9 Traditional Georgian Food Dishes

Updated: April 2, 2024

These are the best dishes of the Georgian food, desserts and the best place to eat them so you don't miss a single one on your trip to the Caucasus.

Georgia, due to its location in Europe on the border with Asia, the passage of the Silk Road there and the invasions it has suffered, is a country with an immense fusion of cultures, something that is reflected in its cuisine.

In this article I will tell you about the best dishes of typical Georgian food that differ from one region to another of this small country and the best places to try these dishes in Tbilisi and nearby areas.

For example, the region of Ayaria (1 on the map below) due to its location next to the Black Sea and Turkey, is a region with a gastronomy quite different from the rest of the country, where fish stands out and with a great Turkish influence.

On the other hand, the region of Abkhazia (4) stands out for the use of spices, pepper and nuts.

1.- Khinkali

The khinkali are one of the most popular dishes of Georgian food, also known as jinkali.

This dish is originally from Georgia, it is believed that comes from the northwestern mountainous region, but which can be found in other countries in the Caucasus.

How are they made?

Khinkali are a type of dumplings, ravioli, although they are perhaps more similar to Asian dumplings.

Is a round dough filled with spiced minced meat, although there are also other fillings suitable for vegetarians such as potatoes, potatoes and cheese, mushrooms or sweet options.

Traditional dough is made with wheat flour and water, without any other ingredients. Minced meat is usually beef, lamb or a mixture of both.

Although in Tbilisi it is not so common to find lamb, but rather pork or mix of pork and beef, which are usually the tastiest.

Seasoned with onion, garlic and spices, then placed in the dough to form the small package that has at least 18 folds.

👍 Fun fact: as the Georgians say, the best khinkalis have 25 folds. Let's see who can count them. 😅

This dish of Georgian food is boiled, but you can also find fried khinkalis.

In this video you can see the traditional way of preparing them, a family preparation that everyone (men and women) has their role in preparing.

How to eat khinkalis?

The way to eat it is with your hand, you hold the folded part and turn it over.

Next, you bite into the dough and drink the tasty broth that is formed when cooking this delicacy of Georgian cuisine and eat the rest.

Be careful, the broth is usually very hot.

It is normal to leave the hard part of the fold with which it is held uneaten, although the first time I tried them I did not leave any traces of the khinkalis. Rookie mistake! 😅

Where to eat the best khinkalis?

In Tbilisi the The best place to eat khinkalis is Café Dafna, because they are homemade and very tasty, especially the one with spicy meat.

Restaurants usually have a minimum number of khinkalis that you have to order for each flavor, the most common is 5, in other places it is 3, but Café Dafna you can order 1 of each flavor without a problem.

Other restaurants with good khinkalis and typical Georgian dishes in Tbilisi are Zodiaqo and the Pasanauri chain.

Although this last restaurant is a chain, they have good cuisine and their Pasanauri khinkalis are the tastiest.

If you want to learn how to make the khinkalis and khachapuri in the next point, I recommend this gastronomic experience with a Georgian family. 😋

2.- Khachapuri

Khachapuri is one of the most famous dishes of Georgian cuisine which varies from region to region and is also known as jachapuri.

In some cities in Spain you can find this delicious dish in restaurants specializing in Georgian cuisine.

some khachapuri They look like a pizza and others are more similar to a Galician empanada..

All of them have as their main ingredient a delicious dough that can be thicker or thinner depending on the type and contain sulguni, a typical Georgian cheese, both fresh and matured.

The most popular jachapuri are:

• Adjarian khachapuri: o Ayaruli because it comes from the Ayaria region (4), it is the most popular of all. The dough is in the shape of a boat and the center is filled with plenty of cheese, butter and an egg.
• Imeruli khachapuri: This one belongs to the region of Imericia (6) and looks like a kind of empanada with cheese filling and a thinner dough than the previous one. In addition to restaurants, you will find it in bakeries and you can ask them to heat it up for you, which will be much tastier.
• Megruli khachapuri: It is quite similar to the previous one with cheese inside that when served hot is reminiscent of mozzarella. Although it has double the cheese, because it is put on top so it is crunchy.

How do you eat Ayaruli khachapuri?

This dish of Georgian food also has its own particular way of eating it and I also screwed up with this dish the first time I ate it, haha.

First you have to mix the middle ingredients with a fork, that is, the cheese, the melted butter and the egg that has the liquid yolk. The result is truly delicious.

Then with your hand you take pieces from the edges of the thick dough and dip it in the mixture.

Where is the best place to eat Ayaruli khachapuri?

Before recommending a place I want to clarify, this Georgian dish is from the Ayaria region, an area that I have not yet visited, but I will update the article as soon as I go.

However, I am going to recommend the best place to eat Ayaruli khachapuri in Tbilisi which is Retro restaurant.

It is a little more expensive than other places, but the quality of the ingredients makes it worth the little extra you pay.

So far it is the best khacahpuri I have ever eaten.

3.- Lobiani

Lobiani is a dish from the mountainous area of Racha (5) and is technically a type of khachapuri, but it does not contain cheese.

It is a type of Galician empanada with a thin dough filled with mashed and spiced beans or beans, which in some letters in English you will find as beans bread (bean bread).

Lobiani comes from the word lobio which means "beans."

The most traditionally used beans are the red ones., but you can also find this dish made with black ones.

A very good variant is the smoked lobiani, Small pieces of smoked pork are added to the filling mixture, making this Georgian food even tastier.

Where to eat the best Lobiani?

Honestly, I have to tell you that I haven't found a good Lobiani in Tbilisi yet, but I will keep trying and update the article as soon as I can recommend a place.

What I didn't like about the lobianis I've tried is that the filling was very dry, making it a little difficult to swallow without being based on a lot of liquid.

Well, maybe I'm a little exaggerated, hehe, but you understand what I mean.

Although I am going to recommend the place, the best Lobiani I have ever tried.

It was in the Ornament Express coffee shop which is right next to the Svetitsjoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, one of the most interesting places to visit near Tbilisi.

In this site The lobiani is not dry at all and has a very rich spiceThey also have other very tasty Georgian cuisine dishes.

⭐ Check out this article for further insights on What to see in Mtskheta: 8 most interesting places.

4.- Lobio

As you may have guessed, the lobio is a dish made from beans.

Like other Georgian dishes, there are variants that can be more of a salad-shaped dish served cold.

But the most common is the one served hot in a clay pot, resulting in a delicious spicy bean stew to which cilantro is often added.

It is usually served accompanied by fried bread mchadi which is made from corn flour.

This bread is not very tasty to eat alone, but it balances the spice of the lobio well.

Where to eat the best Lobio?

Each place usually has its own recipe, but you will find many places that prepare a good lobio.

For me the best places are restaurant Salobie Bia which is on Rustaveli Avenue between the National Gallery and the Opera House.

Other places that serve good lobios are the Funicular restaurant with super good views and the Pasanauri restaurant.

5.- Kharcho

Kharcho is a traditional dish from the Mingrelia region (2) in the northwest of the country and is also known as jarchó.

Is a strong and spicy soup made from beef broth with a spicy reddish color based on rice and ground nuts that is served with dried plums, various spices and fresh herbs.

There is also the variant made with lamb or chicken meat.

The kharcho It is served in bowls accompanied by shoti bread., I'll tell you more about this bread below.

Where to eat the best kharcho?

One of the best places in Tbilisi to eat kharcho is Chashnagiri restaurant.

It is ideal to eat this typical Georgian food after a busy day visiting the city because it is a dish that is most comforting.

6.- Badrijani

The badrijani is the most exquisite starter in Georgian gastronomy.

These are thin sheets of eggplant that is rolled over a filling that is a paste made with walnuts, spices, including pepper and garlic.

The dish comes with several rolls, usually about 5 and is served cold with some pomegranate seeds.

I have to confess that I am not a big fan of eggplants, I don't like the consistency or the flavor.

But the flavor of the eggplants in this dish is subtle and very nice, too the eggplants are previously cooked on the grill or fried to give it a great texture.

Even if you don't like eggplants, I recommend giving badrijani a chance, it will surprise you. You'll tell me what you think.

Where to eat the best badrijani?

I like this Georgian food so much and there are so many places that prepare it well that it is difficult for me to decide on a place.

However, I will recommend you one of my favorite restaurants in Tbilisi To try this dish, the Shavi Lomi.

This restaurant stands out for its excellent Georgian cuisineIt is also a place very cozy both in the interior area and on its beautiful terrace.

Another good option to try this dish is the Mapshalia restaurant, this small place is famous because it is the cheapest in the whole city of Tbilisi serving homemade Georgian food.

7.- Pkhali

The word pkhali or pjali It means "chopped vegetables." This starter is a pasta made with different vegetables, nuts, spices, garlic and onion.

The most common are spinach-based, but eggplant or beet ones are also popular.

They are usually served cold made into small balls, although the presentation varies and they are accompanied with some pomegranate seeds.

Where to eat the best pkhali?

This is another dish that you will find many restaurants that prepare well.

I am going to recommend the ones from HB Sanapiro restaurant which also stands out for the khinkalis.

8.- Shotis puri

The shotis puri is the traditional Georgian bread which is shaped like a boat due to the curvature it acquires when baked.

This bread is made from wheat flour in the tone which are traditional bakeries.

The shotis puri It is fired in cylindrical ovens made of brick or clay, the bread sticks to the interior walls of the oven hence it gets its distinctive shape.

The shotis puri can be like the one in the photo above, which has a thick dough with a lot of crumb and very good flavor (although the one in the photo is a little different, the most common ones are wider in the central part).

But they also make it narrower, that variant of the shotis puri has a thinner dough and therefore more is crispier.

You can buy these breads at any traditional bakery, usually they are places that only sell shotis puri.

9.- Churchkhela

Churchkhela is one of the most popular Georgian desserts which also serves as a sweet snack and many tourists bring it as a gift.

This dessert is made with grape or other fruit juice and filled with walnuts, hazelnuts or dried fruits.

The way to make churchkhela is to string the filling ingredient with a string and then dip it repeatedly into grape juice thickened with corn flour (sometimes wheat). until a kind of sausage is formed.

In Georgia, the place with the most tradition making this dessert is the Kakheti region (11), an area famous for its vineyards and wine production.

Although churchkhelas are not exclusively from Georgia, you will also find them in other countries in the Caucasus, Turkey, Greece and Cyprus.

You will find many places to buy them; However, I recommend avoiding tourist areas where they will charge you 3 or 4 times more.

That's why The best place to buy them is in the markets, which is where local people shop.

They usually cost between 1.5 and 3 lari each, depending on the ingredients.

Another good idea is to visit the Kakheti region, learn about its production and wines.

For that, I recommend this tour to Kakheti with visit to a winery and wine tasting that is at a very good price.

🔝 If you want to know the best of the Caucasus without worrying about anything, book this All-inclusive trip to Georgia and Armenia, which costs less than 150 euros a day.

Final Thoughts

Georgian food is a marvel that changes depending on the area of the country, depending on what is grown in the region and the influence they have had from abroad.

My recommendation is that you try all the food you can and don't miss visiting their markets.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment below and if you found the article useful, share it with other fellow travelers. 😘

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