Agree, when you saw the title of the top Georgian dishes, your mouth started watering. Not yet? Then hold on, it will happen soon. Georgians are one of the oldest nations in Europe, quite unique in many ways, and the same can be said about their cuisine. Traditionally, we build our top list like a lunch menu. And let’s not forget about the sweets!
1 Khachapuri
What’s lunch without bread? The head of everything? And the most famous Georgian pastry is khachapuri. There are three main types of this dish in the country, all of which include cheese: Imeretian, Adjarian, and Mingrelian. But all of them are insanely delicious and hearty!
2 Khali
A spicy (or not) appetizer made from any vegetables with the obligatory addition of a huge amount of herbs, walnuts, and spices is khali. For a bit of sourness, you can also add pomegranate juice or vinegar (wine vinegar, of course) to get a liquid sauce, but generally, it’s more of an appetizer to eat with lavash.
3 Kharcho Soup
A fiery, bright red soup won’t be complete without not only meat on the bone, mandatory spicy seasonings, and rice but also tkemali sauce. However, some housewives go beyond that. They add a paste made from walnuts, essentially turning it into a second course.
4 Lobio
Of course, our top Georgian dishes list wouldn’t be complete without lobio! Beans or legumes of various types (even string beans) are stewed until cooked, then slightly mashed, seasoned with the most aromatic spices, and served as a side dish.
5 Mtsvadi
What to serve with lobio? Georgian-style kebabs are an excellent option. This dish originated in the Caucasus, and the secrets of truly aromatic, juicy kebabs are right here. Specifically, in Kakheti. Kakhetian kebabs are not marinated, and they aren’t even salted before grilling! Narrow, long strips of meat are threaded onto flat skewers and salted during cooking. The cooked pieces are placed in a pot, sprinkled with rings of onions, and garnished with pomegranate.
6 Chakhokhbili
For chakhokhbili, the chicken is stewed for a long time in its own juice with minimal added liquid, and this should be kept in mind when choosing the meat. You need to add onions, tomato paste or stewed tomatoes, or better yet, both, and of course, lots of herbs.
7 Satsivi
Satsivi is one of the most famous Georgian dishes. The special flavor and aroma come from the stewed chicken being served with a walnut sauce made from chicken broth. The chicken itself plays a modest role—it is boiled and then served with the sauce.
8 Khinkali
Khinkali are not “Georgian dumplings”; they are a true fairy tale and dream, as any gourmet will confirm. The eater gets the thinnest dough with a filling of minced pork and beef, with the excess (the “tail”) remaining on the plate. Khinkali are eaten either with garlic sauce or with satsibela (tomato sauce).
9 Chicken Tabaka
The famous chicken tabaka was long the leader in the top most delicious dishes of Georgia. To make it perfect, you need to choose the right chicken, beat it well, marinate it in white wine, and then fry it correctly—on a flat pan under a weight using a mixture of vegetable and butter.
10 Pelamushi
It’s unfair that many people perceive Georgian cuisine as exclusively meat-based. We’ve already seen vegetable dishes and pastries; now it’s time for sweets. Pelamushi is somewhat like an English pudding made from a mixture of corn and wheat flour cooked in sweet grape juice. An ancient sweetness, as old as Georgia itself!
