The first aesthete's guide to Almaty
Beauty has
no single shade.
And we went looking
for all of them.
The neon of an Asian eatery. The worn leather of a good bar. The felt of a yurt, and cold water running at the foot of the mountains. These are all forms of beauty — and in Almaty, we went after every one. Because a place is never only its menu. It's the smell of the café at nine, the hum of a full room at night, the way the light settles in a glass of wine. Almaty is full of them, once you know how to look. We spent months looking, holding everything to a single question: is it beautiful enough to make you want to stay? Fifty places answered yes. This is the list.
Read the founders story
Almaty
The Republic of Kazakhstan
43°14'24"N 76°54'54"E
Almaty wears its mountains
like a backdrop and its colour like a habit.
A restless city where a century of cultures settled over the steppe — yet the nomad's spirit still sets the tone. Snow on the peaks, neon after dark. One night a world tour fills a hall; the next, an art cluster glows in an old factory. Modern, beautiful, and free-spirited. A city that rewards a closer look.
guide
Almaty City Guide no.1
Stay (1) Sip (2) Eat (29)
Drink (7) Refresh (6) Pick (5)
Useful Links
Every venue's website, Instagram and map, a tap away — to see the menu, book a table, or find the door.
Essential Details
The vibe, the room and who designed it, the chef behind the kitchen — what each place is about, and why it's worth the trip.
Exclusive Google Map
Every place on a single private map, ready the moment you land — so wherever you are, the nearest one is just a glance away.
ALMATY, KZ
no.1
43°14'24"N 76°54'54"E
PDF Book · Free Preview
Stay (1) Sip (1)
Eat (1) Drink (1)
Refresh (1) Pick (1)
One place from every category
ALMATY, KZ
no.1
43°14'24"N 76°54'54"E
PDF Book
Stay (1) Sip (2)
Eat (29) Drink (7)
Refresh (6) Pick (5)
who we're
Andrey Syedin has spent fifteen years in hospitality, as a writer and a marketer. He has staged a dozen restaurant festivals, judged for The World's 50 Best Bars and Where to Eat Kazakhstan, and worked with Design Hotels properties from Almaty to Dubai, Buenos Aires and Bali — with more than fifty Michelin restaurants and forty countries behind him. Hedonist List is that eye, written down.
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Before the camera, Alena Syedina arranged flowers — and a florist's eye for composition, colour and balance never left her. Eight years on, she photographs food, people, interiors and travel, with a photography diploma from Le Cordon Bleu to her name. Every image in this guide is hers.
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