Osh Bazaar (Ошский базар), one of the largest and busiest markets in Central Asia, is located in the center of Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek. The history of the market dates back to the days of the Silk Road when Bishkek served as an important trading hub.
At Osh Bazaar, you can find a wide range of products, from fresh fruits and vegetables to spices, clothing, footwear, and handicrafts. The food section offers neatly arranged stalls full of local produce, delivered directly from farmers, ensuring its freshness and quality.
Spices, sold in large bags, give the market its distinctive fragrance and vibrant colors. In even larger bags, you’ll find kurut, a local delicacy made from dried milk.
The meat stalls offer a wide selection of fresh meat, including horse, beef, lamb, poultry, and fish. Although Kyrgyzstan is a Muslim country, pork also occupies a small section. Not to be missed are the traditional Kyrgyz horsemeat sausages: kazy.
In addition to food, Osh Bazaar also offers handmade clothing, textiles, and souvenirs that reflect traditional Kyrgyz patterns and techniques. The atmosphere of the market is lively and bustling, with vendors actively promoting their goods, and haggling is common for non-food items.
Osh Bazaar is literally a place where the past meets the present, offering an authentic experience of Bishkek and an opportunity to meet the local people. While wandering through Osh Bazaar, you might come across old (but still functioning) relics from the Soviet era, such as manually operated soda vending machines.
If, after your travels in Kyrgyzstan, you find yourself with one last day in Bishkek and haven’t yet tried the famous Kyrgyz kumys or the grain-based drink maksym, and want to change that, you can find them at Osh Bazaar – in a small section dedicated to dairy products.
A visit to Osh Bazaar is not only an opportunity to shop for quality products but also a chance to get to know the Kyrgyz way of life. It’s a great place to taste Kyrgyz food, especially street food (I can never resist buying freshly baked samsa).
Osh Bazaar is definitely a must-visit place in Bishkek.
Happy shopping!
For more information about Osh Bazaar, click on the map link:
🇰🇬 Are you a fan of beshbarmak or do you love kumys? Want to discover more Kyrgyz foods? Subscribe to my newsletter and I will send you for free everything you need to know about Kyrgyz food and drinks.
