In spring 2022 Tbilisi was one of my two bases for a trip around Georgia and Armenia, and my saved-places list ended up with a dozen places to eat: khinkali houses and restaurants in the centre, three Georgian restaurants on one street in Didube, and a few addresses for when you've had enough khinkali. So far the descriptions are compiled from Google Maps reviews, and I'll add my own notes over time.
Prices are Google's average spend per person, valid as of 1 October 2026. Rate: 1 ₾ ≈ $0.38.
In short
- Khinkali in the centre: Khinkali House right on Rustaveli (until 1:00) and Zodiaqo, which many people put in their top three for khinkali in Georgia.
- One street, three Georgian restaurants: Beliashvili in Didube — Chashnagiri, Kakhelebi and Mtsvadiauri.
- A special night out: Barbarestan, cooking from an 1874 cookbook — book ahead.
- When you've had enough khinkali: Italian at Ratto Bistró, yufiko, and vegan shpana.
Georgian food in the centre
Khinkali House on Rustaveli
Rustaveli · khinkali house · 20–60 ₾ (≈$8–23) · daily 10:00–1:00
Google Maps · Facebook · 37 Shota Rustaveli Ave
According to Google Maps reviews (4.1 from 6,500+): a big khinkali house right on Rustaveli Avenue, with a long Georgian menu and live music. Some call its khinkali the best in town; the mushroom ones get special praise and suit vegetarians. Reviewers like the friendly, English-speaking waiters and that splitting the bill is easy. The ground-floor entrance looks like a dark club, but upstairs is pleasant; sometimes the staff choose your table for you.
Zodiaqo
Old Tbilisi · khinkali house · 20–60 ₾ (≈$8–23) · daily 11:00–21:30, Wed until 22:30
Google Maps · Instagram · 6 Gia Chanturia St
According to Google Maps reviews (4.1 from 4,000+): a classic khinkali house in the centre that many put in their top three in Georgia. Go for boiled and fried khinkali, including cheese ones, kalakuri, Megrelian khachapuri and homemade lemonade. The main complaint is service: the door staff can be rude and tourists get a cool welcome.
Maspindzelo
Abanotubani · Georgian · 20–70 ₾ (≈$8–27) · daily 10:30–0:00, Fri–Sat open 24 hours
Google Maps · 7 Vakhtang Gorgasali St
According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 3,000+): a restaurant near Europe Square with fair prices and no surprises on the bill. Reviewers praise the khinkali, soft fresh bread to go with the lobio, and — for big groups — the option to pre-order. Half the room is renovated, half is old-school. One reviewer warns against the grilled lamb; another says it's cash only and hardly anyone speaks English.
Tiflisi Vorontsovze
Chugureti · Georgian · 20–60 ₾ (≈$8–23) · daily 11:00–2:00
Google Maps · Facebook · 2/7 Saarbrücken Square
According to Google Maps reviews (4.1 from 3,100+): a large, modern restaurant on the square by the Vorontsov bridge, open until 2 am. Reviewers like the khinkali, mushroom ones included, chicken in garlic sauce and veal in pomegranate sauce. Recent reviews are noticeably worse than older ones: long waits, uneven meat and rudeness at the bill — check yours.
Barbarestan
Chugureti · fine dining · from 100 ₾ (from ≈$38) · daily 14:00–23:00
Google Maps · 132 Davit Aghmashenebeli Ave
According to Google Maps reviews (4.6 from 3,000+): one of the city's best-known restaurants, with a menu based on a Georgian cookbook from 1874 — so the flavours feel old rather than modern. A cosy, aristocratic dining room, live jazz or piano, and service that guests call among the best they've had. Try the rabbit and the pine cone dessert. The most expensive place in this guide.
Rtveli - Authentic Georgian Restaurant
Vake-Saburtalo · Georgian · 30–90 ₾ (≈$11–34) · daily 12:00–23:00
Google Maps · website · 5 Archil Mishveladze St
According to Google Maps reviews (4.6 from 700+): a cosy restaurant with a beautiful interior and menus in English and Georgian. Reviewers praise the khinkali and big portions, food that arrives fresh and hot, and waiters who know Georgian food and wine and don't push the expensive options. It may look touristy, but guests come away pleasantly surprised.
Beliashvili Street
Chashnagiri
Didube · Georgian · 30–90 ₾ (≈$11–34) · daily 9:00–0:00
Google Maps · menu · Akaki Beliashvili St
According to Google Maps reviews (4.6 from 1,900+): a traditional Georgian-style restaurant with a garden, an outdoor fireplace and private booths for groups. Reviewers rave about the mtsvadi (some call it the best in town), khachapuri, kharcho and the signature berry lemonade. In the evenings there are live singers and Georgian music, and the neighbouring tables often join in. Easy to walk past from the street.
Kakhelebi on Beliashvili
Didube · Georgian and bakery · daily 9:00–22:00
Google Maps · website · 41 Akaki Beliashvili St
According to Google Maps reviews (4.6 from 1,800+): for many visitors, the tastiest food of their whole Tbilisi trip. Plain from outside, country-style inside with wrought-iron details — the second floor is especially cosy, sometimes with live music. Bread is baked in front of you, and there are salads, pies and a huge Kyiv cake. Some find it a bit pricey, others say you can eat for 7–12 lari; service can be slow.
Mtsvadiauri
Didube · Georgian · 30–90 ₾ (≈$11–34) · daily 11:00–22:30
Google Maps · Facebook · 97 Akaki Beliashvili St
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 370+): a simple, local restaurant where each group gets its own small room — it feels like dinner at home. Almost every Georgian dish is on the menu: reviewers praise the chicken mtsvadi, kebabs, Megrelian and Imeretian khachapuri and khinkali, though one found the Kakhetian mtsvadi dry. There's sometimes a Georgian ensemble in the evening. Staff can rush you and forget orders.
Not only Georgian
Ratto Bistró
Old Tbilisi · Italian bistro · 30–70 ₾ (≈$11–27) · Mon–Fri 13:00–0:00, Sat–Sun 12:00–0:00
Google Maps · Instagram · 9 Vukol Beridze St
According to Google Maps reviews (4.7 from 1,600+): a tucked-away bistro where some guests had the best Italian food of their lives — simple and creative dishes at fair prices. Reviewers praise the pizza, tartare, tomato soup, mushroom pasta, carbonara and a chicken parmigiana like grandma's. Very cosy: blankets when it gets cold, and sockets to charge your phone. Friendly staff and quick service.
yufiko
Chugureti · shawarma and café · 20–30 ₾ (≈$8–11) · daily 12:00–22:30, Fri–Sat until 23:00
Google Maps · Instagram · 159 Davit Aghmashenebeli Ave
According to Google Maps reviews (4.8 from 930+): a cosy café on Aghmashenebeli with big portions of fresh food — shawarma, pitas, wraps, salads, fish and chips. Vegans single out the curry. Lots of homemade drinks and teas, good cappuccino and orange cake. Sit inside or out in a small park; staff speak English and Russian, and a cat may pick your lap for a nap.
shpana
Didube · vegan · 20–30 ₾ (≈$8–11) · daily 16:00–0:00
Google Maps · Instagram · 34 Giorgi Chitaia St
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 280+): one of the few vegan places in Tbilisi that cooks Georgian classics — reviewers say it's the only one with vegan Adjarian and Imeretian khachapuri. Everything is made from scratch, including a vegan egg and tuna; the bibimbap, onigiri and sushi also get praise. Quirky, laid-back room with cats wandering around. Food takes a while — it's not a place for a quick bite.
One last thing
Some old-school places are still cash only — reviews mention Maspindzelo, for one — so keep a couple of hundred lari on you. And on a hot day, eat somewhere with a garden, like Chashnagiri: the hilly centre has almost no shade.
More on Tbilisi: coffee and breakfast, bars, what to see.