Tbilisi's food scene is one of the great undiscovered pleasures of world travel. Georgian cuisine sits at the crossroads of Persian, Russian, Turkish, and Mediterranean influences — yet tastes like nothing else on Earth. Heavy on walnuts, fresh herbs, pomegranate, and cheese, with wine traditions stretching back 8,000 years. A meal in Tbilisi isn't just dinner; it's a supra — a feast governed by ritual, toasts, and an unrelenting generosity that borders on overwhelming.

Here's what to eat, where to eat it, and how to navigate a cuisine that will ruin you for ordinary food.

The Dishes You Must Try

Khinkali (Georgian Dumplings)

The unofficial national icon. Khinkali are hand-pleated dumplings stuffed with spiced meat broth — you hold them by the topknot, bite a small hole, slurp the soup out first, then eat the dumpling. The topknot is left on the plate; locals count them to track how many you've had (and judge accordingly).

Best versions: Mushroom, potato, or nettle for vegetarians. Pork-and-beef for traditionalists.

Price range: 1.50–3 GEL per dumpling (~$0.55–$1.10 USD). A serving of five costs about 8–12 GEL.

Where: Pasanauri restaurant on Atoneli Street does the spiced-meat original. For late-night khinkali, locals head to the small shops around Vagner Street near Rustaveli.

Khachapuri (Cheese Bread)

Every region has its own version, but Tbilisi's go-to is the Imeruli — a round, flat bread stuffed with sulguni cheese. More dramatic is Adjaruli khachapuri from western Georgia: a boat-shaped bread filled with cheese, topped with a raw egg and a slab of butter, stirred tableside. Caloric? Absolutely. Worth it? Completely.

Price range: Imeruli: 8–14 GEL. Adjaruli: 12–20 GEL.

Where: Keto and Kote on Shardeni Street does a superb Imeruli. For Adjaruli, head to Café Leila in Chugureti or any restaurant near the Old Town.

Pkhali (Walnut-Herb Vegetable Balls)

Don't overlook the appetizers. Pkhali are compressed balls of minced vegetables — spinach, beet, green beans — bound with walnut paste and seasoned with fenugreek, garlic, and cilantro. They're served cold and typically presented in colorful clusters on a plate with pomegranate seeds on top.

Price range: A sharing plate runs 8–15 GEL.

Lobiani (Bean-Filled Bread)

Khachapuri's underrated sibling. Lobiani is a flatbread stuffed with mashed kidney beans seasoned with herbs and occasionally smoked pork fat. Found most commonly in bakeries in the morning.

Price range: 2–5 GEL per portion at a bakery.

Chakapuli (Spring Lamb Stew)

Available seasonally (spring), chakapuli is a bright, herbaceous stew of lamb or veal with tarragon, green onions, tkemali (wild plum) sauce, and white wine. It's one of the dishes reserved for Easter feasts, but many Tbilisi restaurants serve it year-round.

Churchkhela (Walnut Candy)

The candle-shaped street snack you'll see hanging in every market — walnuts threaded on a string, dipped in thickened grape juice, and dried. Chewy, nutty, and not overly sweet. Keeps for weeks. Buy from the Deserter's Bazaar (Dezerter Bazroba), where the selection and quality outshine tourist-facing shops.

Best Neighborhoods for Food

Neighborhood	Vibe	Best For
Old Town (Abanotubani/Kala)	Atmospheric, tourist-facing	Supra dinners, wine bars
Rustaveli / Marjanishvili	Central, mixed	Cafés, casual Georgian, international
Fabrika / Chugureti	Hip, creative	Natural wine, modern Georgian
Dezerter Bazaar area	Local, working-class	Bakeries, street food, produce
Vake	Residential, affluent	Fine dining, European cuisines

Top Restaurants in Tbilisi

Barbarestan

Neighborhood: Old Town

Price: $$$ (around 80–150 GEL per person with wine)

Named after Barbare Jorjadze, a 19th-century Georgian cookbook author, Barbarestan serves dishes adapted from her original recipes. The environment is intimate and bookshop-esque. The walnut-stuffed chicken (chkmeruli style) and the duck with tkemali are exceptional. Reserve in advance — it fills up fast.

Shavi Lomi (The Black Lion)

Neighborhood: Chugureti

Price: $$ (40–80 GEL per person)

A Tbilisi institution for natural wine pairings and elevated Georgian classics. The courtyard fills with locals on warm evenings. The matsoni (sour yogurt) soup is revelatory, and the lamb dishes are cooked with a lightness that avoids the heaviness of old-school Georgian restaurants. A Faroway itinerary favorite for food-focused travelers.

Café Littera

Neighborhood: Vera

Price: $$$ (80–160 GEL per person)

Set in the garden of the Georgian Writers' Union building, Littera is where modern Georgian cooking is being redefined. Chef Tekuna Gachechiladze introduced farm-to-table principles to Tbilisi before they became fashionable. The seasonal tasting menu is worth every lari.

Retro

Neighborhood: Mtatsminda

Price: $ (20–40 GEL per person)

An old-school, no-frills Georgian canteen popular with taxi drivers, retirees, and budget travelers in the know. The food is traditional and generous. Order the chicken satsivi (walnut sauce) and lobio (bean stew with fresh herbs). Cash only.

Fabrika Food Court

Neighborhood: Chugureti

Price: $ (varies by vendor)

The converted Soviet textile factory turned creative hub houses a rotating selection of food stalls covering Mexican, Thai, Middle Eastern, Georgian fast-casual, and craft beer. Great for a group with mixed tastes or when you want to graze across cuisines. Popular weekend evening spot.

Georgian Wine: What to Know

Georgia is arguably the oldest continuous wine-producing country on Earth. The defining distinction is qvevri wine — amber (orange) wine made in large clay pots buried underground, with extended skin contact giving the wine a tannin structure and oxidative complexity unlike conventional whites.

Key grapes:

Rkatsiteli — crisp, versatile white; the most planted variety
Kakhuri Mtsvane — aromatic white, floral
Saperavi — the dominant red; deeply colored, tannic, excellent with lamb
Chinuri — sparkling-style white from Kartli region

Where to drink:

Vino Underground (Galaktion Tabidze St) — pioneering natural wine bar; compact, knowledgeable staff
8000 Vintages (Abanotubani) — amber wine specialist with tastings
Wine Factory No. 1 (Telavi, day trip) — if you're doing a Kakheti wine tour

A glass of house wine at a restaurant runs 6–12 GEL. A bottle of quality qvevri wine: 25–60 GEL at a restaurant, much less at the Dezerter Bazaar.

Street Food and Markets

Dezerter Bazaar (Tbilisi Central Market, near Gare Station) — The city's most authentic market. Buy churchkhela, dried herbs, spice blends (adjika, fenugreek, blue fenugreek), fresh produce, and affordable Georgian cheese. Arrive in the morning.

Shota Rustaveli Avenue bakeries — Small shops sell freshly baked shotis puri (boat-shaped sourdough baked in a tone oven) for 0.80–1.50 GEL. The bread is fragrant and smoky; eat it immediately.

Dry Bridge Market (weekend flea market) — Not strictly food, but several vendors sell homemade jams, honey, and snacks among the Soviet memorabilia.

Budget Breakdown: Eating in Tbilisi

Meal Type	Cost (GEL)	Cost (USD approx.)
Bakery breakfast (bread + coffee)	4–8	$1.50–3
Khinkali lunch (8 pieces + beer)	20–30	$7–11
Mid-range dinner with wine	50–90	$18–33
Fine dining with tasting menu	120–200	$44–73
Glass of wine at a wine bar	8–14	$3–5
Churchkhela from market	5–10	$2–4

Exchange rate reference: 1 USD ≈ 2.70 GEL (check current rate before travel).

Dietary Notes

Georgian cuisine is inadvertently vegetarian-friendly in many respects — pkhali, lobio, badrijani nigvzit (fried eggplant with walnut paste), and lobiani cover meat-free diners well. Vegan options are fewer but available at modern spots like Shavi Lomi and Littera. Gluten-free is difficult (bread is central to every table); communicate clearly when ordering.

Plan Your Tbilisi Food Trip with Faroway

With 20+ standout restaurants, a wine region a 90-minute drive away, and a market scene that rewards early risers, eating your way through Tbilisi takes real planning. Faroway builds personalized itineraries around your travel style — including specific restaurant recommendations, market timing, and day-trip logistics to Kakheti wine country. It takes your dates, budget, and food preferences and produces a complete plan in minutes.

Whether you want to eat like a local on 30 GEL a day or splurge on a supra dinner at Barbarestan, a Faroway itinerary keeps your Tbilisi food journey focused and well-sequenced. Start planning at faroway.ai.

Best Food in Tbilisi: What to Eat and Where