Green Bazaar, known locally as Zelyony Bazaar and Kok Bazaar, is Almaty's best-known market. It stands on Zhibek Zholy Street in the city centre. Stalls sell fruit, nuts, dried fruit, spices, honey, dairy, fish and meat, and one large section is given to horse meat and traditional Kazakh sausage. Clothing, hats, carpets and handicrafts for gifts are sold upstairs. Small eateries around the market serve plov, lagman and shashlik, and sellers often hand out samples of dried fruit and nuts. Panfilov Park and Zenkov Cathedral are a short walk away.
A trading place for over a century
Green Bazaar has been a centre of daily trade in Almaty for well over a hundred years. A merchant from Semipalatinsk named Rafikov is credited with building a guest yard on the site, which became the first form of the market. The name comes from its early role as the place where people bought and sold locally grown vegetables.
The present building dates from the 1970s. In 2016 a concrete extension replaced the outdoor vegetable market. Tradition links the bazaar to the Silk Road trade route, and it is still one of the main places to see how Central Asian food shopping works.
Finding your way through the aisles
Near the entrance, fruit stalls are arranged in neat displays, and a large meat section follows. Fruit sold close to the entrance tends to cost more, so it pays to continue past the meat section and take the escalators or stairs down. The lower floor is where local shoppers buy, and prices there are lower. A water sink in the middle of this lower section is handy if you buy berries and want to rinse them before eating.
The meat hall is loud and has a strong smell. Butchers cut beef and pork with heavy cleavers, and workers stuff spicy Kazakh sausages by hand. Horse meat is a regional staple and sold in its own section. Whole scalded sheep heads are also on sale, which some visitors find confronting. Pork products are available in parts of the market, which is unusual in the region.
What to buy
Dairy is a good place to start. Look for kurt, dry salty balls of fermented mare's or sheep's milk cheese, as well as irimshik, a soft brownish cheese, and homemade cheeses. Kumys, fermented mare's milk, is sold here too, and camel milk is available. Aport apples, a famous local variety, are also sold.
The dried fruit and nut stalls are among the busiest, and vendors often offer a taste. Some of the dried fruit is imported, so ask which is Kazakh and which comes from elsewhere. Honey, chocolates, spices and herbal teas fill other stalls.
For gifts, head upstairs for traditional clothing, hats, carpets and handicrafts. Collectors of vintage items and antiques can look for Kolos, boutique 69. Haggle gently and keep a friendly tone, since polite bargaining is expected.
Eating and drinking in and around the market
Small cafes sit above the stalls and along the edges of the market. They serve plov, lagman and shashlik from the grill. Pilaf is a common choice, and the busiest tables are usually filled with local diners. Many stalls and cafes have staff who will guide you through the options in simple English.
Pomegranate juice is a popular drink to buy here. A coffee bar just inside the main entrance on Mukagali Makataev Street sells inexpensive coffee and a pistachio roll, which suits an early start. The streets around the bazaar are also a low-cost place for street food.
Getting there and what is nearby
The market is at Zhibek Zholy Street 53, close to the Sayakhat bus terminal and next to the Rakhat chocolate factory. Zenkov Cathedral and Panfilov Park are a short walk away, as is the Central Mosque, which welcomes non-Muslim visitors.
The entrance is wheelchair accessible, and wheelchair accessible parking is available. Paid parking is available in a lot and on the street. Some stalls accept debit cards and mobile payments, but cash is the safer choice.
Perguntas frequentes
Is Green Bazaar open on Mondays?
No. The market is closed on Mondays and open from Tuesday to Sunday during daytime hours.
Do I need cash at Green Bazaar?
Yes, bring Kazakh tenge. Some stalls take cards or mobile payments, but many do not.
Where are prices lower inside the bazaar?
Go past the meat section and down to the lower floor, where local shoppers buy. Fruit stalls near the entrance tend to charge more.
What should I buy at Green Bazaar?
Dried fruit, nuts, kurt, irimshik, honey and spices are all good choices. Upstairs you will find hats, carpets and handicrafts for gifts.
Where is Green Bazaar and what is nearby?
It is at Zhibek Zholy Street 53 in central Almaty. Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral and the Rakhat chocolate factory are close by.
