Tbilisi is one of the most underrated food cities in the world. Georgian cuisine is ancient, unique, and built on a foundation of walnuts, herbs, pomegranate, cheese, bread, and wine. Every meal is a feast — khachapuri (cheese bread) arrives bubbling, khinkali (dumplings) are eaten by the dozen, and pkhali (walnut-herb pastes) come in vivid greens and reds. The food is hearty, generous, and flavoured with a spice palette (fenugreek, coriander, marigold) found nowhere else. Georgia’s 8,000-year winemaking tradition — the oldest in the world — produces orange wines aged in buried clay qvevri that taste unlike anything you have tried before.
Khachapuri Adjaruli
The most dramatic cheese bread on earth — a boat-shaped dough filled with bubbling sulguni and imeruli cheese, topped with a raw egg and a knob of butter that you stir together at the table into a molten, stretchy cheese lake. You tear off pieces of the crust and dip them in. The Adjarian version from Batumi is the showstopper, but every bakery and restaurant in Tbilisi serves it. About 8-15 GEL. Retro on Lermontov Street and Shavi Lomi serve excellent versions.
Khinkali
Huge, pleated soup dumplings filled with spiced meat (usually beef and pork), herbs, and broth. You hold them by the twisted top knot, bite a small hole, slurp the hot broth, then eat the dumpling. The top knot is left on the plate (eating it is a sign of a beginner). Zakhar Zakharich and Pasanauri Restaurant in Tbilisi are temples of khinkali. About 1-1.50 GEL each — order at least 5. They also come filled with cheese, mushrooms, or potato.
Pkhali
A trio of vegetable-walnut pastes — spinach, beetroot, and green bean, each blended with ground walnuts, garlic, coriander, fenugreek, and vinegar, shaped into balls or patties and topped with pomegranate seeds. The colours are vivid and the flavours are complex — nutty, herbal, tangy. Served as a starter at every supra (feast). About 6-10 GEL for a trio. Cafe Littera serves a refined version in a beautiful garden.
Mtsvadi (Grilled Meat Skewers)
Georgian-style grilled pork or beef skewers, marinated in onion juice, pomegranate, and wine, cooked over grapevine embers that impart a distinctive smoky sweetness. Often served with tkemali (sour plum sauce) and raw onion rings. Shashlik restaurants along the Mtkvari River are excellent. About 8-14 GEL per skewer. The grapevine smoke makes all the difference.
Lobio
A thick, slow-cooked red kidney bean stew seasoned with onions, garlic, coriander, fenugreek (blue and regular), and chilli. Served in a clay pot with mchadi (cornbread) and pickled vegetables. It is Georgian comfort food at its most elemental — cheap, filling, and warming. Found at every traditional restaurant. About 6-10 GEL. Always order it with mchadi for dipping.
Badrijani Nigvzit (Eggplant with Walnuts)
Thin slices of fried eggplant rolled around a filling of ground walnuts, garlic, coriander, fenugreek, and vinegar, garnished with pomegranate seeds. The walnut paste is creamy and the eggplant silky. A classic Georgian appetiser that appears at every supra. About 6-12 GEL for a plate. The pomegranate seeds are not optional — they add crunch and tartness.
Churchkhela
The Georgian ‘Snickers bar’ — strings of walnuts or hazelnuts dipped repeatedly in concentrated grape juice (tatara) thickened with flour, then hung to dry into chewy, sweet, nutty ropes. Sold at every market and street stall. The ones from Kakheti (wine country) made with Saperavi grape juice are the best. About 2-5 GEL each. Buy them from the old ladies at the Dezerter Bazaar.
Georgian Wine (Qvevri)
Georgia’s 8,000-year winemaking tradition uses qvevri — large clay vessels buried underground where grape juice ferments with skins and seeds for months. The result is amber (orange) wine with a tannic, complex character unlike anything from France or Italy. Saperavi (red) and Rkatsiteli (amber) are the flagship grapes. Wine bars in Tbilisi’s old town pour excellent glasses for about 8-15 GEL. G.Vino and Vino Underground are essential stops.
Eating Tips for Tbilisi
A supra (Georgian feast) is the ultimate dining experience — if invited to one, accept immediately. Toasts are elaborate and meaningful. The Dezerter Bazaar is the best market for churchkhela, spices, cheese, and produce. Tbilisi’s old town (Abanotubani and Sololaki) has the highest concentration of traditional restaurants. Do not eat the twisted top knot of khinkali — count how many you eat by the knots left on your plate. Wine is extraordinarily cheap — excellent bottles cost 15-25 GEL at restaurants. Lunch at a traditional restaurant with khachapuri, khinkali, and wine costs about 30-50 GEL per person.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the must-try food in Tbilisi?
The absolute must-try is Khachapuri Adjaruli. Beyond that, Khinkali and Pkhali are essential for understanding Tbilisi’s food culture.
Is street food safe in Tbilisi?
Yes, street food in Tbilisi is generally safe. Look for stalls with high turnover (long queues mean fresh food), eat where locals eat, and choose stalls where food is cooked to order. Stay hydrated and ease into spicier dishes gradually.
How much should I budget for food in Tbilisi?
Budget travelers can eat well for $10-20 per day at street stalls and local restaurants. Mid-range budgets of $30-50 allow a mix of street food and sit-down meals. Fine dining starts around $50-100 per person.