Discover the cuisine of
Georgia
One of the world's great undiscovered food traditions. Cheese-filled breads, soup dumplings, walnut sauces, 8,000 years of wine โ and a feast culture that turns every meal into a celebration.
Discover the cuisine of
One of the world's great undiscovered food traditions. Cheese-filled breads, soup dumplings, walnut sauces, 8,000 years of wine โ and a feast culture that turns every meal into a celebration.
The Essentials
These are the iconic Georgian dishes that every visitor falls in love with. Consider this your checklist.
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Cheese-filled bread โ Georgia's national dish. Comes in regional styles: Adjarian (boat-shaped with egg), Imeretian (round), Mingrelian (double cheese), and more. Every bakery, every home, every day.
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Giant soup dumplings filled with spiced meat. The technique: hold by the top knob, bite a small hole, drink the broth, then eat. Never use a fork. The top knot is traditionally left uneaten โ it's your counter.
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Georgian barbecue โ large chunks of meat grilled over grapevine coals. Marinated in onion and pomegranate juice, served with tkemali plum sauce. Every Georgian man considers himself a master.
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Finely chopped vegetables (spinach, beet, or green bean) mixed with ground walnuts, garlic, herbs, and spices. Formed into balls and topped with pomegranate seeds. A supra essential.
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Cold chicken or turkey in a creamy walnut sauce with saffron and fenugreek. The queen of Georgian holiday dishes โ traditionally served on New Year's Day.
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Fried eggplant rolls filled with a spiced walnut paste, garnished with pomegranate seeds. The perfect appetizer โ elegant, flavorful, and found on every supra table.
The Birthplace of Wine
Georgia isn't just an old wine country โ it's THE wine country. Archaeological evidence proves Georgians have been making wine for 8,000 years, making it the oldest wine-producing region on Earth.
Wine fermented in large clay vessels (qvevri) buried underground. A UNESCO-recognized tradition that produces unique amber wines with incredible complexity.
Georgia has over 525 indigenous grape varieties โ more than any other country. Saperavi (red) and Rkatsiteli (white) are the most famous, but there are hundreds to discover.
Georgia's signature "orange" or amber wine โ white grapes fermented with their skins in qvevri. Tannic, complex, and unlike anything you've tasted before.
The Georgian Feast
More than a meal โ the supra is the heart of Georgian social life. An elaborate feast with its own rituals, rules, and philosophy.
Every supra has a tamada โ a toastmaster who leads elaborate toasts to God, family, peace, love, and the departed. It's a performance art and a deeply respected role.
Toasts follow a specific order and can last minutes each. Drinking outside of toasts is unusual. When the tamada speaks, you drink. It's a bonding ritual that goes back centuries.
A supra table groans under weight โ 20+ dishes is normal. Cold appetizers, warm mains, salads, bread, and dessert. The table is never empty. More food keeps appearing. Resistance is futile.
Regional Traditions
Georgia is small but culinarily diverse. Each region has its own specialties, techniques, and ingredients.
Wine Country
Home of Saperavi and Rkatsiteli grapes. Walnuts in everything. Churchkhela (candle-shaped candy) originated here. The food pairs perfectly with wine โ by design.
Black Sea Coast
Birthplace of the famous boat-shaped Adjarian khachapuri. Cuisine influenced by Turkish flavors. Heavy on butter, cheese, and cornbread. Rich and indulgent.
Mountain Cuisine
Hearty mountain food. Famous for Svan salt (an herb-spice blend) and kubdari (meat-filled bread). Everything is bigger, heartier, and more rustic up in the peaks.
Central Georgia
Famous for its soft, stretchy Imeretian cheese and the classic round khachapuri. Lighter, greener, more herb-forward cuisine compared to the east.
Coming Soon
Step-by-step recipes for every dish on this page โ and dozens more. Written and tested with Georgian home cooks. Adapted for ingredients you can find anywhere.
Dining Out
Restaurant guides, hidden gems, and local favorites โ coming soon. In the meantime, here's the golden rule:
"In Georgia, it's actually hard to eat badly. The worst restaurant in Tbilisi is better than most restaurants anywhere else. The ingredients are fresh, the recipes are time-tested, and the portions are enormous. When in doubt, go where the locals go โ look for the place with the most cars parked outside."