Scattered through the residential neighborhoods and bazaar areas of Dushanbe are small traditional chaikhanas (teahouses) that haven't changed their character since Soviet times. These are the places where old men spend their afternoons playing shashka (draughts) or nard (backgammon), smoking, and drinking green tea by the pot. Finding them requires wandering rather than navigation.
The tea culture of Tajikistan is worth understanding before you arrive: green tea (choi sabz) is the default, drunk from small bowls without sugar; black tea exists but is considered less refined. The tea is poured out and poured back several times before drinking — this cools it and is said to improve the flavor. Bread and sweets come with the tea as a matter of course.