Best Restaurants in Tbilisi for Georgian Food and Modern Cooking

Best Restaurants in Tbilisi for Georgian Food and Modern Cooking

Guide: Tbilisi Restaurants for Georgian Tradition and New Cooking

Tbilisi's strongest restaurants range from nineteenth-century recipes and cellar taverns to natural-wine kitchens, garden dining, and contemporary Georgian plates. These ten choices keep the food specific, the neighborhoods varied, and the reservation tradeoffs visible.

• BarbarestanBarbarestan rebuilds nineteenth-century Georgian recipes from Barbare Jorjadze's 1874 cookbook, turning dishes such as tutmaji, duck, and seasonal vegetable plates into a candlelit family restaurant. The Aghmashenebeli address is intimate and reservation-worthy.
• Shavi LomiShavi Lomi treats Georgian comfort food as a living kitchen: pkhali, khachapuri, stews, and grilled meats arrive with sharper seasoning and a more contemporary plate than the old-town banquet format. Its courtyard and Chughureti setting reward a slower dinner.
• Cafe LitteraCafe Littera serves Georgian-leaning contemporary cooking in the Writers' House garden, where polished plates, local wine, and a leafy Sololaki courtyard soften the formality. Reserve for the garden in warm weather; indoor seating is limited.
• Keto & KoteKeto & Kote pairs classic Georgian dishes with a terrace over the Old Town roofs: khinkali, khachapuri, walnut-heavy starters, and grilled meat come in a home-like setting rather than a formal tasting-room sequence. The view makes dinner timing matter.
• Salobie BiaSalobie Bia makes everyday Georgian food feel exact rather than ceremonial, with lobio, mchadi, cheese, seasonal vegetables, and small plates designed for sharing. The Sololaki room is compact, casual, and better suited to an early walk-in than a large supra.
• DaphnaDaphna focuses on the Georgian dumpling family, from peppery khinkali to regional variations, alongside khachapuri and salads in a bright central room. It is a useful first meal when you want a clear introduction to the dishes without a formal feast.
• PoliphoniaPoliphonia builds a small menu around Georgian produce, fermentation, regional recipes, and natural wine, with the cooking changing as ingredients move through the season. The intimate Old Town dining room is a better match for a planned dinner than a rushed lunch.
• AzarpheshaAzarphesha serves Georgian home cooking with a wine-led sensibility: herb-heavy starters, beans, cheese, meat, and qvevri pours arrive in a small Sololaki dining room that feels personal rather than theatrical. The menu is strongest when shared across the table.
• ChveniChveni is a neighborhood Georgian restaurant with familiar khachapuri, khinkali, grilled meats, and vegetable dishes prepared in generous portions. Its Marjanishvili location and informal service make it a practical choice for groups who want local food without a long tasting menu.
• Ninia's GardenNinia's Garden puts Georgian dishes, salads, grilled meats, and wine around a leafy courtyard in the Old Town. The atmosphere is relaxed but the small kitchen fills quickly, so dinner reservations are sensible during the warm-season evening rush.

Reviewed by RGuide Editorial · Venue details checked August 2026