Food of Georgia

Georgian cuisine is celebrated for cheese breads, dumplings, walnut sauces and fresh herbs, served at lavish tables called supra. Each region has its own character, from the Black Sea coast to mountain villages. Walnuts, pomegranates, coriander, blue fenugreek and tkemali plum sauce give dishes their signature taste.

Khachapuri
National dish

Khachapuri

Cheese-filled bread, the national comfort food.

How to make Khachapuri

Staples

  • cheese
  • bread
  • walnuts
  • beans
  • corn
  • pork
  • lamb
  • herbs

Signature flavors

  • coriander
  • blue fenugreek
  • tarragon
  • garlic
  • pomegranate
  • tkemali
  • walnut

Main dishes

Khinkali
Khinkali

Twisted dumplings of spiced meat and broth, eaten by hand.

Key ingredients: dough, beef, pork, cilantro, pepperFull guide →
Mtsvadi
Mtsvadi

Skewered pork or lamb grilled on grapevine coals.

Key ingredients: pork, onion, salt
Satsivi
Satsivi

Cold chicken in a walnut, garlic and spice sauce.

Key ingredients: chicken, walnuts, garlic, coriander, blue fenugreek
Chakapuli
Chakapuli

A lamb stew with tarragon and sour plums.

Key ingredients: lamb, tarragon, sour plum, white grape juice
Chakhokhbili
Chakhokhbili

Chicken stewed with tomato and herbs.

Key ingredients: chicken, tomato, onion, cilantro
Ostri

Beef stewed in spicy tomato sauce.

Key ingredients: beef, tomato, garlic, chili
Lobio
Lobio

Slow-cooked kidney beans with walnuts and herbs.

Key ingredients: kidney beans, walnuts, onion, cilantro
Pkhali
Pkhali

Chopped greens mixed with ground walnuts and spices into small balls.

Key ingredients: spinach or beets, walnuts, garlic
Badrijani nigvzit

Fried eggplant rolls with walnut paste.

Key ingredients: eggplant, walnuts, garlic, pomegranate
Kharcho
Kharcho

A thick beef soup with walnuts and rice.

Key ingredients: beef, rice, walnuts, tkemali

Breakfast

Khachapuri
Khachapuri

Cheese-filled bread, the national comfort food.

Key ingredients: dough, sulguni cheese, eggFull guide →
Ajapsandali
Ajapsandali

Vegetable stew with eggplant, tomato and herbs.

Key ingredients: eggplant, tomato, peppers, basil

Street food

Lobiani
Lobiani

Bread stuffed with bean paste.

Key ingredients: dough, beans, onion
Chebureki
Chebureki

Fried half-moon meat pastry.

Key ingredients: dough, ground meat, onion

Soups

Chikhirtma
Chikhirtma

Chicken soup thickened with egg and lemon.

Key ingredients: chicken, eggs, vinegar, herbs

Salads

Georgian tomato and cucumber salad
Georgian tomato and cucumber salad

Tomato and cucumber with walnut dressing and purple basil.

Key ingredients: tomato, cucumber, walnuts, basil

Breads

Shotis puri
Shotis puri

Boat-shaped bread baked in a clay oven.

Key ingredients: flour, water, salt
Mchadi
Mchadi

Fried cornbread cakes.

Key ingredients: cornmeal, water

Desserts and sweets

Churchkhela

Walnut strings dipped in grape juice.

Key ingredients: walnuts, grape juice, flourFull guide →
Pelamushi
Pelamushi

A thick pudding of grape juice and cornmeal.

Key ingredients: grape juice, cornmeal
Gozinaki
Gozinaki

Walnuts in honey.

Key ingredients: walnuts, honey

Drinks

Tarkhuna
Tarkhuna

Bright green tarragon soda.

Key ingredients: tarragon, sugar, soda
Borjomi
Borjomi

Naturally sparkling mineral water.

Key ingredients: mineral water
Georgian tea
Georgian tea

Black tea from the Black Sea coast.

Key ingredients: tea
Compote
Compote

Cooked fruit drink.

Key ingredients: fruit, sugar

Fruits and produce

Pomegranates
Pomegranates

Used in salads and sauces.

Key ingredients: juice, salad
Persimmons
Persimmons

Ripe orange fruit.

Key ingredients: fresh
Feijoa
Feijoa

Fragrant fruit from the west.

Key ingredients: fresh
Mandarins
Mandarins

Sweet mandarins from Adjara.

Key ingredients: fresh
Walnuts
Walnuts

Cornerstone of Georgian sauces.

Key ingredients: sauces, sweets
Grapes
Grapes

Hundreds of varieties.

Key ingredients: fresh, churchkhela
Plums
Plums

Sour plums for tkemali sauce.

Key ingredients: tkemali

Dish guides from Georgia

ChurchkhelaDesserts and sweets
Khachapuri
KhachapuriBreads
Khinkali
KhinkaliMain dishes
Explore Georgia on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Western Asia

About this page

Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.

Photo credits
  • Khinkali, Restaurant Aragvi: Sandra C from Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Shashlik: Игоревич, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Satsivi (2): Lesya Dolyk, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • PXL 20260504 183036483.MP: Temur888, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Чахохбили: Victor Vizu, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Lobio with summer savory and ajika: Georgian Recipes at Georgia About, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Pkhali, Badrijani and Ajika: salvagekat, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Kharcho soup of beef with walnuts and rice, Georgian cuisine (2): Lesya Dolyk, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Old Tbilisi, Georgian khachapuri, Georgia: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Ajapsandali - Georgian eggplant stew: Georgian Recipes at Georgia About, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Lobiani, Restaurant Aragvi: Sandra C from Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Ayran+Çibörek: Eaeeae, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Chikhirtma: Lamro, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • A large mixed salad: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Шоти грузинский хлеб: Theoremapiphagora, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mchadi 2: Georgian Recipes at Georgia About, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Pelamushi (20): https://georgianrecipes.net/2013/11/04/dark-grape-pelamushi-with-corn-flour/, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Gozinaki with walnuts: Georgian Recipes at Georgia About, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 龙蒿汽水: 三猎, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Panorama of Borjomi from the cable car: Sergey Sebelev, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Longjing tea steeping in gaiwan: Difference engine, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Compote: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Pomegranate Juice (2019): Augustus Binu : flickr, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Fuyu persimmon fruits, one cut open: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Goiaba-serrana, ou guarobi (do guarani 'fruto verde'), Feijoa sellowiana, em Bagé, RS, Brasil - 55238473195: Gabriel Collares, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Citrus reticulata April 2013 Nordbaden: 4028mdk09, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Walnuts - whole and open with halved kernel: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Grapes, Rostov-on-Don, Russia: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Plums African Rose - whole, halved and slice: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)