What are the best restaurants in Tbilisi? Good question!
If you are a foodie like us (and I assume that’s why you are here on our foodie website) You’ll be wondering how you’re going to find the best food to eat while in Tbilisi Georgia. The good news is, I have rarely had a bad meal in Tbilisi. The bad news is that prices in the old town are quite inflated and you really need to venture out a bit to find some of the real best restaurants in Tbilisi (in our opinion)
In this article, we asked some of our favourite travelling foodies what places they think are the best restaurants in Tbilisi – so you don’t just have to take our word for it! These guys have come up with so many super tasty options that you are going to have purchase a bunch of stretchy pants in anticipation of how much food you’re going to consume – trust me!
Best Restaurants In Tbilisi Table of ContentsGet Our Tbilisi Map – Things To Do, Restaurants & More Best Restaurants In Tbilisi – For Georgian Cuisine (inc. Tsiskvili) Best Khinkali In Tbilisi – Our Top 3 Picks Best Khachapuri In Tbilisi – There is really only one… Our Georgian Food Mega Guide (60+ Things To Eat) – Opens In New Tab Things To Do In Tbilisi – Opens in New Tab Tbilisi Accommodation – Opens In New Tab Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links which generate a commission for us if you purchase something through a provider we recommend. Please use our links, rather than searching google, in order to help support our blog so we can keep providing you free content. |
Visiting Georgia? Get Our Food Fun Travel Tbilisi Map – Free:
As well as top attractions and other points of interest, the map includes every restaurant listed in this Best Restaurants In Tbilisi article – plus many more. Make it easy to find the best of Tbilisi all on one easy to use google map overlay. Works on any device. Get The Map.
Best Restaurants In Tbilisi
Thanks to guest contributors for their suggestions.
Best Restaurants In Tbilisi – For Georgian Cuisine (inc. Tsiskvili)
Shavi Lomi – Editor’s Top Pick
Tommo & Megsy, foodfuntravel.com
Shavi Lomi specialises in interesting contemporary versions of many Georgian classic dishes. From taking the big heavy staple khachapuri (Cheese stuffed flat bread) and turning it into a lighter version stuffed with almost impossible to find aged cheese from the mountains. To the best phkali dips (different veg, like spinach, red peppers, beetroot, blended with traditional walnut paste). Find rabbit stews, beef shank (artala) in saperavi (georgian red wine) and many more things.
It’s a large venue, but reservations are normally essential. Especially if you want to eat in the vibrant garden courtyard, covered by huge trees, and enclosed by old red brick walls with murals of the “Shavi Lomi” (Black lion.)
Pasanauri
Bilyana, Owl Over The World
One of the first Georgian foods that I tried and fell in love with was khinkali. Khinkali is the Georgian version of dumplings. You can find them pretty much in every restaurant in Georgia and they are being offered with varieties of fillings – cheese, potatoes, cheese & potatoes, meat, mushrooms, spices, etc. My favorites are with meat and with cheese.
Best Restaurants In Tbilisi – For Georgian Cuisine
For the best khinkali in Tbilisi, you need to go to Pasanauri restaurant. The restaurant is located in the center of the city, on an intersection of Rustaveli Avenu, 5 minutes walk from Rustaveli metro station.
The first time when I visited this restaurant, I was taken there by a local friend who loves the place and their khinkali. The interior of the restaurant is pretty nice, too.
Visit Pasanauri with friends and make the famous Georgian competition of who will eat the most khinkali (trust me, it’s a thing in Georgia).
Bina N37
Margherita, The Crowded Planet
Any person who’s been to Georgia will tell you how amazing Georgian food is, and I totally agree! On top of that, Tbilisi is full of quirky and unusual restaurants where you can experience the delights of this incredible cuisine – just like Bina N37, my favourite restaurant in town. Bina N37 means ‘apartment n.37’ because the restaurant is located in an eighth-floor apartment, in the Vedzisi neighbourhood of Tbilisi.
Bina 37: Qvevris on the roof (wine making) of an 8 story apartment.
It’s actually the spin-off of another unusual and typically-Georgian business – a rooftop winery! It was opened by a doctor who started making wine in terracotta urns buried on his balcony, into what used to be his son’s swimming pool.
The wine business was successful and he started preparing simple dishes for guests who came to taste wine – and then cooking became more and more elaborate, and Bina N37 became a full restaurant. It’s a great place to visit not just because of the quirky vibe, but also because Georgian favourites like khinkali and vegetables stuffed with walnut paste are truly on point!
Samikitno
Sarah, A Social Nomad
There are multiple branches of this popular chain to be found in downtown Tbilisi. The best location is in the Meidani Square and it’s usually pretty busy. For a quieter time head to the Freedom Square location. Both serve the same menu and if you’re looking to knock off a few items on your Georgian Food bucket list then this is the place to come to.
Best Restaurants In Tbilisi – For Georgian Cuisine (inc. Tsiskvili)
You’ll be able to try all your Georgian food favorites – although we recommend going as a group and ordering family style to be able to try absolutely everything, alternatively, go for a cold or hot tasting menu where you’ll get a small amount of a huge variety of dishes including chicken with garlic sauce, veal stew, gomi, steamed beef with walnuts and sulguni cheese (there’s a lot on the menu, these are just examples!)
The restaurants are well priced and provide menus in English, Georgian and Russian – and there are also photos so it’s easy to see what you’re going to get too!
Check out Our full and extensive article on What to Eat in Georgia + 2 part Podcast: HERE
Culinarium Khasheria
Nadine, Le Long Weekend
Cozy, yet contemporary, Culinarium Khasheria is the perfect pit stop when touring Tbilisi’s old town. Located in the bath district, its inviting exterior is sure to pull your attention, as it did mine! Inside, the social theme continues with large tables to share a meal, and homely touches in the décor. Named after a traditional dish known to be a hangover cure, you’d do well to stop in here after a night on the town.
Best Restaurants In Tbilisi – For Georgian Cuisine. Culinarium Khasheria
The food is famously good, and that makes this a popular spot for the locals to indulge in their favourite traditional dishes, with a modern twist. It was hard to decide what to order from the veggie-friendly menu, so we got a bunch of dishes to share. I found the flavours incredible – fresh, vibrant and so varied. Do yourself a favour and order a large jar of Ajika to accompany your meal too – they make the best in town!
Ethno Tsiskvili
There is something about food in the Caucasus – whether it is eating by the Caspian Sea in Baku or sitting at a sidewalk cafe in Yerevan. And then there is Tbilisi- a city that is anything but void of delicious food. My favorite restaurant in Tbilisi is Ethno Tsiskvili, a very local restaurant located a bit outside of the touristy Old Town. I was first taken there after making dinner plans with a friend who is from Tbilisi. When I told her to come to my area close to the Old Town, she instructed me that she would not eat food anywhere in that vicinity. She then gathered a group and took me to Ethno Tsiskvili via a taxi.
Best Restaurants In Tbilisi – For Georgian Cuisine (inc. Tsiskvili)
We arrived there and the restaurant had no other languages aside from Georgian on it. There were locals having parties and copious amounts of wine all while eating delicious Georgian food. We ordered a plate of khinkali, several bottles of wine, and some khachapuri and had an incredible night. The food stood head and shoulders above anything I had eaten in Tbilisi’s city center. If you have time, definitely take a taxi to Ethno Tsiskvili and enjoy a genuinely local dinner experience.
Racha
Kamila, Kami And The Rest Of The World
One of the places you can’t miss when you travel to Tbilisi is Racha. Located only a few steps away from Liberty Square, at the corner of Lermontov and Dadiani streets, it’s easy to miss the place. The random door you most likely wouldn’t notice lead you to the underground restaurant where the time has stopped.
Best Restaurants In Tbilisi – For Georgian Cuisine
The site has improved a lot over the years (I’ve been a frequent visitor since 2011), there is now the menu in other languages than just Georgian (English and Russian) and proper chairs to sit on (before there were only stools), but Racha didn’t lose its charm. The lady behind the counter doesn’t use the proper cash register but the old school abacus. You can see how the food is prepared in the open kitchen in the next room.
Racha serves all the classic Georgian dishes as well as the local home-made wine or chacha, and everything is delicious here. Prices are very affordable, among the cheapest ones in Tbilisi. The place might not look very fancy, but it is part of the Tbilisi experience.
Ezo
Rohan, Travels of a Bookpacker
One of the best things to do in Tbilisi is eat! There is a huge range of local restaurants selling everything from tourist versions on mass to home cooked meals by someone’s grandmother. Ezo (means ‘yard’ in Georgian) is the perfect mix of atmosphere, fresh ingredients and local cuisine. Set in a gorgeous hidden courtyard you won’t stumble upon this place walking through the main tourist streets. Popular with visitors and locals alike this place always has a lively atmosphere and, in the summer, the outdoor area is filled with candle-lit seating and a small bar.
The food is nothing short of brilliant, offering seasonal and staple dishes made with fresh, local ingredients. Everything comes in decent portions and is, in true Georgian style, flavoursome and hearty. The waiters speak excellent English and are happy to explain the items on the menu or you can simply take a lucky dip and see what you end up with!
Barbarestan
Gigi, Vicousfoodie.com
At Barbarestan, Tbilisi’s fanciest fine dining restaurant, the cookbook is the star of the show. Why? Because this isn’t any old cookbook. It’s a book authored by a 19th century Duchess who also happens to be Georgia’s first feminist.
Inside, you’ll find hundreds of recipes that take Georgian cuisine and merge it with specialties and techniques from around the world. Every two years, Barbarestan hires on a new chef to interpret those recipes with their own twist.
Cafes in Tbilisi – Barbarestan
If you go, expect romantic low lighting, excellent wines. Try the Winiveria or ask the waiters for pairing recommendations, and a menu that changes with the seasons. Order the cheese plate if you see it on the menu and don’t skip the spicy, crisp walnut bread served up shaped like pizza slices.
Keto and Kote
Emily, Wander-Lush
Perched high above Tbilisi inside a beautifully restored home, Keto and Kote (ქეთო და კოტე) is one of Tbilisi’s finest Georgian restaurants.
The menu at Keto and Kote is typical Georgian with a modern European twist. The Megrelian-born chef specialises in western Georgian dishes, such as Gebjalia and Elarji. Every time I eat there, I can’t go past the classic Georgian salad. Keto and Kote’s rendition of the deceptively-simple-yet-utterly-addictive tomato and cucumber salad is the freshest and tastiest I’ve eaten anywhere in Georgia. Make sure you request a side of walnut paste, a slice of sulguni cheese and a piece of house-baked bread to go with it.
Best Restaurants In Tbilisi – For Georgian Cuisine
A big part of Keto and Kote’s charm is its ‘hidden location’. To get there, you need to walk through a specific archway off Merab Kostava Street, down an alley behind Rustaveli Metro Station, and finally up a steep flight of stone stairs. Outdoor terrace seating and a balcony both command beautiful views of Vera, while inside, the interior is old-world Tbilisi chic at its finest.
Cafes in Tbilisi
Cafe Littera
Kiara, Gallop Around The Globe
One of my favourite restaurants in Tbilisi was Cafe Littera – as much for the setting as the food itself (although, admittedly, the food was delicious).
Cafe Littera is hidden away the lovely leafy walled garden of the 120-year-old Georgian Writers’ Union Building. Although the entrance is a little tricky to find (yup, this is not a restaurant you’re just going to ‘stumble upon’), when you do so you’ll feel as though you’ve discovered one of Tbilisi’s best kept secrets.
Chef Tekuna Gachechiladze ran her own cooking school in Tbilisi before opening Literra in 2015. She serves traditional Georgian food with a modern twist, taking influences from the latest tastes and trends.
Cafes in Tbilisi
As you’ve probably gathered, this isn’t a budget eatery in the city, but it’s totally worth blowing the budget for one night to eat here.
I can personally recommend trying a selection of local dips as a starter. We ordered smoked eggplant pkhali with pomegranate, pumpkin pkhali with walnuts and red adjuka, and homemade nadugi with red adjuka and mint, all served with lavash – the local flatbread. And then, if you’re a fish lover, the seared scallops on Sheela-pilaf with Georgian truffle sauce were amazing!
Cafe Linville
Lauda, Adventures With Luda
Cafe Linville may be hard to find (look for the metal door and go upstairs) but once you do, you’re rewarded with one of the kitschiest and best-decorated cafes in all of Tbilisi!
The place has a very unique style that looks like something out of your great-grandmother’s house (if she lived in Georgia) combined with little surprises like an aquarium made out of an old television; antique chairs that look like they came straight out of Versailles; and charming decor.
Cafes in Tbilisi – Cafe Linville
Like any good restaurant in Georgia, Linville has a wonderful selection of wines, along with classic dishes like meats, pizza, sandwiches, and desserts. If the weather is nice, you can sit on the balcony and enjoy watching people go by — especially since Linville is conveniently located in the old town.
If you have an hour or so, I definitely recommend taking a break and hanging out at Cafe Linville – you might even see the weekly tango class dancing in the main hall!
Café Leila
Annie Symonds, Londoner In Sydney
Café Leila is one of Tbilisi’s brilliant little gems, located around the corner from the very touristy Leaning Clock Tower. You probably wouldn’t even notice this unassuming restaurant if you walked past it but what awaits you inside is an absolute delight. Café Leila is completely decked out in the most beautiful Persian theme you’ve ever witnessed. The ceiling is completely covered, as well as the walls and furniture is what can only be described as an Instagrammers dream.
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With Georgian cuisine being a tad heavy on the bread and pastry side, Café Leila brings a welcomed break from the excess carbs and offers up a healthy food that’s locally grown, and non-processed. Expect a mainly vegan and vegetarian menu with a few fish options that will have you wanting to go back for more.
Best Khinkali In Tbilisi – Our Top 3 Picks
Golden Mug
Image By Golden Mug – Best Khinkali in Tbilisi
This restaurant in Tbilisi is a bit out of town so can often be undiscovered by tourists who tend to stay closer to the old
town of Tbilisi, but, for the cost of a very affordable uber ride you are sure to find out that this restaurant is a gem and a must visit during your stay in Tbilisi.
We have been there a few times before because of their live music and tasty beer but it wasn’t until our most recent visit when we ran into the owner of Baia’s Winery who told us that Golden Mug was her favourite place for Khinkali and that we should absolutely try the spicy meat khinkali. We didn’t need to be told twice! And she was right, the spicy meat khinkali is very possibly our pick for The Best Khinkali in Tbilisi! You have to go and try it for yourself…trust us!
Zakhar Zakharich
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This little restaurant is for us the best restaurant in Tbilisi for hand made khinkali. You may not know this but today they often have a special device that helps restaurants make loads of khinkali without them having to all be made individually by hand. You can often tell the difference between ‘machine’ made and ‘hand’ made through the thickness of the dough. The dough is often fatter and not as smooth with hand made khinkali and you can feel like you’re eating more dough than filling. That said Zakhar Zakharich is doing a GREAT job at making hand made khinkali. Their khinkali are just flavour central, and a must try for sure!
Situated right by the Dry Bridge Market, this is a great little traditional and very local place to get some delicious authentic Georgian food.
Samikitno / Machakhela Restaurants
Best Restaurants In Tbilisi – Best Khinkali in Tbilisi
While this may be a chain restaurant that you can find in quite a few locations around the city – they still offer super tasty khinkali and more options of fillings than most other restaurants. If you are looking for more than just a meat or cheese filling you can try their mushroom, red beans, or potato and cheese khinkali (a great option for vegetarians). They also have a creamy spinach khinkali which is one of the best khinkali in Tbilisi in our books! (They are listed sometimes as Samikitno and sometimes as Machakhela – or both!)
Best Khachapuri In Tbilisi – There is really only one…
Retro
Best Khachapuri In Tbilisi – Best Restaurants in Tbilisi
Yes, of course, you can find khachapuri all over Tbilisi. Yes, it is pretty much amazing wherever you have it… Because it’s bready, cheesy, heaven on earth. But if you are seeking the Best Khachapuri in Tbilisi there is only one place that holds the crown – Retro.
In our opinion, its the best because the dough is less eggy/cakey and more bready. Also, ask any local about Retro and they will ALL know it – their khachapuri is legendary in Tbilisi. Come here to indulge in a single serving or take on the Titanic challenge (we couldn’t even finish it it’s that big).
Best Khachapuri In Tbilisi – The Titanic
There is an abundance of authentic Georgian food to find and try in Tbilisi and this Tbilisi food guide will help you to find the best Tbilisi Restaurants from the get go, to make sure you always get a tasty meal! From the best khinkali in Tbilisi to the best khachapuri in Tbilisi and all the other incredible foods in between we know that you will fall in love with Georgian cuisine just like everyone in this post did. Us especially!
Visiting Georgia? Get Our Food Fun Travel Tbilisi Map – Free:
As well as top attractions and other points of interest, the map includes every restaurant listed in this Best Restaurants In Tbilisi article – plus many more. Make it easy to find the best of Tbilisi all on one easy to use google map overlay. Works on any device. Get The Map.
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