Georgian cuisine for tourists: what you need to know when setting off on a trip

9 rules regarding Georgian cuisine, which every tourist should be familiar with before embarking on a trip to this beautiful country.

“Georgia country” is one of the most popular queries on the Internet, because when planning their trip, everyone wants to learn as much as possible about the country of Georgia, and not the state in America.  Since you are reading this article, it means that you are also going to visit this beautiful country.  It just so happened that the best places to visit in Georgia necessarily include restaurants and cafes.  It doesn’t matter whether you want to spend a weekend in Georgia or a whole month, you will certainly encounter Georgian cuisine and especially the famous Georgian wine.

But before you start familiarizing yourself with Georgian cuisine, you need to remember a few rules:

The rule №1: Not everything at once

The stereotype that Georgian cuisine is one of the most delicious on our planet may make you want to taste everything right away. It is not worth it. Although the dishes are admirable, there are many spicy, bitter and savory flavorings among their ingredients. Take pity on your stomachs. They may not be able to withstand such a shock.  Do not turn your vacation into a trip about local clinics and pharmacies. It is necessary to allow the body to adapt to a new environment, especially, food.

The rule №2: The words don’t say anything

Elarji, gebzhalia, phali, chkmeruli, hashlama. These words sound like an exorcism for the foreigner. Meanwhile, local people are familiar with them as with the names of the dishes.  Despite the attempts, most of the words for tourists will be completely new and strange. Therefore, when ordering a dish in a restaurant, ask the waiter to tell you in detail about it. It is possible that you may like the names of the dishes, for example, “ojahuri” and “ostri.”  However, when you receive them, there will be almost identical meat dishes with potatoes on the table.

The rule №3: Don’t forget about portions

The feeds in traditional Georgian restaurants are large. Commonly, the waiter himself says how many people this or that portion is enough for.  For instance, kharcho is served in a deep plate. If you do not want to throw the dish into the abyss, as the character of the cult comedy “Caucasian Prisoner” did, ask the staff to bring you another big plate to share with a friend.  Moreover, you can ask them to bring you half a serving beforehand. The price will also be halved respectively.

The rule №4: The meat-eaters are honored here

Delicious barbeque, flavored kebab or kupat will be offered to you everywhere. However, it is important that the meat is fried according to the best traditions. They require fire, brazier, and skewers. In the meantime, steaks or meatballs can be cooked in your own kitchen inside of the pan. Therefore, it is better to choose a restaurant in the courtyard of which you will be served with an incredibly flavored kebab. By the way, the guest himself can take part in the cooking process.

The rule №5: Life is beautiful without meat, too

Often people think that all Georgians are meat-eaters.  Otherwise, how would chashululi, and ajapsandal be included in the pearls of national cuisine? Spinach, beets, cabbage, beans, and eggplants with the help of various seasonings turn into bright masterpieces. The recipes of Georgian cuisine make it possible for people to feel great while fantasizing and cooking without meat at all.

The rule №6: Forget about the fork

Eating with hands is never a sign of a poor upbringing. Georgians usually say that “There should be nothing between a person and food.” Therefore, khinkali, khachapuri, barbecue and dozens of delicious dishes can be eaten straight with your hands. Besides, people will simply laugh at you if you try to poke a fork in a khinkali.

The rule №7: Every day in Georgia is a feast 

If you were invited to lunch or dinner, then you need to know one fact: in Georgia, this means that you are a welcome guest and they want to communicate with you. Therefore, it will be better if you will not make any plans for this day, the meeting will last more than one hour. If you will be leaving saying you are in a hurry means that you offending a person who invited you.  And this is not good. If in the morning you receive an invitation to go to a tea party, then this is a good sign – breakfast will grow into something more. There will be not only light snacks and diet dishes on the table.

The rule №8:  Not all the gold that glitters

There are are several hundred restaurants in Tbilisi only. The rich interior, decoration and premium class comfort is not a sign that you need to go in and start exploring the menu at all.  Often, simple-looking restaurants can turn into your favorite place. There is one reason – the cook. Paphos restaurants are more suitable for large banquets, corporate parties, special occasions.  They cook deliciously there but try to focus on European trends more and more. Authenticity and culinary flavor can be found in small institutions.

The rule №9: Remember and share with others

Share all the vivid emotions from exploring the local cuisine to your friends and relatives, who may soon come to Georgia.  Take pictures of culinary masterpieces, write reviews on the pages of social networks, share recipes that you could find out. Georgia is very fond of when guests come to restaurants on the recommendation of someone. 

We hope you found this article useful and informative. If you would like to explore the country further but not sure where to go and what to do in Georgia, we recommend you have a look at posts of our blog by tag “Georgia”.

Photos from sources: 2gis.ru, vestivrn.ru, gdepoest.kz, vk.com