10 Georgian Foods You Must Try
Georgia isn’t nicknamed the Italy of the Caucasus for nothing.
And since I can’t find an adjective for Georgian food that isn’t cliché, I’ll let the below list of 10 must-try items do all the talking:
1. Achma
A heaping helping of fresh Achma, a savory Adjaran pastry.
I knew a special occasion was around the corner when my Adjaran host mother whipped out a large metal pan and the ingredients for homemade pasta: eggs, water, butter, and flour.
Hours were spent hand-stretching dough into paper-thin sheets and layering them over fat slices of sulguni cheese before heaving the pan into a woodburning stove, all in the name of assembling a savory pastry called Achma.
Best served fresh from the oven, Achma features layers of oozing sulguni cheese and melted butter, delicate folds of homemade pasta, and a crispy, golden-brown crust. It hails from Adjara and Abkhazia, subautonomous regions in Western Georgia that are famous for subtropical weather and fertile soils.
2. Satsivi
Just as no special occasion with my Adjaran host family was complete without achma, no winter holiday was complete without Satsivi, a chilled merriment of stewed poultry and creamy walnut sauce, notable for being Joseph Stalin’s favorite dish.
The sauce, created with a labor-intensive blend of macerated garlic, walnuts, and an assembly of traditional Georgian herbs called Khmeli Svkeli, is the star of this dish, one that pairs well with other Georgian winter dishes, like lobio and mchadi, Georgia’s version of cornbread.
3. Khinkali
Fresh khinkali with a dusting of black pepper.
Another all-star dish, originating from Georgia’s rugged northeastern Mtskheta-Mtianeti highlands. As steamed, handbag-shaped dumplings that are stuffed with spiced pork, beef, or vegetables, Khinkali look unassuming; the etiquette around how they’re consumed, however, is where tourists falter.
To eat Khinkali, forgo utensils, as Georgians consider them juvenile.
Instead, dust them with black pepper and grip them by their doughy stems with your hand; use your mouth to consume the brothy contents inside. Bonus points if you can eat them without spilling a drop of juice. More bonus points if you can consume six or more (Georgian men love to flex through large numbers of consumed Khinkali).
Oh, and avoid eating the stems; the stems are for peasants.
4. Chakhokhbili
Whole chicken in a homemade tomato sauce.
A summertime culinary staple, made from chicken (ribs and all) cooked low and slow, juicy homegrown tomatoes, and a medley of fresh herbs and spices.
Remember Khmeli Svkeli, the spice blend I mentioned earlier?
The same blend, a kaleidoscope of paprika, coriander, blue fenugreek, and crushed marigold petals (“yellow flower”, according to my host mother) that harkens back to Georgia’s place as a Silk Road midpoint, is used to give Chakhokhbili its signature scarlet color and earthy flavor profile.
5. Khachapuri
Paula Deen is quaking; Adjaran khachapuri (adjaruli khachapuri) is the most iconic variation of Georgian cheese bread.
The one. The only.
The national dish of Georgia, made with fresh baked bread and melted sulguni, a brined cheese from Georgia’s northwestern Samegrelo region. With a texture somewhere between mozzarella and feta, sulguni has a distinct tangy flavor that pairs well with beer.
Each Georgian region has its own version of khachapuri, with Adjara’s being the most distinct and the most popular with tourists – boat-shaped bread, filled with cheese and topped with a raw egg and a slab of raw butter. All aboard!
6. Green Lobio
Meaning “beans” in Georgian, Lobio is an umbrella term for the regional varieties of thick bean stew in Georgia.
And while you’ll commonly see Lobio nigvzit, or “red lobio” made from kidney beans, on Georgian restaurant menus and at roadside food stands, lobio satsivi is Adjara’s take on this national dish and my personal favorite iteration of it.
As another summertime staple, green lobio is made from green beans, tomatoes, peppers, and walnuts. Like with Satsivi and Chakhokhbili, green lobio owes its gentle heat and earthy flavor to Khmeli Svkeli; for extra authenticity, pair it with fresh puri (bread) and ajika paste, a sizzling hot amalgamation of boiled red peppers, garlic, walnuts, and spices.
7. Churchkhela
Churchkela, a traditional Georgian snack, are traditionally sold at food stands and outdoor markets. Their color variations are caused by different grape varieties.
I felt perplexed the first time I saw jewel-toned bundles of churchkhela dangling from streetside stalls in Tbilisi. They looked like candles, and yet customers brought them straight to their mouths after purchase…
Appearing in autumn, churchkhela is a traditional Georgian snack. It hails from Kakheti, Georgia’s easternmost region and the birthplace of wine.
With flour, tree nuts (hazelnut, pecans, and walnuts, for example), and grape must, a mixture of skins, seeds, and stems produced by crushed grapes, as the star ingredients, churhkhela are prepared by dipping a string of threaded nuts into thickened, molten grape molasses before being hung to dry for up to six days. Besides having a chewy texture and subtle sweet flavor, churchkhela keep you full for hours, meaning they’re perfect for stowing away in your bag as you trek across the Caucasus.
8. Pelamushi
An artfully displayed serving of pelamushi; note its signature violet color.
Survived a Georgian supra and somehow still have room for dessert?
Try pelamushi, a tart and gelatinous sweet porridge made from flour and condensed grape juice.
Like churchkhela, this treat traditionally appears in autumn after the grape harvest.
9. Soup Kharcho
Soup kharcho, a Georgian comfort food best enjoyed in chilly temperatures.
Desserts aren’t the only Georgian foods that use fruit; soup kharcho, Georgia’s national soup, meld together acidic plum tkemali (puree) with tender stewed beef, white rice, and an herbaceous tomato-based broth.
Due to soup kharcho’s colors, a mosaic of persimmon, olive, and cream, and robust, fragrant flavor profile, I find that this dish pairs beautifully with the autumn-to-winter transition in Georgia, when the days are bathed in golden light and crisp temperatures.
10. Ojakhuri
Sizzling hot ojakhuri, served in a traditional clay vessel.
Sometimes you want to eat something simple, and ojakhuri, Georgia’s version of meat and potatoes, perfectly fits the bill.
Meaning “family meal”, ojakhuri is a popular menu item at Georgian restaurants and local tables. It traditionally arrives in a warm clay vessel, and its fried, slightly smoky pork and potato contents are commonly garnished with fresh onions and diced cilantro.
For maximum comfort, try pairing ojakhuri with your preferred iteration of khachapuri and a chilled, bubbly glass of Natakhtari lemonade.
Planning a trip to Georgia? Which Georgian food sounds most appetizing to you?