Food & Drink

How to eat well in Georgia — customs, dishes and where to go.

Must-Try Dishes

Khachapuri — Georgia's iconic cheese bread comes in regional styles. The Adjaruli version is boat-shaped, filled with molten cheese and topped with a raw egg and butter you stir in yourself. The Imeruli is a flatter, round cheese-filled disc.
Khinkali — Twisted soup dumplings filled with spiced meat (usually pork and beef) or, in newer versions, cheese or mushroom. Hold them by the doughy top knot, bite a small hole, sip the broth, then eat the rest. Never eat the tough top knot itself.
Mtsvadi — Georgian shish kebab, chunks of pork or veal grilled over grapevine embers and often served with tkemali (sour plum sauce) and raw onion. It's a staple of countryside feasts and mountain trips.
Pkhali — Vegetable pâtés made from spinach, beetroot, or beans blended with walnuts, garlic, and herbs, usually topped with pomegranate seeds. A cheap, delicious vegetarian staple found almost everywhere.
Lobio — A hearty stewed bean dish spiced with coriander and served in a clay pot, often with cornbread (mchadi) and pickles. Filling, cheap, and vegan-friendly.
Churchkhela — String of nuts dipped repeatedly in thickened grape juice, forming a chewy candle-shaped snack. Buy it from markets, not overpriced tourist stalls, and check it's fresh rather than rock-hard.

Qvevri Wine — Georgia claims 8,000 years of winemaking, traditionally fermenting in buried clay vessels called qvevri. Try an amber (orange) wine made from white grapes fermented with skins — it's uniquely Georgian and UNESCO-listed.
Saperavi & Rkatsiteli — Saperavi is the country's flagship deep-red grape; Rkatsiteli is the classic white. Ask for dry (mshrali) if you don't want sweet, as semi-sweet reds like Kindzmarauli are very common.
Chacha — A potent grape pomace brandy, often homemade and served as a shot. Treat it with respect — homemade batches can be extremely strong, and it fuels many a supra toast.
Homemade vs Commercial — Family-made wine (ghvino) at guesthouses is often better and more authentic than supermarket bottles. In wine regions like Kakheti, visit small cellars (marani) for tastings straight from the qvevri.
Borjomi & Lagidze — Borjomi is Georgia's famously salty-mineral sparkling water, an acquired taste worth trying. Lagidze waters are traditional flavoured sodas, including a tarragon-green version, best sampled in Tbilisi.

The Tamada — A supra (feast) is led by a toastmaster called the tamada who directs the toasts. Don't drink out of turn or clink and sip randomly — wait for a toast to be made and drink together.
Toasting Order — Toasts follow a rough sequence: peace, the reason for gathering, ancestors, family, guests, and so on. Toasts to the deceased are serious and made with wine, not beer or lemonade.
Never Toast with Beer — Beer is associated with toasting enemies or the dead in Georgian tradition. Raise wine or chacha for real toasts and keep beer casual.
Pace Yourself — Georgian hospitality is relentless and refusing food or drink can seem rude. Sip slowly, and know that leaving a little on your plate signals you've been well fed rather than that you disliked it.
Accepting Hospitality — If a Georgian invites you to their supra, going is a genuine honour and refusing can offend. Bring a small gift and expect to be fed far beyond capacity.

Sameghrelo & Regional Spots — Seek out restaurants specialising in specific regional cuisines, like Megrelian food with its spicy sauces and elarji. Georgians take regional cooking seriously and these places are worth the detour.
Avoid Rustaveli Traps — Restaurants right on Tbilisi's main tourist drag around Rustaveli and the old town's most photogenic streets often overcharge for mediocre food. Walk a few blocks into local neighbourhoods for better and cheaper meals.
Bazaar & Bakery — Markets like Tbilisi's Dezerter Bazaar are great for cheese, spices, churchkhela, and street snacks. Grab fresh khachapuri or a shoti bread loaf hot from a tone (clay oven) at a neighbourhood bakery.
Guesthouse Tables — In regions like Kakheti, Svaneti, and Racha, family guesthouses serve some of the best home cooking in the country. Meals are often included and made from garden produce and homemade wine.
Sakhinkle for Dumplings — Look for a sakhinkle, a spot dedicated to khinkali, if you want the real thing. They're usually casual and cheap, and locals order by the dozen.

Cheese Warnings — Sulguni and Imeruli are common local cheeses, often very salty. If a dish is described as cheese-heavy, expect a rich, salty result — pair it with wine or bread.
Spice & Sauces — Tkemali (sour plum) and ajika (hot pepper paste) are the key condiments; ajika can be seriously spicy. Bazhe is a rich walnut-garlic sauce that appears on chicken and vegetables.
Vegetarian Options — Georgia is surprisingly vegetarian-friendly thanks to Orthodox fasting traditions — look for pkhali, lobio, badrijani (eggplant with walnut), and mushroom dishes. Ask for 'samarkhvo' (fasting/lenten) food.
Portion Sizes — Dishes are generous and meant for sharing across the table. Order a spread of small plates plus khachapuri to share rather than one main each.
Cyrillic & Georgian Script — Menus in smaller towns may only be in Georgian script, which is unrelated to Latin or Cyrillic. Learn to recognise khachapuri, khinkali, and mtsvadi, or use a translation app's camera.

Turkish-Style Coffee — Traditional Georgian coffee is unfiltered and served in a small cup with grounds settling at the bottom — don't drink the last sip. Ask for it with or without sugar when ordering.
Tbilisi Third-Wave Scene — Tbilisi has a booming specialty coffee scene, especially in the Vera, Sololaki, and Fabrika areas. Fabrika, a former Soviet sewing factory turned hostel and hangout, is a hub for coffee, cafés, and people-watching.
Café as Social Hub — Cafés double as workspaces and meeting spots, and lingering is welcome. Wi-Fi is generally fast and free across the country.
Sweet Pairings — Pair coffee with local sweets like nazuki (spiced sweet bread) or churchkhela. Georgian pastries lean less sugary than Western equivalents.