Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Indian
Veggie restaurant and center for learning about meditation and bhakti-yoga, located near the corner of Mametova and Abley Khan. Set back from the street. The daily lunch special includes 3 vegetable dishes (dahl, paneer and subji), rice, and puri for around 1550 tenge. Desserts, chai tea, lassi, and other non-alcoholic drinks are available. The premises is non-smoking and has an exotic atmosphere. There is also a small store at the entrance that sells incense, music, and Vedic literature. Open Mon-Sun 12:00pm-8:00pm.
27 Reviews
First Review by Upliftance
MerikWesterveld
Points +1054
Good selection of vegan options - Edit
A nice buffet style restaurant with a good selection of vegan options to choose from. We went in the evening, not a lot of dishes left but what was left was mostly delicious. Very good value for money.
Read moreGuest
Vegantraveljunkie
Points +1790
Excellent value!! Highly recommended! - Edit
I came here for lunch just as they were putting out some of the ( buffet) dishes out. I pulled my V card in Russian to make sure dishes I was selecting were vegan however the cashier and server spoke English well. I selected veggie rice, dahl, salad, veggie dish and veggie soup with entire set meal including raspberry juice came to 2050 tenge. Good portions, excellent value and a quiet relaxed dining area.
Read moreAfter finishing my meal and clearing up, the cashier mentioned that another dish had come out- eggplant. Looked delicious but I was full. Though they understood that I was vegan important to stress no cheese as they had a veg oaneer dish and the samosas had cheese when I enquired.
Though I have found Almaty restaurants with delicious vegan options albeit a bit pricey at times, you can’t go wrong with Govinda’s for portion size and good value. Worthwhile to come mid afternoon rather than soon after they open as more dishes come out.
A great gem! Highly recommended!
Pros: several vegan options , generous portions, excellent value
Guest
DonaldMcAninch
Points +911
Lots of yummy options - Edit
Hot bar of pre-cooked stews, rice, and baked goods. Everything we got was really good, and the portions looked small but ended up being quite filling.
Read moreGuest
kaisatravels
Points +438
Great value for money - Edit
Nice selection of different vegetarian and vegan options, but you have to go early as they might run out of some preps! We had lentil soup, vegetable stew, wraps and sweets, they even had a couple of different vegan sweets.
Read moreGuest
hakri
Points +15
Organic vegetarian food - Edit
Simple food, where you can choose the dishes and main course. Paid based on selection. There is no table service.
Read moreGuest
otwtoserenity
Points +135
Serene atmosphere and delicious cuisine - Edit
Despite the canteen-like service, the food was incredible, and the staff were very welcoming. The dining area recreates the authentic atmosphere of the Vedic culture with serene music and various paintings depicting religious customs and traditions on the walls. I would definitely recommend this place to everyone who's interested in Indian cultures and/or veganism
Read morePros: Affordability, Taste, Atmosphere
Guest
madelinek
Points +2906
cheap good food👍 - Edit
bit random of a govindas but adequate vegan options and they were tasty :))
Read moreGuest
RSD
Points +526
Hit and miss - Edit
I was excited to find a Govindas restaurant in Almaty! Some of the dishes were full of flavour (pumpkin and potato momos, dhal) and some were lacking flavour (chickpea curry) and didn't seem fresh (slimy carrot salad). I arrived at 12:30 and when I left at 1:30 there were lots more options to choose. You pay for each portion separately.
Read morePros: Clear vegan options, Lots of choice, Good price
Cons: Some dishes lacked flavour and freshness
Guest
undmrg
Points +97
Super tasty vegetarian and vegan food - Edit
My family ate vegetarian dishes containing cheese and butter, I ate available vegan options, for example sabzi, manty, fried cauliflower, carrot salad and a drink. They have food pre-prepared, but you have an option to microwave it
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-09-14
Guest
monisonfire
Points +5451
great value! - Edit
i tried several of the daily dishes as well as salad.
Read morethe salad (carrot with soy chunks) was my favourite! very tasty!
kofte, pumpkin-potato mix, daal and rice were all very nice too!
price was very good as it was about 40 minutes before closing and everything was 30% off!
Guest
Viraj.morabia
Points +81
Good People - Edit
I had cauliflower and paneer pakoras. Didn't like tomato inside paneer pakora. I wish they make food on demand rather than preparing set quantity for the day.
Read moreGuest
Fl0ooW
Points +354
Ok - Edit
The staff was very friendly and spoke a little bit English. It's located close to the train station, which is helpful, because vegetarian or vegan food is hard to find elsewhere.
Read moreYou can enter and choose from a buffet to create your own plate. Staff knows what is vegan, the cook everything on their own.
Taste was ok, atmosphere, let's say, authentic 😅
Updated from previous review on 2024-05-05
Guest
dunestr
Points +120
Tasty and cheap - Edit
I recommend to come for dinner (before 8pm), because you have a 30% discount which makes the food really cheap.
Read moreThere are few vegan options but a lot of paneer is used.
I recommend the desserts, there are really good !!
Pros: Location, Tasty & Cheap, Desserts
Guest
Alja
Points +414
Few vegan options, but all is tasty - Edit
It's not far away from the Almaty 2 railway station so very convenient for travellers. Not many vegan options, although all suitable is really tasty.
Read moreGuest
CSL
Points +377
Tasty Veg Food - Edit
Tasty Veg options in a part of the world where vegetarianism still isn't very popular.
Read morePros: English menu, Helpful staff, Reasonable price
Cons: Not vegan
OxanaK.
Yes it's not popular in Kazakhstan. But you can find a lot vegetarian and vegan options in different places. Like cofeeboom, mama mia, primo italiano, harissa. I love this places
Read moreGuest
travelBJ
Points +74
Quick and good - Edit
I visit this restaurant when in town for lunch. The complex meal has everything you need and is very tasty. It comes with rice, bread and several small dishes plus tea. Very authentic indian food.
Read moreGuest
CremeBrulee
Points +216
Full vegetarian restaurant - Edit
Very happy to find a vegetarian restaurant after 2 weeks travelling in central Asia. We returned the next day. Nice dishes with paneer.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-09-24
Pros: Good food, Good price, Friendly staff
Cons: It took quite some time to prepare the meal
Guest
TatyanaMaag
Points +16
Mediocre - Edit
The complex meal is vegetarian only (ghee paneer), so I ordered dal (soup), chapati and an Indian sabji (curry) with potatoes and eggplant. The soup was ok (though lacking the rich Indian flavor) and the curry was simply fried potato and very oily eggplants with very little spices, super blend, very disappointing. The staff was not friendly. I gave feedback regarding the food to the waiter, there was zero reaction.
Read moreGuest
StevieSurf
Points +1947
Sweet venue for Indian food in Almaty - Edit
I tumbled in here on a snowy late afternoon. Ignore the ‘temporarily closed’ part of the name. It’s very nice up and running. It’s a sweet, modest place with a warm, cosy dining room at the back and sitting room at the front. There’s a decent selection of vegan options and they doubled up on vegan stuff when I explained I didn’t want the paneer in the set menu. There’s a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere in here and I’ll be heading back again soon.
Read morePros: Well balanced flavours , Healthy Indian food , Cosy and relaxed atmosphere
Guest
friedi
Points +71
Temporarily closed - Edit
We went to Govindas on 29.12.2019 and it was closed for technical reasons. The paper on the door did not say until when. It said only 'Happy New Year'. So it might be reopen at the beginning of January..?
Read moreGuest
existence_v
Points +475
The first vegetarian cafe in Almaty - Edit
I loved to invite others to this place. The food is good and atmosphere is interesting
Read moreGuest
Pacyfik
Points +205
Trasitional Indian food - Edit
Tasty Indian food. I ate better dishesh from India but it s a Kazakhstan and we should appreciate all not meat food 🙂 one of my favorit in Almaty 🙃
Read morePros: A lot vegan options, Good price, More home food
Cons: English 🙂, More home food
Guest
sunlandic_twin
Points +24
Not very tasty, but filling. - Edit
I would have rated it lower in Poland, but for Middle Asian standards it’s a great vegetarian place. There is some choice, portions are fair, prices rather low. The taste is fine, though not amazing and not spicy at all. I see that the staff got many bad reviews from some other people, but they were kind to me and answered all my questions (I speak Russian).
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2018-09-12
Pros: fair portions
Cons: food is kinda tasteless
jethrotullburgers
They were kind to you?????? I congratulate you!!!! They won't even speak to me. And I speak Russian too. I won't try to imply my experience has more validity than yours and perhaps they have improved the service recently, but I speak for the people who live in Almaty who won't go to Govinda's at all because they feel that the staff look at them like they are rats. I am a vegan so I won't say bad things about vegans in general, but some people seem to think cutting out meat makes them God and I have never experienced anything quite so demoralising as trying to eat in this place.
Read moreGuest
FoodIsNeverWaste
Points +329
This was a weird experience - Edit
First I saw no staff, then found her, said I was 1 person & sat down. It seemed my English & few Russian words were not enough - there was not much reaction. It was almost empty. I waited for 5-10 minutes and nothing happened. Then she brought me no menu card, but just some (random) dish (other people ordered different things). The taste was ok. When I finally was able to make eye contact again, I asked to pay. I had to wait 10 more minutes for the bill to come.
Read moreOverall disappointing, since quite some people call it "the veg. place in Almaty". Could've gone to some buffet and got away much cheaper.
jethrotullburgers
Aye, I think this place would do better business if they didn't give the impression that they hate their customers. And there are only about five vegans in Almaty, and the ones I know won't go to Govinda's because they don't like the arrogance of the staff. It's not as if they are rude directly, but they just seem to think we are low life.
Read moreGuest
jethrotullburgers
Points +29
So so - Edit
This place would be OK if the staff didn't look down on its customers like we are stray dogs that they condescend to feed out of pity. I have been to Govindas about four times over a decade in Almaty, and every time I have left feeling like I am just a piece of dirt on their shoes. Even as a vegan in a very heavily meat-based city I refuse to go, as I have dignity, and do not want stripping of it simply for daring to order food. If you speak to them beyond giving your order, maybe a friendly question or something, they just stand there in silence and turn their royal noses up. I honestly prefer to go to some steak house and have just a glass of water while friends gorge themselves on meat. At least they don't have the caste system in operation there.
Read morePros: Food is OK.
Cons: Be prepared to be treated like you are beneath the
Guest
TheHolyV
Points +258
Decent Indian, a lifeline in central Asia - Edit
The good at Govinda is not amazing. It is a standard Indian, non spicy, cooked by non indian, but in an area of the world (Central Asia) which has basically no veggie restaurants out side Almaty, Govinda provides an easy option, as it is on all main maps and it is straightforward to reach. Look for a building receded from the road, as it is not too near the pavement.
Read morePros: Easy to reach, It is a rare vegetarian
Cons: Not too visible from the road, Food is not amazing
Guest
Upliftance
Points +44
An outpost of veg food in Central Asia - Edit
Good food, nice setting, helpful waitstaff, and non-smoking. Several vegan options.
Read moreGuest
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