Georgian Food Guide 2026: Khachapuri, Khinkali, Wine & What to Eat
Updated June 2026 · cheese bread · soup dumplings · the supra feast · 8,000 years of wine
| Dish | What it is | Try it in |
|---|---|---|
| Adjarian khachapuri | Boat-shaped cheese bread with egg & butter | Batumi / Adjara |
| Khinkali | Twisted soup dumplings, meat or mushroom | Tbilisi, mountain towns |
| Mtsvadi | Vine-wood grilled pork or beef skewers | Countryside, Kakheti |
| Qvevri wine | Amber wine fermented in buried clay jars | Kakheti |
Why Georgian food deserves a trip of its own
Travellers arrive in Georgia for the mountains and the monasteries and leave talking about the food. Sitting at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Georgia absorbed influences from Persia, the Ottoman world and the Mediterranean, then filtered them through its own deep larder of walnuts, herbs, beans, cheese and wine. The result is a cuisine that feels both familiar and unlike anywhere else: heady with coriander, blue fenugreek and marigold, balanced by sour plum and pomegranate, and almost always shared. Eating here is rarely a solitary act — it is wrapped up in hospitality, which Georgians treat as close to a sacred duty.
The good news for visitors is that the food is everywhere and gloriously affordable. You can eat memorably for a handful of lari at a bakery window, or settle in for a multi-hour feast for the price of a fast-casual lunch back home. This guide walks you through the dishes to seek out, the rituals to understand and the regions where each speciality shines.
The dishes you must try
Khachapuri — the national cheese bread
If Georgia has one edible flag, it is khachapuri. The most famous version is Adjarian khachapuri (acharuli) from the Batumi region: an open, boat-shaped loaf filled with molten sulguni cheese, crowned with a raw egg yolk and a knob of butter that you stir together and scoop up with the torn bread ends. Inland you will more often meet Imeruli (a round, sealed cheese pie) and the indulgent Megruli, which adds cheese on top as well as inside. Each region guards its own recipe, and arguing about the best is a national sport.
Khinkali — the soup dumpling
Georgia's other great obsession is khinkali: large, twisted dumplings filled with spiced meat (or mushrooms, cheese or potato) and a reservoir of hot broth. The technique matters. Grip the thick doughy top knot, bite a small hole in the side, sip the broth before it escapes, then eat the rest — and never with a fork. The chewy top knots are traditionally left on the plate and counted, a playful way to keep score. Mountain regions like Pshavi and Mtiuleti claim the original recipe.
Mtsvadi, kebabs and grilled meat
Georgian barbecue, mtsvadi, is chunks of pork or beef grilled over smouldering grapevine cuttings, then often piled onto flatbread with raw onion and a squeeze of pomegranate. Alongside it you will find kebabi (spiced minced-meat skewers) and chakapuli, a spring stew of lamb or veal with tarragon, sour plums and white wine.
Vegetable and walnut dishes
Thanks to long Orthodox fasting periods, Georgia has a superb meat-free repertoire. Pkhali are vibrant pâtés of spinach, beetroot or beans bound with ground walnuts and spices; badrijani nigvzit is fried aubergine rolled around walnut-garlic paste; and lobio is a warming bean stew served in a clay pot with cornbread (mchadi) and pickles. Walnuts, in fact, thread through the whole cuisine, lending richness to sauces and salads alike.
The supra: feasting as a way of life
To understand Georgian food you have to understand the supra, the traditional feast. Rather than serving courses, the table is covered all at once with overlapping plates, and the meal is choreographed by a tamada (toastmaster) who raises a series of eloquent, often emotional toasts — to peace, to ancestors, to friendship, to Georgia. Wine, not beer, is the drink of the supra, and refusing a toast outright can cause mild offence, though pacing yourself is perfectly acceptable. The supra is recognised as part of Georgia's living cultural heritage, and being invited to one is among the warmest things that can happen to a traveller here.
Wine, chacha and drinks
Georgia is widely regarded as the cradle of wine, with an unbroken tradition stretching back some 8,000 years. Its signature technique ferments grapes — skins, stems and pips included — in egg-shaped clay vessels called qvevri that are buried in the ground, producing the country's distinctive deep-amber "orange" wines. The qvevri method is inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The heartland is Kakheti in the east, where family wineries welcome visitors for tastings. Look out for grape varieties like Saperavi (red) and Rkatsiteli (white/amber). For something stronger, chacha is the fiery grape spirit poured at celebrations — handle with respect.
Where to eat across Georgia
In Tbilisi, graze from old-town bakeries to modern bistros reinventing classics; the capital pairs perfectly with our 4-day Tbilisi guide, and a soak afterwards at the sulfur baths is a local tradition. In Kakheti, the food is inseparable from the wine, with long countryside supras. On the Black Sea coast, Batumi and Adjara are the home of that egg-topped khachapuri and of fresh seafood — an easy add-on to the Tbilisi to Batumi route. Mountain regions like Kazbegi and Svaneti serve heartier, cheesier fare suited to the cold.
Practical tips for food travellers
Meals are inexpensive: roughly 20–40 GEL for a filling casual meal with a drink, more in tourist-central Tbilisi and Batumi. Vegetarians eat extremely well; vegans should confirm dishes are free of cheese, butter and egg. Tap water is generally safe in cities, and tipping around 10% is appreciated. The best way to taste the regional specialities is to travel between them — a private driver lets you tour wineries and village restaurants without worrying about who drives home after the supra. For timing your trip around harvests and festivals, see the best time to visit Georgia.
Taste your way across Georgia — book a private transferFrequently asked questions
What food is Georgia famous for?
Khachapuri (cheese bread, including the egg-topped Adjarian boat) and khinkali (soup dumplings), plus mtsvadi grilled meat, lobio bean stew, badrijani and pkhali walnut dishes, all served with qvevri wine.
How do you eat khinkali correctly?
Hold the top knot, bite a small hole, sip the broth, then eat the rest with your hands. Leave and count the chewy top knots; season only with black pepper.
Why is Georgian wine special?
Georgia is the cradle of wine with an 8,000-year tradition, famous for amber wines fermented in buried clay qvevri — a UNESCO-listed method centred on Kakheti.
How much does a meal cost in 2026?
About 20–40 GEL for a casual meal with a drink, 50–90 GEL for a restaurant dinner with wine, and just a few lari for street khachapuri or khinkali.