Georgian Cuisine: 10 Dishes You Must Try

Georgia is a country where food is elevated to a cult, and a feast (supra) is considered an art. Here, you can't just “grab a bite.” Every meal is an event filled with toasts, the aroma of cilantro, and the warmth of clay dishes. Georgian cuisine rests on three pillars: walnuts, fresh cheeses, and spices. But behind these simple ingredients lies a palette of flavors that makes tourists return here again and again.

Of course, there are Georgian restaurants in any metropolis, but the true magic of taste is revealed only in the homeland of these dishes. This is a good reason to buy tickets to Tbilisi on Kupi.com and arrange a gastronomic tour for yourself. To help you navigate the menu, we have compiled a list of ten masterpieces that every self-respecting traveler heading to Georgia must try.

Khinkali

Starting your acquaintance with Georgia without khinkali is a crime. These are not just “big dumplings”; they are an engineering marvel. Inside a pouch of firm dough is minced meat with spices and, most importantly, hot, aromatic broth.

• How to eat: with your hands! A fork and knife are enemies of khinkali, as you will lose the precious broth. Hold the khinkali by its tail, carefully bite into it, drink the juice, and then eat the rest. The tail is usually left on the plate – their number at the end of the meal determines the “champion” of the table.

Adjarian Khachapuri

Khachapuri come in different varieties (Imeretian, Megrelian), but Adjarian is the most photogenic and hearty. It's a boat-shaped dough filled with Suluguni cheese, into the center of which a raw egg is cracked and a piece of butter is placed after baking.

• How to eat: break off a piece of dough from the edge of the “boat,” use it to mix the cheese, butter, and egg into a single hot mass, and then put it in your mouth. To try the quintessential version of this dish by the sea, it's worth buying tickets to Batumi – the birthplace of this recipe.

Pkhali

This is the perfect cold appetizer for those who want something light (by Georgian standards). Pkhali are mashed vegetables or herbs mixed with a thick paste of walnuts, garlic, cilantro, and pomegranate. The most popular types are made from spinach (green) and beetroot (burgundy). They look like bright balls, garnished with pomegranate seeds.

Badrijani

Pkhali's best friend on the appetizer table. Fried eggplant strips are rolled up, filled with that same walnut paste with saffron and utskho-suneli. The secret to the taste lies in the contrast: soft, oily eggplant and a textured, spicy filling.

Chakapuli

If you come to Georgia in spring or early summer, you must order Chakapuli. This is stewed young lamb (or veal) with a generous amount of tarragon, green onions, and unripe tkemali plums. The dish turns out emerald green, with a slight sourness and an incredible aroma of herbs. 

Shkmeruli

A dish originating from the Racha region, captivating with its simplicity and brilliance. It's fried chicken with a golden crust, served in a simmering creamy garlic sauce in a clay pan (ketsi). There's a lot of sauce, and it's so delicious that it's sopped up with bread to the last drop. Be warned: there's really a lot of garlic in it!

Kharcho

Forget what you've eaten in cafeterias. Real Georgian Kharcho is a thick, rich, and very spicy beef soup with rice, walnuts, and sour plum puree (tklapi). It warms you instantly. An important nuance: in Georgia, there's also “Kharcho Megrelian style” – this is not a soup, but a main course, meat in a thick walnut sauce. Clarify with the waiter exactly what you are ordering.

Elarji

The pride of the Samegrelo region. This dish is made from coarse corn flour, into which a huge amount of Suluguni cheese is mixed. The result is a viscous, elastic mass. Good Elarji should stretch half a meter upwards without breaking. The dish is very hearty, so it's best to order one portion for two. To reach authentic restaurants in Western Georgia, you might consider tickets for the Moscow – Kutaisi route (this city is close to Megrelia).

Satsivi

Georgia's main New Year's dish, served in restaurants year-round. Pieces of turkey or chicken submerged in a cold sauce made from ground walnuts, broth, and a blend of 20 spices. Satsivi is always eaten cold. The sauce should be delicate, like thick cream, and have a light beige color.

Churchkhela

And now for dessert – walnuts or hazelnuts strung on a thread, covered with thickened grape juice (pelamushi). Real churchkhela should not be “rubbery” or too hard. Look for one that is slightly soft to the touch and smells of grapes. It's a wonderful souvenir and a sweet treat for the road.

Georgian cuisine is diverse and amazing; it's an entire history of a people told through food. And remember: in Georgia, it's impossible to stay hungry; even a “light snack” threatens to turn into a multi-hour feast.