By Sara Beth Williams–
A local restaurant with Uzbekistan-inspired cuisine officially celebrated its grand opening at a new, larger location at Sylvan Corners in Citrus Heights on Wednesday.
Caravan Uzbek Cuisine owner Aziza Soatova said the restaurant held a soft opening on Tuesday, but the official grand opening took place Wednesday. Soatova added that Tuesday was very busy. A visit Wednesday found just under a dozen patrons eating lunch at the restaurant, with a handful of others coming in to request take-out orders.
Soatova said the previous site, located on the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Antelope Road, is now officially closed. The old location was very small, Soatova said, with space for only six booths. Relocating involved remodeling the new site first, and the entire process took from August 2024 through May 2025, Soatova said.
The new restaurant location is adjacent to a bank and Humle Beer House on Auburn Boulevard, near the corner of Sylvan Road, and the interior now has over a dozen booths and tables, which can each seat four to six patrons comfortably. The site was formerly home to Chando’s Tacos, which closed in September 2023 after only three years in operation. Rumors of a seafood restaurant chain taking its spot floated online for several months but never materialized.
Caravan Uzbek Cuisine first opened in July 2023 in a shared commercial kitchen space after operating exclusively from its mobile food truck.
The small restaurant was founded by husband-and-wife owners Farhad and Aziza Soatova, who migrated from Uzbekistan according to the restaurant’s website.
Related: Uzbek cuisine to open in Citrus Heights – Citrus Heights Sentinel
California State Assemblymember Josh Hoover announced Caravan Uzbek Cuisine as the Small Business of the Month winner in December 2024 in his regular newsletter to constituents.
“[The restaurant] is a testament to the perseverance and dedication of immigrant entrepreneurs, bringing the rich culture, cuisine, and hospitality of Uzbekistan to Sacramento,” Hoover said of the establishment.
In a past interview with The Sentinel, Soatova said the family lived in New York before settling in the Sacramento area. The Soatovas said they wanted to share their authentic Uzbek cuisine with the world because they could not find an Uzbek restaurant in Sacramento.
With several children, Soatova said the food truck business was a way to earn income while making time for her family.
Caravan’s menu features traditional foods from Uzbekistan using fresh ingredients and has been influenced by various regions of Uzbekistan, including Samarkand, Tashkent, and Bukhara.
The restaurant is located at 7084 Auburn Blvd. #160.
