Khachapuri is Georgia's signature cheese bread and probably the most photographed dish in the country. But the word does not mean one dish — it means a whole family. Every region has its own recipe, shape and cheese. Visitors often know only the boat with an egg on top and are then surprised to find six to eight kinds on the menu. Here is a guide to the main types and where to try them.
What khachapuri is
The name combines two Georgian words: "khacho", curd or young cheese, and "puri", bread. Every khachapuri is made of dough — yeasted, made with matsoni yoghurt, or puff pastry — and brined cheese, usually Imeretian cheese, sulguni or a mix of both. It is eaten hot, at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and many village families bake it almost every day.
Adjaruli — the boat with an egg
The most famous kind comes from Adjara, the seaside region around Batumi. The dough is shaped like an open boat, filled with lots of cheese and baked, then finished with a raw egg yolk and a piece of butter.
How to eat it: stir the yolk, butter and hot cheese with a fork until smooth. Then tear off the crust from the edges with your hands and dip it into the filling. It is filling: one large boat is a full lunch, while smaller sizes make a good snack.
Where to try it: Batumi and the rest of Adjara; in Tbilisi, any restaurant serving Adjarian food.
Imeruli — round, with cheese inside
The classic from Imereti and the most homely khachapuri: a round flatbread with cheese sealed inside. It is cut into wedges like pizza and served at breakfast, at feasts and taken on journeys.
Where to try it: everywhere, but especially in Kutaisi and Imeretian villages, where it is made with fresh local cheese.
Megruli — cheese inside and on top
The Samegrelo version looks like Imeruli but has a thick layer of cheese on top as well. Mingrelians love cheese and spicy food, so Megruli is especially rich and stretchy, sometimes brushed with egg for colour.
Where to try it: Zugdidi and western Georgia; in Tbilisi, any good restaurant.
Penovani — puff pastry
Penovani is made from puff pastry with cheese inside, forming a crispy envelope that is easy to eat on the go. It is the bestseller in bakeries and street kiosks; a fresh penovani with coffee is a classic Georgian snack.
Where to try it: any Tbilisi bakery, ideally in the morning straight from the oven.
Achma — "Georgian lasagne"
Achma comes from Abkhazia and Adjara. Thin sheets of dough are boiled like pasta, layered with cheese and butter and baked. The result is soft, rich and very filling, cut into squares.
Where to try it: Adjara and Tbilisi bakeries, where it is often sold by weight.
Kubdari — Svan meat pie
Technically not khachapuri, but always listed alongside it. Kubdari is a round pie from Svaneti filled with chopped beef or pork, onion and Svan spices, including the famous Svan salt. It is eaten hot, and in the mountains it is the meal of choice after a long trek.
Where to try it: Mestia and Svan villages; in Tbilisi, restaurants serving mountain cuisine.
Guruli — the Christmas one
Gurian khachapuri is baked for Christmas. It is crescent-shaped, filled with cheese and boiled eggs. It is harder to find on ordinary days, but some places in Guria and Tbilisi serve it all year round.
Rarer kinds
Some restaurants serve shampuris khachapuri, dough with cheese wrapped around a skewer and baked over charcoal. There is also osuri with potato and cheese, and rachuli from Racha with ham. If you see something unfamiliar on the menu, order it — it is hard to go wrong with khachapuri.
Prices and portions
Prices depend on size and place:
- penovani in a bakery — 3–6 lari;
- a whole Imeruli or Megruli in a café — 10–20 lari;
- Adjaruli — 12–30 lari depending on size;
- kubdari — 12–25 lari.
Portions are large. One Imeruli or Megruli with a salad feeds two or three people. A medium Adjaruli is a hearty lunch for one. For two people who want to try several kinds, two different khachapuri and a salad are plenty.
What to drink
Khachapuri goes well with matsoni yoghurt, fresh lemonade, beer or a light white wine such as Rkatsiteli or Tsolikouri. At breakfast Georgians simply drink tea or coffee with it.
Tips
- Eat it hot: cooled cheese turns dense and loses flavour.
- Don't cut Adjaruli with a knife — tear and dip.
- If you are watching calories, choose penovani or half an Imeruli; Adjaruli with butter and yolk is very rich.
- Reheat bakery khachapuri in a dry pan to make it crispy again.
In short
Khachapuri is a map of Georgia baked in bread. Start with Imeruli and Megruli in Tbilisi, try the Adjaruli boat in Batumi, eat kubdari in Svaneti and grab a hot penovani from a bakery for breakfast. After that you will tell them apart like a local.
