What to eat in Georgia: cuisine, khachapuri and wine

Georgian cuisine is one of the main reasons to come to the country. It’s generous, hearty and very regional: every part of Georgia has its own dishes, cheeses and wines. Here’s what to try first — and a few things to know at the table.

Khachapuri

The most famous dish is khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread that comes in several regional versions. Adjaruli (Adjarian-style) is an open “boat” with cheese, butter and an egg that you stir straight into the hot cheese. Imeruli (Imeretian) is a closed round bread with cheese inside. Megruli (Megrelian) is like the Imeretian but with cheese on top as well. There’s no easier way to start getting to know Georgian food than with khachapuri.

Khinkali

Khinkali are large, juicy dumplings with broth inside. The classic filling is minced spiced meat, but you’ll also find cheese, mushroom or potato versions. You eat them with your hands: hold the twisted top knot, take a bite, sip out the broth, and the tough knot itself is usually left uneaten on the plate — handy for keeping count of how many each person has had.

Meat, lobio and vegetables

For meat, try mtsvadi — Georgian barbecue, grilled over dry grapevine. On the vegetarian side there’s lobio, spiced stewed beans served in a clay pot with mchadi cornbread and pickles. A whole category of its own is the cheeses (sulguni, Imeretian) and the walnut-rich vegetable starters: pkhali and aubergine with walnut.

Sweets: churchkhela

The signature edible souvenir is churchkhela: nuts threaded on a string, dipped many times in thickened grape juice and dried. It’s often called the “Georgian Snickers”; at markets churchkhela hangs in colourful “candles” of every shade.

Wine and qvevri

Georgia is one of the world’s oldest winemaking countries. Wine is still made here in qvevri — large clay vessels buried in the ground; the method is on UNESCO’s list of intangible heritage (2013). Contact between the juice and the skins in the qvevri produces amber (orange) wine, Georgia’s signature style. The main wine region is Kakheti, and the best way to really get to know the wine is to go there.

What it costs to eat (a guide)

This is a country-wide guide for 2026, not a fixed price list: central Tbilisi, Batumi and tourist spots are pricier, while the regions and simple canteens are noticeably cheaper. For exact figures, check the menu on the spot.

• Khinkali — about 1.5–2.5 GEL each.
• Khachapuri — Adjaruli ~14–22 GEL, Imeretian/Megrelian ~10–18 GEL.
• Mtsvadi (barbecue) — a portion ~15–28 GEL.
• Lobio — ~8–14 GEL; pkhali — ~6–12 GEL.
• Churchkhela — ~3–6 GEL each.
• Wine — a glass ~6–12 GEL, a bottle or house wine in a jug ~20–45 GEL.

Where to try it

You’ll find Georgian cuisine in any city, but the easiest places to start are Tbilisi and Batumi. For wine and country cooking, it’s worth heading to Kakheti — for example along the Kakheti wine in 2 days route. We round up tried-and-tested places by city in the where to eat section.