I hardly remember the last time I really wanted to eat something sweet. Spicy, salty, briny, sour, and so on, sure. Sweet? Not really… I guess it is good for my health, but it does make finding decent cafes and writing about them here a chore. This is not to say that I hate desserts, it is just the ones that I love, often made out of milk and having very homey recipes, are not readily available outside of Turkey. Nevertheless, read on to find out how to fix your sweet tooth if you are visiting Astana. Do know that they do have a few good options there, despite my ramblings.
Crepe Café – https://crepecafe.kz
This is one of the better-known spots in town, likely because one of its joints is found pretty much right next to Baiterek. As its name makes it pretty clear, this establishment specializes in crepes, both the salty and sweet kinds. I tried one with Kazakh ingredients, like a very specific type of dairy product, and a usual one with Nutella and some nuts. In all honesty, both crepes were pretty good. None were too sweet, and none tasted weird in any way. Their portion size is huge too, so do not be like me and get two crepes just because you think they will be small…
Keks – https://go.2gis.com/dj9km
Keks might be my favourite sit-down café in town. It is very small, but bright, and though it can be a bit chatty with a few customers around, normally it is pretty tame. What really matters though is their desserts, and with those, they certainly stole my heart. Their Napoleon is amazing, light but as tasty as it goes. They also serve a decent carrot cake, though their coffee is nothing to write home about.
Qatty Tatty – https://go.2gis.com/enums
If you want to eat something a bit different than your usual cakes and crepes, then you better head straight to Qatty Tatty. It is a rather new establishment, one that specializes purely in Japanese cheesecakes. These fluffy goodies with their cloud like texture are to die for, but I have to say that quite a lot of people think they smell like raw eggs. I put those comments to test and failed to get even a hint of eggy smell myself. That may be because I got lucky, or because it was a bit cold and my nose has seen better days, but nevertheless, this was one of the best dessert experiences I had in Central Asia no less, not only in Astana.
Tap Tatti – https://taptatti.kz
Sometimes, you do not need to eat your cakes or crepes at an actual café, but just want some sweets to enjoy later on at home. For those times, Tap Tatti is the way to go. They have a lot on offer, though their cakes seem to come only in one huge size, which is a shame. Nevertheless, I loved everything I got from here, and in all likelihood, they will help satisfy most people’s sweet tooth!
Antep Baklavası – https://go.2gis.com/jujob
Turkish food is pretty popular in Astana, and so are Turkish desserts. Though you can find baklava practically anywhere, the one made here is one of the better ones, as the owner hails from Turkey himself. I certainly had better baklava elsewhere, but given its price point and the richness of their menu, I think this spot is well worth a visit.