Are you planning a trip to Kutaisi, Georgia? Then, you shouldn’t miss the best taste of the region. Here, we list some of the best options for what to eat and where to eat in Kutaisi. The big city in the Imereti area of western Georgia, reputed for its seasonal vegetables, fragrant herbs, and distinctive regional cuisine, is Kutaisi, which you must add to your Georgia Holiday Package.
In this beautiful region of Georgia, meat consumption is less common, and khinkali dumplings are not generally served on the menu. Both vegetables and herbs are a major part of Kutaisi, and the majority of recipes are made to showcase basic flavors and completely fresh ingredients. There are numerous meals on the menu that are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Don't miss adding the best taste to your Georgia Tour Package from Bahrain and other parts of the world.
Imeretian speciality dishes you must try
Pkhali:
Kutaisi is where frugal cooks first found how to blend wild greens and vegetables with crushed spices and walnuts for an instant, heavily protein-rich, and tasty dinner. Pkhali is Georgia's most popular vegan-friendly appetizer.
Claypan mushrooms:
In Imereti communities, a unique method of preparing meals over an open flame is the use of clay ketsi pans. This method of cooking mushrooms (soko) is very common. The mushrooms will be sauteed until juicy and stunningly soft, and then they will add some melty cheese.
Mchadi:
Since Imereti is a corn-growing region, Mchadi cornbread is always available for you. It complements pkhali and chicken in walnut sauce very well. Your Georgia Tour Package from Dubai or any other part of the world will definitely give you a new taste like that of Machado.
Imeretian khachapuri:
This most popular kind of Georgia's "cheese bread" fully encases the creamy and salty cheese in thin dough. Its shape is rounded, and it is much lighter than the Adjarian khachapuri you can taste in Batumi.
Kuchmachi:
Although fairly intense, this dish of gizzards, heart, and liver cooked with pomegranate and walnuts is amazingly delicious. This dish is mostly prepared with chicken in Imereti.
Chicken in blackberry sauce:
This dish, also known as tsitsila isrim-maqvalshi, is a favourite meal of many people in Kutaisi and has fully roasted chicken in a sweet-tart sauce. Don’t miss these tastes in your Georgia Travel Packages.
Imeretian cheeses:
Cow's milk cheeses, such as Sulguni, Kveli, and Chkinti, are most popular in Imereti and frequently offered as a tasting board item on top restaurant menus. This cheese is added to brine and can be quite salty.
Tkemali:
Throughout Georgia, this tangy plum sauce is often paired with dishes of potatoes and meat. The Kutaisi speciality known as green plum tkemali is one that many people, especially visitors, particularly enjoy.
The best drinks in Kutaisi
Imereti is Georgia's second-largest wine area after Kakheti. Thus, Kutaisi wine bars will have a wide collection of regional drinks to try. Imereti-made wine and wine from Kakheti are distinctly different in flavour. But you must try them once in your life. Imereti's climate is more humid than that of eastern Georgia, which makes it a good setting for the simple cultivation of many grape categories.
For their amber wines, Imeretian winemakers apply different kinds of methods, such as shorter skin contact times, which offer a lighter, fruitier flavour. Imereti is known for its amber white wines made from krakhuna grapes and sparkling wines created from lemony tsitska grapes. One of Georgia's most popular export brands, Baia's Wine, is prepared and bottled not far from Kutaisi.
Many eateries and bars offer Baia's Wine, and you can even go to the vineyard for a delicious supper and a wine tasting. Additionally, Kutaisi is a recommended spot to taste wines from Racha and Samegrelo. Ojaleshi and Khvanchkara are also good semi-sweet red wines from Georgia, which are produced in Western Georgia and are available at many restaurants in Kutaisi.
You can also sample the apple cider and craft beer produced locally at Otia's Ezo in Tskaltubo and serve them at Sisters Restaurant. In 1887, a natural Georgian lemonade called Lagidze Water was prepared in Kutaisi. So, this destination is a superb choice to taste the popular tarragon or chocolate soda water if you haven't already. So, don’t miss adding these tastes to your Georgia Holiday Package from UAE or any other part of the world.
Best restaurants in Kutaisi
Here are the top picks for bars and restaurants offering Georgian food in Kutaisi to get you started with awesome dishes. All of these establishments feature delectable regional seasonal produce as well as at least a few Imeretian specialities.
Sisters
This is a favourite Kutaisi restaurant for many people who come here with Georgia Tour Packages. It was reopened in September 2021 after being closed for more than a year. Even better than their first set is their new address, which is maintained inside a historic building in the park.
Finding the entry requires keeping an eye out for the blonde wood doorway beneath the arches and then ascending the steps to the second floor. This spot has superb vintage decor and styling that simply attracts everything people adore about Kutaisi. The owners have done the best job of paying respect to the historic structure. Evenings offer live piano music, which enhances the vintage atmosphere.
The cuisine is a celebration of fresh ingredients and regional produce. The broad menu offers all the favorites of people. Craft beer and cider from Otia's Ezo in Tskaltubo, as well as regional wines, are served. The location of Sisters is 33 Paliashvili Street, and the opening hours are daily at noon.
Lilestan
Lilestan is a fascinating bar-restaurant with a superb dining space and a tiny outdoor courtyard. This restaurant is a perfect option for a memorable lunch or dinner because of the tasty food, good service, and stunning decor. There is a long list of European selections, Imeretian delicacies, and Georgian cuisine on the menu. Their warm tarragon beef dish is a must-try.
The grilled pear salad with feta and the fresh grape salad with walnuts and chicken are two must-try items from Lile's salad menu. The choice of Imeretian, Svanetian, or Megrelian tasting boards is the top attraction.
The courtyard is an amazing spot to sip house and regional wines and cocktails at night when the fairy lights are on. You must try Lilestan's chocolate brownie, which is more of a fondant cake with a gooey centre. They set up the tiny market stand at Christmastime and offer mulled wine and hot chocolate. The location of the restaurant is 11 Tamar Queen Street, and the opening hours are daily from 11 a.m.
Georgian Cuisine Magnolia
This Magnolia is situated on the lower floor of Hotel Magnolia at the end of the Red Bridge. For traditional Georgian dishes in Kutaisi, you can go for khachapuri, stews, Mtsvadi BBQ, soups, and, of course, khinkali. Along with the customary pork-beef dumplings, Magnolia makes a buffalo meat-based khinkali dish. They are a speciality of Mingrelia and are flavorful, soupy, and light. Other dishes, such as the chicken Mtsvadi, are served in clay ketsi pans in the traditional Imeretian manner.
It's impossible to beat Magnolia's prime Riona River position. Choose between the outside balcony that looks out over the sea or the cosy inside space with rock walls. Both the atmosphere and the service are first-rate here. The restaurant has a slightly touristy vibe because of Georgian folk music. The location of the restaurant is 2 Davit and Konstantine Mkeidze Streets, and the opening hours are daily from 11 a.m.
Story
The summer of 2022 witnessed the start of this brand-new Kutaisi restaurant, which rose to the top of many travellers' Georgia tour packages from Qatar or any other parts of the world. The dining room of the Story is formal.
Although it is hidden around the back and faces the Rioni River, people wouldn't see it from the outside. This is a famous spot for sundowners in the summer. Mushroom chips, tolma vine leaves loaded with beef and rice, mashed potatoes, raspberry sauce on the fish, chvishtari cheese cornbread with cold yogurt sauce, and cream of beer soup are some of the best dishes you should add to your Georgia tour packages.
Palaty and Toma’s Wine Cellar are the other two best restaurants. The best local Kutaisi restaurant for a quick bite is Bikentia’s Kebabery. El Depot is the best khinkali in Kutaisi; you must go! Paolo, Bar-restaurant Papavero, and Cafe Newport are the best international restaurants in Kutaisi. Piatto, Tea House Foe-Foe, Our Cafe, and Cafe Fleur are the best cafes for breakfast and coffee. At Home Wine Bar is the best wine bar. More terrific restaurants near Kutaisi are Agro Guesthouse Korena, Baia’s Wine, Lia Deida, and Oda Family Marani. Choose from the best Georgia Travel Packages now!
