The Georgian national cuisine is well-known for its hearty dishes and spicy flavor accents. The dishes you will try in Kutaisi's restaurants will leave a lasting impression in your memory, and it is not unlikely that upon returning home, you will seek out a Georgian restaurant to once again experience the delights of Georgian cuisine.
Think that the most famous Georgian dish is shashlik? Surprisingly, the foundation of Georgian cuisine is vegetable dishes with herb seasonings, typically spicy and flavorful. So, if you're concerned about gaining weight during your stay in Kutaisi, opt for traditional vegetable dishes in the city's restaurants: lobio (beans, vegetables, nuts, and cilantro cooked in a clay pot in a special way), mkhali (boiled mixture of nettle, spinach, cabbage, beet tops, radishes, and young shrub shoots, seasoned with a nut, garlic, and spice dressing), the well-known eggplant rolls with nut filling, and kharcho (spicy beef soup). Be sure to try the cheeses by ordering a tasting dish with different varieties.
The variety of soups in Georgia is incredibly vast: bozartma (with lamb or chicken), chikhirtma (with a sour taste based on an egg mixture), shechamanda (without vegetables), cold soup muzhuzhi, spicy khash... An interesting dish is khinkali, which are similar to familiar dumplings served with broth. If the khinkali have cooled down, the restaurant can fry them, creating a completely different dish.
The main meat dish in Georgia is various options with poultry (satsivi, chakapuli). As for Georgian wines, they don't need advertising. When choosing, we recommend using the tips of the waiter, as it's not easy to navigate through the variety of Georgian wine varieties. Want to drink something stronger? Order chacha, a traditional strong alcoholic drink (grape vodka). Can't imagine dinner without beer? Kutaisi restaurants always have the popular local beer "Natakhtari," so you can appreciate its taste!
Traditional Georgian bread, mchadi, is always served at the table. Also, try the famous khachapuri - a unique bun similar to our cottage cheese pastries, filled with hot cheese and egg.
Don't be surprised if appetizers, hot dishes, and various sauces are served at the table at once, as Georgian feasts can last for hours.
