Good to know
Good to Know
- Tbilisi remains extraordinarily affordable for dining—a world-class meal with wine rarely exceeds $50 per person even at top restaurants.
- Georgian cuisine is naturally vegetarian-friendly due to Orthodox fasting traditions (twice-weekly meatless eating); many restaurants have separate 'fasting menus'.
- Street food and casual bakeries offer excellent value—khachapuri or lobiani from a bakery costs less than $2.
- Service can be slow in traditional Georgian restaurants, especially 'dukani' (traditional cellar taverns), but food quality and value compensate.
- Old Town and Sololaki are the primary nomad/expat dining neighborhoods; restaurant quality and pricing vary significantly by location.
- Georgian wine pairs naturally with nearly all traditional dishes and is abundant and affordable.
Supermarkets
Carrefour
- Neighborhood
- Karvasla (Old Town), East Point, multiple other locations
- Description
- Large international chain with multiple central locations, wide range of products
Nikora
- Neighborhood
- Multiple neighborhoods citywide
- Description
- Popular local Georgian chain known for quality meats and locally sourced products
SPAR
- Neighborhood
- Various central locations
- Description
- International supermarket chain, good quality closer to UK Tesco standards
Goodwill
- Neighborhood
- Saburtalo, Vake, Didi Digomi
- Description
- Budget-friendly local option for groceries
Fresco
- Neighborhood
- Varketili, Mukhiani, Saburtalo, Chugureti, Didube, and others
- Description
- Economy-focused chain with 10 locations across different districts
Budget
Samikitno
- Price Range
- GEL 18
- Neighborhood
- Old Town
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Traditional Georgian (khinkali, khachapuri, shkmeruli)
Klike
- Price Range
- GEL 8.00
- Neighborhood
- Old Town
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Khinkali (vegetarian options available)
Salobie Bia
- Price Range
- GEL 20
- Neighborhood
- Near Old Town
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Georgian traditional, lobio (bean stew)
Maspindzelo Express
- Price Range
- GEL 22
- Neighborhood
- Old Town/Sulfur Baths area
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Georgian classics, quick service
High End
Barbarestan
- Price Range
- GEL 75
- Neighborhood
- Sololaki/Old Town
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Georgian cuisine from 19th-century recipes
Ninia's Garden
- Price Range
- GEL 80
- Neighborhood
- Plekhanovi District
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Modern Georgian with fine-dining presentation
Keto & Kote
- Price Range
- GEL 70
- Neighborhood
- Vake
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Georgian with modern twist
Mid Range
Vejineli
- Price Range
- GEL 30
- Neighborhood
- Old Town
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Traditional Georgian (khinkali, khachapuri, mtsvadi)
Daphna
- Price Range
- GEL 35
- Neighborhood
- Behind Opera House
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Khinkali specialist (7 flavors)
Sasadilo Zeche
- Price Range
- GEL 40
- Neighborhood
- Didube
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Georgian classics, retro-Soviet interior
Machakhela
- Price Range
- GEL 38
- Neighborhood
- Central/Multiple locations
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Traditional Georgian, reliable
Delivery Services
Wolt
- Notes
- Widely available in central Tbilisi, fast and reliable delivery to home or office
Bolt Food
- Notes
- Popular local alternative for food delivery
International Cuisine
- Overview
- While Georgian cuisine dominates, Tbilisi has Thai, Chinese, and Italian options. The Kitchen at Rooms Hotel offers Italian-focused international cuisine at mid-range prices.
Notable Options
The Kitchen at Rooms Hotel
- Type
- Italian
- Price Approximate USD
- 25
Asian/Thai/Chinese
- Venues Noted
- Multiple Thai restaurants and Chinese establishments with vegetarian options widely available
Local Must Try Dishes
Khachapuri Adjaruli
- Description
- Boat-shaped cheese-filled bread topped with butter and egg yolk
Khinkali
- Description
- Dumplings filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables; traditionally eaten by holding the knob and sipping the broth inside
Badrijani Nigvzit
- Description
- Eggplant rolls filled with walnut paste, topped with pomegranate seeds
Shkmeruli
- Description
- Chicken in creamy garlic and sour cream sauce, traditionally cooked in a ketsi (clay pot)
Lobio
- Description
- Spiced bean stew in clay pot, served with cornbread for dipping
Kharcho
- Description
- Beef soup with plum puree and ground walnuts, regional specialty from Samegrelo
Mtsvadi
- Description
- Grilled meat skewers, traditionally cooked over vine wood
Pkhali
- Description
- Cold salad made with beetroot, spinach, cabbage, or nettles mixed with crushed walnuts and herbs
Vegan Vegetarian Dining
- Overview
- Tbilisi is surprisingly vegan and vegetarian friendly. Georgian Orthodox fasting tradition means many naturally meat-free dishes exist. Multiple dedicated vegan/vegetarian restaurants operate alongside Georgian restaurants offering substantial plant-based menus.
Venues
Café Leila
- Neighborhood
- Old Town (Shavteli Street)
- Price Approximate USD
- 12-18 per meal
- Description
- Pioneering vegetarian restaurant serving plant-based versions of Georgian dishes with distinctive Oriental decor
Kiwi Vegan Cafe
- Neighborhood
- Central Tbilisi
- Price Approximate USD
- 8-15 per meal
- Description
- First dedicated vegan cafe (since 2015), extensive menu with salads, pasta, sandwiches, burgers, soups, and bowls
Mama Terra Veggie Corner
- Neighborhood
- Central (behind Parliament)
- Price Approximate USD
- 12-18 per meal
- Description
- Vegan and vegetarian with Mexican and Georgian fusion, behind Parliament building
Falafel Box
- Neighborhood
- Central Tbilisi
- Price Approximate USD
- 6-10 per meal
- Description
- Vegetarian restaurant specializing in crispy falafel wraps and plates
Ummy
- Neighborhood
- Central Tbilisi
- Price Approximate USD
- 14-20 per meal
- Description
- Only raw vegan and vegetarian restaurant offering meals from uncooked, dehydrated, and sprouted ingredients
Michelin Level Restaurants
- Note
- Georgia has no official Michelin Guide coverage. These are restaurants recognized internationally as fine-dining caliber:
Venues
Barbarestan
- Neighborhood
- Sololaki
- Description
- Historic Georgian recipes from 19th-century cookbook, recognized on World's 50 Best Discovery list
Ninia's Garden
- Neighborhood
- Plekhanovi District
- Description
- Fine-dining Georgian with collaborations with international Michelin-starred chefs
Café Littera
- Neighborhood
- Central Tbilisi
- Description
- Contemporary Georgian cuisine under chef Tekuna Gachechiladze, World's 50 Best Discovery honoree
Kalaki
- Neighborhood
- Old Town
- Description
- First Michelin-rated fine dining restaurant in Tbilisi, classical Georgian elevated
Dining Customs And Tips
- Payment
- Card/mobile/contactless payment accepted at 99% of restaurants. Smaller eateries prefer cash.
- Reservations
- Not mandatory for most restaurants; walk-ins generally accommodated except at fine-dining establishments on weekends
- Service Charges
- Since 2024, 18% VAT is incorporated into menu prices. Most venues add 10-15% service charge to bill; not mandatory to tip, but increasingly expected in service industry. Tipping is not mandatory but appreciated for good service—cash tips handed directly to server are preferred.
Halal Kosher Gluten Free
Halal
- Available
- Yes
- Notes
- Leila's Khinkali (Mtatsminda) specializes in halal beef khinkali made exclusively with halal beef rather than traditional pork-beef mix, reflecting Georgian-Chechen and North Caucasus cuisine
Kosher
- Available
- No
- Notes
- No documented dedicated kosher establishments found
Gluten Free
- Available
- Yes
- Notes
- Some venues offer gluten-free options; Ummy cafe specifically offers raw gluten-free options
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this food & dining research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Tbilisi
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.