The Supra: Georgia's Feast Tradition
The supra is more than a meal -- it is Georgia's central social institution. A formal supra is led by a tamada (toastmaster) who proposes structured toasts in a specific order: to God, to Georgia, to the ancestors, to the host, to women, to children, to peace. Guests drink when the tamada toasts; free drinking between toasts is technically a breach of etiquette (though casual supras are more relaxed). The table at a supra is loaded with dishes simultaneously -- cold starters, hot dishes, bread, cheese, salads, sauces, and wine are all present from the beginning, with additional courses added as the meal progresses. The tamada role is a position of genuine social prestige. A good tamada balances humor, poetry, sincerity, and pacing. Even in restaurants, group meals for Georgians often take on supra characteristics, with someone naturally assuming the tamada role. Visitors invited to a private supra should consider it a significant honor.
- At a supra, never refuse the first toast -- it is considered deeply impolite
- You can sip rather than drain your glass with each toast -- the tamada will not object if you pace yourself
- The supra tradition means Georgian restaurants serve food for sharing, not individual plating
Regional Cuisines You Should Know
Adjara (Batumi region) is known for dairy-rich dishes: Adjarian khachapuri (the iconic boat-shaped cheese bread with egg and butter), borano (cheese and cornmeal casserole), sinori (rolled cheese pastry with matsoni yogurt), and fresh Black Sea fish. Mingrelia (Samegrelo) produces Georgia's most intensely flavored food: elarji (cornmeal with sulguni cheese, pulled like mozzarella), gebzhalia (cheese rolls in mint sauce), kupati (spiced pork sausage), and kharcho (the proper version, a beef and walnut soup that is richer and spicier than the Soviet-era simplification). Svaneti contributes kubdari (spiced meat-filled bread) and the famous Svanetian salt -- a unique blend of garlic, fenugreek, coriander, and other spices used across Georgian cooking. Kakheti's cuisine centers on grilled meats and wine: mtsvadi (pork or veal skewers cooked over grapevine embers), churchkhela (walnut candy made from grape must), and dishes designed to accompany wine. Imereti and Guria are known for lighter dishes and pickled vegetables.
- Seek out regional restaurants in Tbilisi that specialize in one region's cuisine rather than generic 'Georgian' menus
- Adjarian khachapuri is meant to be eaten fresh and hot -- mix the egg and butter into the cheese before tearing bread from the edges
- Svanetian salt is available at the Dezerter Bazaar and makes the best food souvenir from Georgia
Markets and Street Food
The Dezerter Bazaar near Station Square in Tbilisi is the city's central market and one of the best food experiences in the country. The market has dedicated sections for cheese (including fresh sulguni, aged Imeretian, and smoked varieties), spices and dried herbs, churchkhela, fresh produce, pickles, dried fruits, and honey. Prices are lower than supermarkets and the quality of fresh produce is superior. The market is cash-only and Georgian is the primary language, but pointing and gestures work well. In the streets around the market, you will find bakeries with fresh shotis puri (long, canoe-shaped bread baked in a tone oven), lobiani (bean-filled bread), and sometimes penovani khachapuri (puff pastry with cheese). Street food in Tbilisi is limited compared to Southeast Asia but khachapuri, lobiani, and churchkhela are available from bakeries and vendors throughout the city.
- Visit the Dezerter Bazaar in the morning for the freshest produce and the most active atmosphere
- Try churchkhela at the market -- the freshly made version (soft, pliable) is completely different from the dried tourist versions
- Buy spices at the bazaar: dried marigold petals (imeruli shaphrani), blue fenugreek (utskho suneli), and Svanetian salt are distinctly Georgian
Bread and Bakeries
Bread is central to Georgian cuisine in a way that goes beyond the European norm. The tone (pronounced 'toh-neh') is a traditional clay oven, cylindrical and vertical, in which bread is baked by slapping dough against the inner walls. Shotis puri -- the long, pointed bread -- is the most common tone-baked bread and is baked fresh multiple times daily at bakeries throughout every Georgian city. Watching a baker work a tone is worth seeking out. Shoti is best eaten within an hour of baking. Other breads include tonis puri (round and flat), puri (generic bread), and mchadi (cornbread, common in western Georgia). Khachapuri in its many forms is technically a bread. Lobiani (bean bread) and kubdari (meat bread) are also bakery products rather than restaurant dishes in their origin. Dedicated bakeries (tone or 'tonis purni') are found on nearly every block in residential Tbilisi neighborhoods.
- Follow the locals to bakeries with a queue -- that means the bread just came out of the oven
- A fresh shoti costs 1-2 GEL (about $0.40-0.80 USD) -- it is the best food bargain in Georgia
- Ask for 'takhis' (hot) when buying bread to get the freshest batch
Vegetarian and Dietary Considerations
Georgian cuisine is more vegetarian-friendly than most visitors expect. Many traditional dishes are naturally plant-based: pkhali (walnut-paste spreads made with spinach, beetroot, or green beans), lobio (bean stew), ajapsandali (vegetable stew similar to ratatouille), lobiani (bean bread), badrijani nigvzit (eggplant rolls with walnut paste), and jonjoli (pickled bladdernut sprouts). Cheese dishes are abundant -- various khachapuri, gebzhalia, and fresh cheese plates. Strict vegans will find fewer options, though Tbilisi has a growing number of vegan-friendly restaurants. Gluten-free dining is difficult given the centrality of bread, though rice and corn-based dishes exist (particularly in western Georgia, where mchadi cornbread and ghomi cornmeal replace wheat bread). Georgian food is not typically spicy-hot, though Mingrelian cuisine can have significant chili heat. Most restaurants can adjust spice levels on request.
- Tell your server 'khortsit gareze' (without meat) and they will guide you to vegetarian options
- Pkhali, lobio, and ajapsandali are naturally vegan; cheese dishes are vegetarian but not vegan
- Georgian Orthodox fasting days (Wednesday and Friday) mean many restaurants offer expanded plant-based options on those days
Businesses Mentioned in This Guide
Adjarian House
აჭარული სახლი
Traditional Adjarian Restaurant
Adjarian House serves the distinctive cuisine of Georgias Adjara region, famous for cheese-filled khachapuri and unique coastal dishes. Our traditional wooden building offers an authentic cultural experience.
Azarpesha
აზარფეშა
Georgian Wine Tavern
Azarpesha — the Georgian word for a drinking vessel — is a wine-centric tavern in historic Abanotubani. The wine list focuses on amber (skin-contact) wines made in the ancient qvevri clay vessel tradition, sourced exclusively from small Georgian producers. The food programme centres on Georgian mezze: jonjoli (pickled bladdernut), badrijani nigvzit (aubergine with walnut paste), and aged cheeses. Interiors feature exposed brick, clay qvevri vessels, and candlelight.
Barbarestan
ბარბარესტანი
Heritage Restaurant
Barbarestan is a Tbilisi restaurant that recreates recipes from the 1874 Georgian cookbook written by Barbare Jorjadze, one of the first Georgian female public figures. The menu features historically researched dishes that are no longer commonly found in modern Georgian restaurants, presented with period-appropriate techniques and ingredients. The restaurant occupies a restored 19th-century building on Aghmashenebeli Avenue and has been recognized internationally for its unique approach to culinary heritage preservation.
Ezo
ეზო
Traditional Georgian Restaurant
Ezo (meaning 'courtyard' in Georgian) is a traditional restaurant in Kutaisi set in a vine-covered courtyard of a historic house. The menu focuses on Imeretian regional cuisine, including Imeretian khachapuri (round, with fresh cheese), gebzhalia (cheese rolls in mint sauce), and kupati (spiced sausage). The restaurant is known for generous portions, reasonable prices, and an authentic family atmosphere reflecting Kutaisi's dining culture.
Pheasant's Tears Restaurant
ხოხბის ცრემლის რესტორანი
Natural Wine Restaurant in Sighnaghi
The Pheasant's Tears restaurant in Sighnaghi is the dining companion to one of Georgia's most celebrated natural wineries. American winemaker John Wurdeman and his Georgian partner founded Pheasant's Tears in Sighnaghi in 2007, and the restaurant has become one of the most important destinations on Georgia's wine trail. The menu is built around dishes that showcase the winery's qvevri-made amber and red wines, featuring Kakhetian regional cooking with local cheeses, cured meats, and walnut pastes.
Written and maintained by the Georgia Business Registry editorial team based on dining and market visits across Tbilisi, Batumi, Kakheti, Svaneti, and Samegrelo. Last reviewed March 2026.
Related in the Registry
More Guides
Remote Working in Georgia: The Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about working remotely from Tbilisi and beyond
Georgian Wine for Beginners
Understanding the world's oldest winemaking tradition
First Time in Tbilisi: A Practical Guide
What you actually need to know before arriving in Georgia's capital