Georgian cuisine is famous for feasts that last for hours. But in the morning and during the day Georgians eat simply and quickly: hot pastries from the bakery, cheese with bread, matsoni with honey. If you are on a budget or just don't want to sit down in a restaurant every time, this guide will help you eat well and cheaply.
Breakfast at home
A typical Georgian home breakfast:
- fresh bread — shoti or mrgvali from the bakery;
- cheese — sulguni or Imeretian;
- tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs — coriander, basil, tarragon;
- matsoni with honey or jam;
- eggs — often with tomatoes (chizhi-pizhi);
- tea or coffee.
Simple, fresh and delicious — especially in summer, when the vegetables are homegrown.
Bakeries — breakfast central
Every corner in Tbilisi, Batumi and other Georgian towns has a bakery, with morning queues of people on their way to work.
- Penovani — puff-pastry khachapuri with cheese, the most popular morning pastry. 3–5 lari.
- Lobiani — bean bread, filling and cheap. 2–4 lari.
- Imeruli khachapuri — round with cheese, often sold in quarters.
- Achma — layered cheese pie, sold by weight.
- Pirozhki — buns with potato, cabbage or meat.
- Kubdari — a hearty meat pie in some bakeries.
Tip: buy it hot from the oven — cold khachapuri loses half its charm.
Bread from the tone
Hot shoti from a basement tone bakery is a fine breakfast on its own. Add a piece of cheese from the shop next door and you're done, for under 5 lari.
Matsoni
Matsoni is a Georgian fermented milk product like thick yoghurt, sold in every shop in glass jars or plastic cups. With a spoonful of honey it makes a light, healthy breakfast. In the mountains try homemade matsoni from sheep's or cow's milk.
Chirbuli and Adjarian breakfast
In Batumi and Adjara order chirbuli — eggs with tomatoes, walnuts, onion and herbs — the traditional Adjarian breakfast served in cafés in the morning.
Coffee
Coffee culture is growing fast. Alongside Turkish coffee brewed in a cezve, Tbilisi and Batumi have many modern cafés with espresso and filter coffee. A cup costs 3–10 lari.
Street food during the day
- Shawarma — hugely popular, especially with students; big, filling and cheap at 8–14 lari.
- Khachapuri and lobiani from bakeries — Georgia's real fast food.
- Mchadi with cheese — in some cafés in western Georgia.
- Kupati and kebabs — at street grills, especially in summer.
- Boiled corn — sold on streets and beaches in summer.
- Churchkhela — a snack that travels well.
- Fruit — from markets and street sellers, very cheap in season.
Khinkali houses — fast and filling
A khinkali house isn't always a long feast. In an ordinary city khinkali place you can eat five khinkali and drink a beer or lemonade for 15–25 lari — a classic weekday lunch for Georgians.
Supermarkets and corner shops
Tbilisi and Batumi have plenty of chain supermarkets and small corner shops selling:
- ready-made salads and khachapuri;
- cheese, bread and matsoni;
- fruit and vegetables;
- water and lemonades.
Great for a picnic or lunch on the train.
Eating on a budget
A rough daily food budget for a thrifty traveller:
- bakery breakfast with coffee — 8–12 lari;
- lunch at a khinkali house or café — 20–30 lari;
- snacks and fruit — 5–10 lari;
- dinner at an inexpensive restaurant — 30–50 lari.
That's about 60–100 lari a day, without expensive wines.
Tips
- Eat where locals eat. A queue of Georgians is the best sign of quality.
- Don't be shy of tiny bakeries. The best khachapuri often comes from an anonymous window.
- Drink water. Carry a bottle on hot days; Tbilisi tap water is generally considered drinkable, though many visitors prefer bottled.
- Cash. Small bakeries and kiosks sometimes don't take cards.
In short
Hot penovani and coffee in the morning, five khinkali at lunchtime or lobiani on the go, churchkhela and fruit from the market in between. That way you eat well and cheaply all trip and save the evening for a big feast.
