Aqqu, Almaty
Ami, Almaty
Pier, Almaty
Korkem Gourmet, Almaty
Khoroshiy God, Almaty
Renée Café, Almaty
Banollo, Almaty
Six Coffee + Wine, Almaty
Line Brew Reserve (The Veil), Astana
Selfie, Astana
Tatler Best 20 Bars
Gruppo 63, Almaty
Atelier, Almaty
Temple, Astana
Malena, Astana
Atomic, Astana
Yellow Door, Almaty
Lilou, Astana
Ágorá, Almaty
Adept, Almaty
Red Beer Bar, Almaty
Svetloye Budushcheye, Almaty
Point 44, Almaty
The Shakespeare Pub, Almaty
Bul Bar, Almaty
Old Door, Almaty
Dark Side, Astana
Buddha-Bar Astana, Astana
Fuller’s, Almaty
El Agave Sindicato, Almaty
French 42, Almaty
Tatler Best 10 Hotels
The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty (Almaty)
The St Regis Astana (Astana)
Tenir Eco Hotel (Almaty)
Swissôtel Wellness Resort Alatau Almaty (Almaty)
Sheraton Astana Hotel (Astana)
Rixos Borovoe (Borovoe)
Hilton Astana (Astana)
The Veil (Astana)
Yurta Boutique Hotel (Almaty)
Wyndham Residences Aqkol (Aqkol)
Tatler Best-in-Class 2026
Hotels
Hotel of the Year: The Ritz-Carlton, Astana (Astana)
Best Destination: The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty (Almaty)
Best New Hotel: Pana Unique Semey (Semey)
Best Boutique Hotel: The Veil (Astana)
Best Resort: Rixos Borovoe (Borovoe)
Best Family Hotel: Swissôtel Wellness Resort Alatau Almaty (Almaty)
Best Wellness Retreat: Nammu Spa & Wellness (Almaty)
Best Service: The St Regis Astana (Astana)
Best Innovation: Tenir Eco Hotel (Almaty)
Restaurants
Restaurant of the Year: Akami (Almaty)
New Restaurant: Palomar (Almaty)
Best Service: Selfie (Astana)
Best Design: Palomar (Almaty)
Best Innovation: Auyl (Almaty)
Best Sommelier: Denis Kapralov
Best Pastry Chef: Nariman Abdygapparov, The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty
Rising Star: Inga Makogon, co-founder of Fika
Bars
Bar of the Year: Gruppo 63 (Almaty)
Best New Bar: Atelier (Almaty)
Best Service: Lilou (Astana)
Best Design: Gruppo 63 (Almaty)
Best Innovation: Adept (Almaty)
Best Rising Star: Daria Bezhina
A storyteller by day and a first-class food devourer by night, Fontaine is the Regional Dining Editor at Tatler Asia, overseeing dining content across all regions and shaping the brand’s editorial voice on food, chefs and culinary culture.
She is also Content Lead for Tatler Best and Co-jury Head for Tatler Best Hong Kong and Macau, guiding the awards’ editorial direction and evaluation process. With over 15 years in the lifestyle and media industry spanning London and Hong Kong, she brings a cross-regional perspective to the table.
Follow her on Instagram at @fontimes.
