The first Slavic cuisine restaurant has opened in Ashgabat, becoming a wonderful gift for those who appreciate folk traditions. The festive atmosphere was set from the very entrance: guests were greeted by women in traditional national costumes carrying a traditional karavay, along with cheerful skomorokhi.

The idea for the project took shape in the mind of the restaurant’s owner, Turkmen entrepreneur Myrat Annamuhammedov, while he was living and working in Russia, in Voronezh and the Moscow Region. After returning home last spring, he resolutely set to work.

In just a few months, the premises were given a stylized renovation and a unique menu was developed. The interior provides an immersive experience: waiters wear traditional costumes, while ordinary air conditioners have been skillfully decorated to resemble Russian stoves with samovars. Traditional patterns and hand embroidery create a special atmosphere, while the exclusive salt cellars on the tables were specially commissioned from local artists.

The menu has everything one would expect: from rich borscht, pancakes, pies, and pelmeni to fragrant tea served from a samovar. The authentic atmosphere has appealed both to residents of Ashgabat and to visitors to the capital. The carefully designed serving style and harmonious combination of culinary traditions have naturally become part of the cultural life of Turkmenistan’s capital.

“The idea of opening the restaurant came to me after living in Russia. It was there that I felt the depth of the local traditions. I wanted to bring that feeling to my native, hospitable Turkmenistan – to create a place where people can not only enjoy delicious food, but also feel the warmth and comfort of a Slavic home. I am confident that ‘Matryoshka’ will become not only the first Slavic restaurant in Turkmenistan, but also another warm platform for bringing the cultures of two great peoples closer together,” M. Annamuhammedov said at the restaurant’s opening.