Georgia, located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, offers a rich variety of typical dishes and its culinary tradition is one of the oldest in the world.
The most famous national dishes are Khachapuri and Khinkali. Distinctive elements of Georgian cuisine are also the use of nuts, vegetables (especially eggplant), bread and a variety of stews.
Khachapuri is the national dish of Georgia and a true symbol of Georgian cuisine.
It is a bread with a round or oval shape and a crispy crust, while the cheese filling inside is creamy and stringy and is prepared in different variations throughout the country.
- Imeruli Khachapuri: It is prepared with a soft bread dough and a fresh cheese filling such as sulguni, a traditional Georgian cheese. Sulguni cheese has a mild flavor and a creamy texture. It is typical of the Imereti region, where Kutaisi is located.
- Adjaruli Khachapuri: Originally from the Adjara region, it has a boat shape and is served with a raw egg in the center. The melted cheese filling, often made with a combination of cheeses such as sulguni and feta, mixes with the raw egg creating a creamy treat that is eaten with the surrounding bread. It is typical of the Adjara region, where Batumi is located.
- Megruli Khachapuri: Similar to Imeruli Khachapuri but differs in its melted cheese filling covered in cheese au gratin.
Khinkali is a traditional Georgian dish that represents the essence of local cuisine.
They are made from a thin, soft dough dough, filled with a mixture of minced meat (usually lamb or beef), onion, spices, and vegetables. The standout feature of these tortellini is their knot-shaped dough stem at the top end. This stem is used to hold the Khinkali while eating it, but according to tradition, this is not eaten.
They are eaten with your hands holding the knot of the stem firmly, gently biting the edge of the tortellini first drinking the broth inside and then eating the rest.
Georgian bread, known as ‘puri’ in the local language, is a mainstay of Georgian cuisine and culture, embodying hospitality and tradition.
Traditionally it is a stick-shaped bread made with whole wheat flour, salt, water and yeast, it is distinguished by its preparation in a tone (a deep and circular oven).
Churchkhela is the best known of the traditional Georgian desserts. These sweets are made of nuts strung on a string and cooked in grape juice thickened with flour.
