Of course, I am talking about the Republic of Georgia, the country wedged in the Caucasus, at the intersection of Europe and Asia. Not particularly popular as a tourist destination until very recently, the country is now renowned as among the world's most scenic and beautiful. Georgia is also a cradle of history, and has preserved its unique culture for centuries, evident in its language, architecture, and of course, cuisine.
An Eastern Orthodox nation with a strong fasting culture, vegetarian food enjoys a long history in the country, boosted by economic realities where meat simply was not affordable for most. This means that as a vegetarian, Georgia is a culinary delight.
Overview
Georgian cuisine, like Georgia itself, is special and distinctive from those of its neighbouring countries. Bread and cheese pay important roles, as do walnuts, pomegranates, green vegetables, and dried fruits such as apricots. The quality of produce is excellent and can easily be found at any local market, which is an assault on the senses and may well be among the highlights of your trip to Georgia.
Georgia is one of those countries whose richness of cuisine cannot be accurately judged by the restaurant scene. While the capital, Tbilisi, has as sophisticated a foodie culture as any other great food city, the same is not necessarily true for the rest of the country. Restaurants elsewhere are picking up, but most travellers enjoy the best meals in homestays and even small hotels.
Kutaisi's market is great fun, located just off Kutaisi Park, near the main square (Colchis Fountain). While the main market takes place indoors, the action spreads into the streets and lanes, with rows and rows of produce, cheese, and lots of other items.
KAZBEGI
An Eastern Orthodox nation with a strong fasting culture, vegetarian food enjoys a long history in the country, boosted by economic realities where meat simply was not affordable for most. This means that as a vegetarian, Georgia is a culinary delight.
Overview
Georgian cuisine, like Georgia itself, is special and distinctive from those of its neighbouring countries. Bread and cheese pay important roles, as do walnuts, pomegranates, green vegetables, and dried fruits such as apricots. The quality of produce is excellent and can easily be found at any local market, which is an assault on the senses and may well be among the highlights of your trip to Georgia.
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| Dried fruit and bunches of churchkhela in the market in Kutaisi |
Restaurant settings are generally informal and you will struggle to spend more than 20 GEL (~8 USD) per person for a generous 2-course meal (with water and bread, but excluding alcohol; bread must be ordered separately but is not more than 2 GEL or so) except for in very upscale restaurants in Tbilisi. Restaurant menus will typically incorporate translations in English (and Russian), making it easy to identify vegetarian options; the translations can sometimes be reassuringly detailed. However, particularly outside Tbilisi, do not expect all items on the menu to be actually available. Expect your food to take quite a bit of time to be served, even if the restaurant is otherwise empty. A 10% service charge is usually added.
Georgia has an excellent (and unique) bakery culture. Many traditional bakeries are quite literally holes in the walls, occupying the lowest floor in small buildings, and easily missed. Look for those which are equipped with a tone (tandoor oven), as certain traditional breads are only made in such ovens.
Georgia is renowned for its markets, which are social institutions where the entire country comes to shop for some of the freshest produce imaginable, cheeses, breads, dried fruit, and nuts. While they are perfect for self-catering travellers, markets are also fantastic for just a stroll too and to watch the intense activity at play. Tbilisi has among the most interesting of market scenes but every city has a market worth visiting.
Coffee in Georgia may disappoint. Instant coffee rules, as supermarket aisles attest, and is what you will be given in bakeries, though you can find Turkish coffee in many places. Tbilisi does have modern cafes but some of them may remind you of Starbucks more than anything else.
When and where?
Breakfast: Getting a decent breakfast outside may be problematic. You are unlikely to find dedicated breakfast dishes anywhere. A common breakfast option is to find the nearest bakery, but these may not open before 7:30 or 8:00 and may only have a few options early on. If you are catered for in your homestay or accommodation, prepare to be delighted: expect a wide range of all-local bread, cheese, fruit, dried fruit, honey, murabba (fruit preserves in syrup), and yogurt. Outside, options are fewer.
Lunch/Dinner: Restaurants are typically open all day, from about 11:00 to 23:00 and will serve you throughout the afternoon and evening. A traditional type of eatery is a duqani, a small basement eatery, possibly with a picture menu outside.
Between meals: Bakeries, present everywhere, make great stops for a snack. Look for Pepsi or Coca-Cola boards, which are maintained by bakeries and supermarkets. Markets are fascinating places for a look into everything Georgians eat and you can easily pick up snacks here.
What to Eat
Even those unfamiliar with Georgia as a nation may have heard of khachapuri, undeniably Georgia's most famous food worldwide. Literally translated to cheese bread, khachapuri take many forms based on the region. Sold in bakeries as a snack and in restaurants of all kinds, khachapuri make the country move.
The most common kind of khachapuri is the khachapuri imeruli, a type of khachapuri that originated in the region of Imereti, central Georgia (the region around the city of Kutaisi). This type consists of a round bread stuffed with cheese.
Another type is the khachapuri megruli, from the Samegrelo region, also in central Georgia. This is basically a khachapuri imeruli topped with more cheese. If you think this is a bit much, loosen your belts for the blockbuster, khachapuri acharuli, a boat-shaped calorie bomb from the Adjara region of Western Georgia (which is by the Black Sea - now you know why it is boat-shaped). The boat-shaped hunk of freshly-baked bread is filled with cheese, then topped with eggs once baked, and finally a slab of butter is added. Despite these being regional variations, they are common enough to be found everywhere. There are certain, less common, versions of khachapuri and other stuffed flatbreads as well.
Georgia's bread culture only begins with khachapuri. Every bakery will dazzle you with its array of different breads and other baked goods - go ahead and experiment! Bakeries with a tone will provide shoti, a large, fluffy naan-like bread, commonly eaten with meals. If you are around the town of Surami (near Khashuri in central Georgia), look for nazuki, a delicious, semi-sweet bread also baked in a tone, with raisins and spices. Another kind of bread is mchadi, a corn-bread, commonly eaten with lobio, a bean stew.
Lobio is a filling and warming meal, commonly served in a traditional clay pot. The various possible garnishing and spices used mans that no two lobio will taste alike. The historic city of Mtsketha, just north of Tbilisi, is particularly famous for lobio.
As popular as khachapuri is another staple, khinkhali (often spelled xinxali), Georgian dumplings. They can be quite heavy, and vegetarian fillings include potatoes, cheese, and/or mushrooms. Sold by piece, restaurants will have a minimum order of 3 or 5 per type, but even so they are quite cheap, usually around GEL 0.75 per khinkhali.
Georgians love walnuts, no wonder given the quality of walnuts you will find in markets. Walnuts are eaten by themselves, made into sauces and pastes, such as eggplant with walnut paste, a common starter, or had as desserts, such as churchkhela, strings of walnuts (or hazelnuts) coated in dried grape juice, which hang like sausages from market stalls. Otherwise, desserts in restaurants are not common; most restaurants will mention a 'cake' in the menu without any description. Markets are good places to get desserts such as churchkhela and bakeries will provide excellent sweet items too.
Walnuts are also used in making vegetable pastes such as mkhali (or pkhali), which can be made up of spinach, beet leaves, and other vegetables such as leek. Traditionally leftover food, these pastes are good healthy options. Speaking of healthy, do not miss Georgia's wonderful salads, which are exceptionally tasty given the high quality of produce. They are simple, and generally comprise tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions garnished with herbs, and often, walnut sauce. They make great, light options to make a balanced meal if your main dish is a khachapuri.
When visiting markets, look for seasonal fruit, such as strawberries in late spring/summer, which are sold from large buckets and can be ridiculously cheap (and good). Nuts are dried fruit are widely available, and very tasty; look for walnuts and apricots. Markets are also good places to pick up cheese as well as bread.
Recommendations by City
This section will provide individual recommendations by city and region, based on my experience.
TBILISI
Tbilisi has a very sophisticated dining scene and quality is generally high. Great places to look for a meal include the streets of the Old City, in and around Rustaveli, and around Davit Aghmashenebeli Ave in Marjanishvili, and of course, the central market around Tbilisi Central Railway Station. In general, avoid the touristy joints in and around Shavteli Street/Anchiskhati Basilica, through the lanes leading to Meidan. Samikitno and Machakhela are popular chains of 24-hr eateries (both always appear together) but frankly, I am not their biggest fan. They are, however, good bets for food during off-times.
Old Tbilisi
The atmospheric warren of streets that is Old Tbilisi includes a wide variety of restaurants, from lively riverfront joints often with outdoor seating to rustic places tucked away in the heart of the Old City.
Just off Meidan on the riverfront is Alani, where you may be even treated to a dance show while you eat. Enjoy classic Georgian dishes as well as more uncommon items, such as red peppers stuffed with sulguni cheese. Right next is a branch of Pasanauri, a very popular 24-hr restaurant whose main location is just off Rustaveli Ave. All the usual classics are available; Pasanauri is best known for its khinkhali.
Tucked away in the backstreets is Old Keria, where I had the best vegetarian mtsvadi (veg BBQ) in Georgia, hands-down. The restaurant is located in a basement on a suitably raffish street in Tbilisi but the brick interior is nicely designed.
While in Georgia, you must try local bakeries but for a change, look at Entree, a chain of French-inspired bakery-cafes, which does a good range of sandwiches and other bakery products. The main Old City branch is smack-dab on Kote Abkhazis St, with a few more branches scattered around town. Take your items to enjoy while sitting on the steps outside Sioni Cathedral.
Rustaveli and Around
Flashy Rustaveli is home to some of the more modern places to eat while its backstreets have the Old Tbilisi charm of markets spilling into the streets and smaller joints.
Sakhachapure No 1 is a great place for various kinds of khachapuri and other breads, baked fresh for you. They have some different kinds of khachapuri too, such as khachapuri on spit, where the cheese is skewered and the dough wrapped around it. Their small bakery offers sweet and savoury bakery items if you do not want a sit-down meal.
There is (thankfully) no Starbucks in Georgia as of yet, moreover, there is a shortage of decent coffee (ha ha, see what I did there?). One place for average, but real, coffee is Coffeesta, a local chain with a branch on Rustaveli. The food looks very good (sandwiches and so on) but I have not tried it.
The Mtatsminda Funicular building has some of Tbilisi's premier dining options, check the website for more details.
Marjanishvili and Tbilisi Central Station area
The area around Tbilisi Central Station is home to Tbilisi's main market, Dezerter Bazaar. The indoor market is a modern-ish structure which is home to a few vendors but remains quite empty; the real market takes place in the surrounding streets and lanes.
Nearby, in the heart of Marjanishvili, is the European-style high street Davit Aghmashenebeli Ave, home to numerous restaurants (including many Turkish restaurants) and shops.
Here, you will find what can be possibly your defining culinary experience of Tbilisi, the restaurant Barbarestan. Using 19th century recipes, the restaurant creates Georgian classics and other dishes incorporating broader European and Asian influences. Staff will explain the significance of each dish, and a vegetarian can have a very decent meal here. Try the satsivi of zucchini (zucchini in a walnut sauce), their house bread, and for dessert, their signature pelamushi cake. Reserve in advance.
Avlabari
Across the river from Old Tbilisi, Avlabari is another lively area and very popular for tourists to stay. The streets in and around the Avlabari metro station leading to Sameba Cathedral is a great place to look for supermarkets and bakeries.
KUTAISI
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| A bakery proudly advertising its tone |
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| Spices for sale at Tbilisi's central market |
When and where?
Breakfast: Getting a decent breakfast outside may be problematic. You are unlikely to find dedicated breakfast dishes anywhere. A common breakfast option is to find the nearest bakery, but these may not open before 7:30 or 8:00 and may only have a few options early on. If you are catered for in your homestay or accommodation, prepare to be delighted: expect a wide range of all-local bread, cheese, fruit, dried fruit, honey, murabba (fruit preserves in syrup), and yogurt. Outside, options are fewer.
Lunch/Dinner: Restaurants are typically open all day, from about 11:00 to 23:00 and will serve you throughout the afternoon and evening. A traditional type of eatery is a duqani, a small basement eatery, possibly with a picture menu outside.
Between meals: Bakeries, present everywhere, make great stops for a snack. Look for Pepsi or Coca-Cola boards, which are maintained by bakeries and supermarkets. Markets are fascinating places for a look into everything Georgians eat and you can easily pick up snacks here.
What to Eat
Even those unfamiliar with Georgia as a nation may have heard of khachapuri, undeniably Georgia's most famous food worldwide. Literally translated to cheese bread, khachapuri take many forms based on the region. Sold in bakeries as a snack and in restaurants of all kinds, khachapuri make the country move.
The most common kind of khachapuri is the khachapuri imeruli, a type of khachapuri that originated in the region of Imereti, central Georgia (the region around the city of Kutaisi). This type consists of a round bread stuffed with cheese.
 |
| A khachapuri imeruli fresh from the oven |
Georgia's bread culture only begins with khachapuri. Every bakery will dazzle you with its array of different breads and other baked goods - go ahead and experiment! Bakeries with a tone will provide shoti, a large, fluffy naan-like bread, commonly eaten with meals. If you are around the town of Surami (near Khashuri in central Georgia), look for nazuki, a delicious, semi-sweet bread also baked in a tone, with raisins and spices. Another kind of bread is mchadi, a corn-bread, commonly eaten with lobio, a bean stew.
 |
| Breads at a Tbilisi bakery |
Lobio is a filling and warming meal, commonly served in a traditional clay pot. The various possible garnishing and spices used mans that no two lobio will taste alike. The historic city of Mtsketha, just north of Tbilisi, is particularly famous for lobio.
As popular as khachapuri is another staple, khinkhali (often spelled xinxali), Georgian dumplings. They can be quite heavy, and vegetarian fillings include potatoes, cheese, and/or mushrooms. Sold by piece, restaurants will have a minimum order of 3 or 5 per type, but even so they are quite cheap, usually around GEL 0.75 per khinkhali.
 |
| A plate of khinkhali |
Georgians love walnuts, no wonder given the quality of walnuts you will find in markets. Walnuts are eaten by themselves, made into sauces and pastes, such as eggplant with walnut paste, a common starter, or had as desserts, such as churchkhela, strings of walnuts (or hazelnuts) coated in dried grape juice, which hang like sausages from market stalls. Otherwise, desserts in restaurants are not common; most restaurants will mention a 'cake' in the menu without any description. Markets are good places to get desserts such as churchkhela and bakeries will provide excellent sweet items too.
 |
| Churchkhela hanging from a market stall in Tbilisi |
When visiting markets, look for seasonal fruit, such as strawberries in late spring/summer, which are sold from large buckets and can be ridiculously cheap (and good). Nuts are dried fruit are widely available, and very tasty; look for walnuts and apricots. Markets are also good places to pick up cheese as well as bread.
Recommendations by City
This section will provide individual recommendations by city and region, based on my experience.
TBILISI
Tbilisi has a very sophisticated dining scene and quality is generally high. Great places to look for a meal include the streets of the Old City, in and around Rustaveli, and around Davit Aghmashenebeli Ave in Marjanishvili, and of course, the central market around Tbilisi Central Railway Station. In general, avoid the touristy joints in and around Shavteli Street/Anchiskhati Basilica, through the lanes leading to Meidan. Samikitno and Machakhela are popular chains of 24-hr eateries (both always appear together) but frankly, I am not their biggest fan. They are, however, good bets for food during off-times.
Old Tbilisi
The atmospheric warren of streets that is Old Tbilisi includes a wide variety of restaurants, from lively riverfront joints often with outdoor seating to rustic places tucked away in the heart of the Old City.
 |
| The lanes of Old Tbilisi |
Just off Meidan on the riverfront is Alani, where you may be even treated to a dance show while you eat. Enjoy classic Georgian dishes as well as more uncommon items, such as red peppers stuffed with sulguni cheese. Right next is a branch of Pasanauri, a very popular 24-hr restaurant whose main location is just off Rustaveli Ave. All the usual classics are available; Pasanauri is best known for its khinkhali.
Tucked away in the backstreets is Old Keria, where I had the best vegetarian mtsvadi (veg BBQ) in Georgia, hands-down. The restaurant is located in a basement on a suitably raffish street in Tbilisi but the brick interior is nicely designed.
While in Georgia, you must try local bakeries but for a change, look at Entree, a chain of French-inspired bakery-cafes, which does a good range of sandwiches and other bakery products. The main Old City branch is smack-dab on Kote Abkhazis St, with a few more branches scattered around town. Take your items to enjoy while sitting on the steps outside Sioni Cathedral.
Rustaveli and Around
Flashy Rustaveli is home to some of the more modern places to eat while its backstreets have the Old Tbilisi charm of markets spilling into the streets and smaller joints.
Sakhachapure No 1 is a great place for various kinds of khachapuri and other breads, baked fresh for you. They have some different kinds of khachapuri too, such as khachapuri on spit, where the cheese is skewered and the dough wrapped around it. Their small bakery offers sweet and savoury bakery items if you do not want a sit-down meal.
There is (thankfully) no Starbucks in Georgia as of yet, moreover, there is a shortage of decent coffee (ha ha, see what I did there?). One place for average, but real, coffee is Coffeesta, a local chain with a branch on Rustaveli. The food looks very good (sandwiches and so on) but I have not tried it.
The Mtatsminda Funicular building has some of Tbilisi's premier dining options, check the website for more details.
Marjanishvili and Tbilisi Central Station area
The area around Tbilisi Central Station is home to Tbilisi's main market, Dezerter Bazaar. The indoor market is a modern-ish structure which is home to a few vendors but remains quite empty; the real market takes place in the surrounding streets and lanes.
Nearby, in the heart of Marjanishvili, is the European-style high street Davit Aghmashenebeli Ave, home to numerous restaurants (including many Turkish restaurants) and shops.
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| Davit Aghmashenebeli Ave |
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| Barbarestan |
Across the river from Old Tbilisi, Avlabari is another lively area and very popular for tourists to stay. The streets in and around the Avlabari metro station leading to Sameba Cathedral is a great place to look for supermarkets and bakeries.
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| A bakery beginning its day in Avlabari |
KUTAISI
Georgia's second city, Kutaisi is the capital of the region of Imereti and is actually home to the Georgian Parliament. The food culture is not very well developed here, however. Even though, look around and explore, and you will be rewarded.
The two main streets leading to the Colchis Fountain roundabout are home to many cafes restaurants, bakeries, and supermarkets. Baraqa is a popular restaurant with locals and tourists and is a good bet, if nothing particularly exciting. The small lanes immediately to the west, leading to the riverbank, also offer some interesting choices
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| Colchis Fountain |
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| The exterior of Kutaisi Market |
For a different experience, amble around the streets across the river, south of Bagrati Cathedral. You will find small homey restaurants which are really not much more than extensions of a house kitchen. You can choose among freshly-made dishes and enjoy a home-style meal.
AKHALTSIKHE
Capital of the highly scenic region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Akhaltsikhe is a good base to visit the cave city of Vardzia, the atmospheric Sapara Monastery, and of course, its own Rabati Fortress, which reflects the city's deeply cosmopolitan history.
The compact city center has many small joints worth a look for good old Georgian classics. The best bet is just to walk around the main square and around Akhaltsikhe Park and see what is interesting, given the small area and high density. The restaurant at Hotel Almi is also worth trying even if you are not staying there; the food is very good and the indoor courtyard seating is welcoming.
AKHALTSIKHE
Capital of the highly scenic region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Akhaltsikhe is a good base to visit the cave city of Vardzia, the atmospheric Sapara Monastery, and of course, its own Rabati Fortress, which reflects the city's deeply cosmopolitan history.
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| Rabati Fortress |
The compact city center has many small joints worth a look for good old Georgian classics. The best bet is just to walk around the main square and around Akhaltsikhe Park and see what is interesting, given the small area and high density. The restaurant at Hotel Almi is also worth trying even if you are not staying there; the food is very good and the indoor courtyard seating is welcoming.
Crossing the river, and continuing on instead of going into Rabati, past the Smart supermarket, you will find the popular Dubli Restaurant, which is very popular with locals and does a good variety of classic Georgian dishes.
Given the proximity of the Turkish border, expect several small Turkish places in and around town, but I have no idea how well they cater to vegetarians.
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| Sapara Monastery |
KAZBEGI
The popular destination of Kazbegi, now renamed Stepantsminda, has much more of a touristy flavour so finding good-quality food can be a challenge. If you are staying in a homestay, you will be well catered for, but otherwise, follow these recommendations.
Plenty of cafes dominate the main square but look out for Khevi Restaurant, whose large menu features some harder-to-find dishes such as ajapsandali, a stew of several different vegetables including aubergine/eggplant and tomatoes, as well as khabizgina, a khachapuri with cheese and potato.
On the main highway, just beyond the turn-off for Gergeti, you will find Cozy Corner, which is very popular with tourists. There is outdoor seating as well, but indoors, you will be treated to YouTube videos playing Georgian and English songs. All the usual dishes are served, in a more extravagant style than elsewhere. Oh, and the house bread is warm, perfect on a chilly Kazbegi evening.
IN TRANSIT
The primary form of transport around Georgia is by marshrutka, the minibus system found in many former Soviet nations. There is usually a schedule (even if not actually available to consult), and drivers will usually follow it given some discretion of hoping to fill up the van. The system takes some getting used to but is not as confusing as it is often described. While the bigger stations may seem intimidating, people are always ready to help and if you shout your destination, you will find your ride!
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| Navtlughi Station in Tbilisi |
Tbilisi has several hubs, the biggest of them being Didube. There are ample food options around the station, and you can easily pick up snacks to go or have something before leaving. Other stations, such as Navtlughi, are located around market areas. Often, hawkers will go from van to van selling some tasty treats, which are worth a try.
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