Where To Eat In Tbilisi: Best Georgian Restaurants in Tbilisi

Visiting Tbilisi and looking for the best Georgian restaurants to try some traditional dishes? Here are 7 of the best Georgian restaurants in Tbilisi that are great places to try out this delicious cuisine.

Tbilisi, Georgia has no shortage of sights to see and things to do.

After spending over a month in this quirky, cool city, we found one of our favorite activities in Tbilisi to be EATING.

Despite spending a lot of time in Tbilisi, we still found ourselves wishing we had more time to try out the dozens and dozens of amazing restaurants.

Traditional Georgian cuisine is underrated when it comes to popular world cuisines. There are many incredible flavors and diverse dishes to choose from.

Here are some of the best Georgian restaurants in Tbilisi to try a few traditional dishes.

Best Georgian Restaurants in Tbilisi
More Restaurant Honorable Mentions
Tips for Restaurants in Tbilisi

Looking for what you should order at the best Georgian restaurants in Tbilisi? Check out our post on the 11 best traditional Georgian dishes to try in Tbilisi!

Best Georgian Restaurants in Tbilisi

1. Salobie Bia

This was our favorite meal in Tbilisi.

First, the restaurant itself is lovely. When you step inside, you’re entering a beautiful museum. There’s artwork, pottery, and a gorgeous bar area. Don’t miss seeing the funky mirrors in the bathroom!

The food here is absolutely delicious. Seriously, we will be dreaming about this meal for a long time.

We ordered fresh bread, shkmeruli, and lobio. Each dish was flavorful and we ate every single bite.

The highlight of the meal though was the dessert. We had the dessert of the day, which was tkemali sorbet with white chocolate cream.

Just trust us – order it. If you eat just one thing from this list in Tbilisi, let this dessert be it.

There are a lot of reviews on Google that say you need to make a reservation. We stopped by the restaurant earlier in the day and they said they don’t accept reservations. We’re not sure if this is always the case, but the reservation information seems to be outdated. Check with the restaurant and confirm for yourself though because you don’t want to miss eating here.

Salobie Bia Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gUKmhzBp8WEoMhTUA

2. Amo Rame & Amo Rame Bani

Amo Rame has two locations. The original Amo Rame is next to Liberty Square near the Old Town. Amo Rame Bani is the newer location located across the river near Fabrika.

We prefer the Amo Rame Bani location because of the large courtyard outdoor area. If the weather is nice, we recommend getting a table in this area. It is quiet and peaceful.

We ordered chikhirtma, tomato and cucumber salad, and potato khinkali. These were the best potato khinkali we had anywhere in Georgia!

Amo Rame Bani Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JCF2P6ReF9FNfxx69

Amo Rame Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EpfjVoTiDdKtrGuV6

3. Shemomechama

This unique restaurant was recommended to us by our local tour guide.

After our tour, we were starving and too tired to search for a restaurant on our own, so we followed his recommendation. The restaurant quickly filled with other hungry tourists from our tour. Even our tour guide came in to eat here too.

The restaurant has a cool open-kitchen concept, so you can see the food being prepared.

We ordered the tomato and cucumber salad, adjarian khachapuri, meat khinkali, and potato khinkali. All of the dishes are good.

This is one of our favorite places to eat khachapuri. We prefer the potato khinkali at Amo Rame over this restaurant.

Shemomechama Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6pREc6m5CowqQbLF9

4. Cafe Daphna

Cafe Daphna is THE PLACE for khinkali.

This simple, cozy restaurant is often said to have the best khinkali in Tbilisi.

The restaurant stays busy at peak times, so be prepared for a possible wait, especially if you are traveling during the high season.

Similar to Salobie Bia above, there are many Google reviews saying you must make a reservation. We went to the restaurant and they said they don’t take reservations. Check with the restaurant and confirm for yourself though because you don’t want to miss eating here.

Cafe Daphna Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/v5RH7NLwRhuk8eei8

Need more inspiration for your Tbilisi trip? Here are 25 photos to inspire you to visit Tbilisi, Georgia.

5. Pictograma

While khinkali is (of course) a great option to order here, there are also many other unique dishes.

If you’re feeling a bit tired of the same menu at every restaurant, Pictograma offers diverse dishes that you aren’t likely to find anywhere else in Tbilisi.

This restaurant specializes in regional cuisine from the Khevsuerti region of eastern Georgia. You can find dishes like khortsveni, qadiskveri, and mkhlovani here.

Pictograma Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxCyXVPf1K4hBkEe8

6. Chashnagiri

This was our very first meal after arriving in Tbilisi.

We were hungry after a day of traveling and wanted something filling, hearty, and comforting.

Chashnagiri was the perfect choice.

We ate here a few times while in Tbilisi and were able to try many of the dishes. Some of our favorites were the chicken barbeque, eggplant with walnuts, pelmeni in a pot, shkmerli, and mushrooms with sulguni.

The shkmerli here is extra garlic-y and creamy. The pelmeni in a pot is also incredible and a perfect comfort food.

This restaurant has multiple locations. We ate both the Old Town location and the location further north near Central Park.

Chashnagiri Old Town Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4BL2cHhm6qbicXxz8

7. Mapshalia

This restaurant is a Tbilisi institution.

Don’t go here for quick service, aesthetic food, or a nice ambiance.

Go here for the authentic, no-frills experience.

Our AirBNB host told us that the city actually shut this restaurant down for cleanliness and not meeting sanitation standards. But it is so beloved by locals that people supported the restaurant to be re-opened.

We did find two hairs baked into our chvishtari… I guess it’s all part of the experience, right?

Mapshalia Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/dF2MCV49NT5KEabA7

More Tbilisi Restaurant Honorable Mentions

Restaurant Hide

Restaurant Hide Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8ambngvtkCwo5Njw7

HB Sanapiro

HB Sanapiro Google Maps Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Qzd4oP7vGVALm6ig8

Tips For Restaurants in Tbilisi

1. Minimum orders for khinkali

Many restaurants in Tbilisi, and other cities in Georgia, will have minimum quantity amounts when ordering khinkali. Typically, you will have to order at least 5 khinkali.

Currently, Amo Rame and Cafe Daphna are two restaurants on this list that do not have a minimum order requirement.

2. Service charge

Check your bill before tipping. Two additional charges will usually be added: the VAT tax (18%) and a service charge (typically 10% but it can be up to 20% for nicer restaurants).

Not every restaurant automatically adds the service charge, although we found many of them in Tbilisi did. If additional charges apply, these are usually clearly noted out on the menu.

3. Be patient

The wait times for food at restaurants can be painfully long. You’ll notice that many places have Google reviews mentioning slow service and long waits.

Be patient and prepared to wait.

If you’re starving, we recommend ordering a cold appetizer, like eggplant rolls with walnut or a salad, since this will be served much sooner.

4. Card or cash

Almost every restaurant (at least 95%) in Tbilisi will accept credit cards. When you receive the bill, tell your waiter that you would like to pay with credit card. They will return to your table with a portable card machine to scan your card at your table.

Otherwise, you can pay in local currency (lari).

Wherever you decide to eat, you certainly won’t be disappointed with the selection of restaurants in Tbilisi. What is your favorite Georgian restaurant in Tbilisi? Did it make our list of best restaurants?

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