Kazakhstan is increasingly becoming a must on the global backpacker's itinerary, and perhaps its most interesting city offers many of its best attractions. Almaty bars and cafes rank amongst the finest in the country and this brief guide will let you know where you should go out and enjoy yourself.

Guinness: Calling Live Music Lovers

A favourite pub of locals and foreigners alike is called Guinness, located on Dostyk Street. Here you can also find great international cuisine, check out excellent live music, and rub shoulders with the many "ex-pats" who dwell in Almaty. Guinness has a vast range of imported beers, and no cover charge to get in.

Tinkoff: Something a Bit Different

For a different kind of Almaty bars and cafes experience, check out Tinkoff, a Russian brewery that opens its doors to paying customers who wish to sample its many local beers. The food is local Kazakhstani fare and very good. The building is divided into 4 floors, and you can sit and have a drink or a meal on the roof if the weather is good. There is also a TV here, showing international and local sports.

Madlen For It

Arguably Almaty's premier cafe, Madlen serves fresh bread, bagels, coffee, a plethora of desserts, sandwiches, and Greek cuisine prepared by expert Turkish chefs. Prices range from $10-25 for a meal. You can also make use of their WiFi service if you have a laptop.

Solomon: The Place to Be

Another well-loved venue among Almaty bars and cafes is Solomon, located on Bogenbay Batyr Street. It serves a great business lunch from 12 noon to 3pm, and is open 24 hours. It plays a goods election of Latino-American music and the average cost of a meal is 5000-6000 tenge.

Going Later into the Night

If you want to drink or dance later into the night, then Almaty offers a rich selection of nightclubs, so many, in fact, that the city is  now called "club city." There are generally two types of clubs: bars where you can dance, and dance clubs that are more like sit-down restaurants. The latter category tend to be high-energy, techno-fuelled, crowded places with low lighting. However, in other venues one can play pool, listen to indigenous live music, and drink good quality beer. Cover charges are around 500 tenge for females, 1000 for males. The standout Almaty bars and cafes in this respect are Xanadu in Hotel Ankara on Zheltoskan 181, Incognito at Abaya on Dostyk 87, and Petroleum Club on the 5th floor of Shevchenko. None of these places have a dress code.

Going Later into the Night

If you want to drink or dance later into the night, then Almaty offers a rich selection of nightclubs, so much so that the city is  now called "club city." There are generally two types of clubs: bars where you can dance and clubs that are more like sit-down venues where you are served food and drinks in the tradition of cabaret nightclubs. The latter category tend to be high-energy, crowded places with low lighting and techno music. However, in other venues one can play pool, listen to indigenous live music, and drink good quality beer. Cover charges are around 500 tenge for women, 1000 for men. The standout Almaty bars and cafes in this respect are Xanadu in Hotel Ankara on Zheltoskan 181, Incognito at Abaya on Dostyk 87, and Petroleum Club on the 5th floor of Shevchenko. None of these places have a dress code.