The Ultimate Vegetarian Guide to Tbilisi
Vegetarian restaurants or restaurants with vegetarian options are actually not too difficult to come by. You may be surprised, (we were!), that Georgian cuisine is actually vegetarian-friendly, unlike its other Caucasian neighbours.
Traditional Georgian cuisine has many dishes that are naturally vegetarian and even vegan, so there will be no awkward meals where the only items you can order are a salad and some chips. You’ll actually have options to choose from, which is definitely a luxury!
We travelled all around Georgia for six months, spending about two of these in Tbilisi, which definitely feels like a second home to us now! Georgian food really has to be one of THE most underrated cuisines, and while Tbilisi does an excellent job of showcasing its traditional food, it also has some fully vegan restaurants and plenty of really good Thai restaurants.
This vegetarian guide to Tbilisi will show you all the best restaurants for vegetarian and vegan options that won’t break the bank.
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Service Charge and Taxes
Vegetarian Georgian food often has the lower price tags than the meaty dishes, while international cuisines will be a little more expensive, but still reasonable.
On our latest trip to Georgia in February 2025, service charges and taxes no longer seem to be an additional charge as many restaurants have the final price stated on the menu instead. This does not mean that all restaurants have changed to this new format; we have still encountered restaurants with additional fees at the end, however, they are more the exception than the rule.
2023 – One thing to be aware of, is that Georgian restaurants usually have a non-negotiable service charge. 10% is the norm, but make sure you check before ordering. We have seen some restaurants with a 20% service, or some with 10% service plus 18% VAT.
Top Tip – ‘The Law of Lobio’
My top tip for determining whether a restaurant’s prices are reasonable is to use ‘the law of lobio’. Lobio is a vegan spiced bean stew which is delicious. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner with some fresh shoti! This is not a proper recognised law (I know, you’re shocked), but it is a great benchmark for prices.
Anyway, over the six months we spent in Georgia, we ate our fair share of lobio, and it should cost anywhere between 8 and 12 GEL as of 2023. (Update for 2025 is around 18 GEL.) If the lobio is wildly more expensive than this, I’d say it’s a key indicator that you’re at a pricey joint.
The Local Spots
Restaurant Ortachala
A little out of the main part of the city, Restaurant Ortachala doesn’t tend to get many tourists. The prices are decent and the food is great. Make sure you order the stewed mushrooms with tarragon. They’re not actually stewed, but are fried until chewy and meaty and, I kid you not, they remind me of salt and pepper ribs from a Chinese takeaway back home! Lobio, khachapuri, aubergine rolls with walnut spread, everything we had was great.
Cafe Daphna
Our top pick for the Georgian khinkali (essentially big soupy dumplings) is Cafe Daphna. It doesn’t get much better than the garlicky mushroom khinkali and the dambalkhacho gooey blue cheese crisp khinkali! Make sure you get here early; Cafe Daphna is really popular with tourists and locals, and they don’t take reservations.
Cafe Linville
I love everything about Cafe Linville from the street-art-style painted entrance way, to the wonky wooden staircase (you will be completely disoriented if you have too much wine!), to the retro/grandma decor, to the crisp wines, to the delicious food. I thoroughly recommend the cheese khinkali in a herby, creamy sauce! And if you’re planning on heading here for a busy time, make sure you reserve a table.
Klike’s Khinkali
As the name suggests, Klike’s Khinkali specialises in the Georgian classic khinkali, and they do a very good job of it! There are several vegetarian filling options with mushroom, cheese, potato, or cheese and potato. Grab yourself a beer to go with it (the traditional khinkali accompaniment) or a Georgian tarragon-flavoured Laghidze water.
Racha
Set in what feels like a basement wine cellar, Racha is perfect for an inexpensive but tasty meal. Try the punchy ajapsandali, classic Georgian salad with walnut dressing and a lobio. There is no service charge and only cash payment is accepted.
Veliaminov
Veliaminov is an underground restaurant serving all the Georgian classics. Even though it’s close to Freedom Square, it’s very much a locals’ spot. You’ll see large tables of locals ordering endless platters of khinkali. Affordable and tasty, we love the mushroom ojakhuri and walnut salad from here!
Georgian House
Georgian House looks like a fancy establishment when you walk in, and we were expecting the prices of the food to reflect that. However, the prices seemed on par with other restaurants that we had visited. There was live singing and music and the food was all tasty. Lobio, pkhali and oyster mushrooms with a litre of homemade wine. Yes, please!
You’ll find the best value mushroom khinkali (and they’re super tasty) in Kutaisi. Check out our Kutaisi restaurant guide too!
Funicular
Again, another one that looks like it would be dead posh and expensive. And I’m sure if you ordered the meaty dishes, it would be. However, the veggie bakery bits aren’t pricey.
Located in Mtatsminda Park, you’ll need to either earn your meal by hiking up all the steps from town or get the funicular up. Try the donut filled with spiced potato, and the donut filled with cream (known as a ponchiki).
See our other Tbilisi post for all the best things to do in Tbilisi (when you’re not eating and drinking, that is).
Wine Line Cellar
The least expensive sit down meal that we had during our time in Tbilisi was Wine Line Cellar. Lobio, Adjarian khachapuri and aubergine walnut spread rolls for 20 GEL (less than £7 on 2023) and it fed the two of us.
Radio Cafe
A relaxed restaurant with streetside seating. Radio Cafe serves up many varieties of khachapuri (the famous Georgian cheese bread). And if you can’t quite decide on which to choose, order the platter of three mini khachapuri to try a little bit of each!
Savvy Traveller Pro Tips 🇬🇪
After exploring Georgia for six months, these are our favourite booking tools that we couldn’t travel without!
The Brunch/Lunch/Falafel Spots
Bagelin
This is THE place to go. The location in the centre of a car park seems a bit odd, and Google Maps isn’t sure on how to get to Bagelin, but the bagels are outrageous! There is a whole section for vegan bagels, and there are plenty of veggie options too. We went for the ‘brekkie’ and the ‘mushy’ on adjika spiced bagels, and they were both divine.
Muhudo
Muhudo is a small unassuming and affordable spot that serves up probably the best falafel wrap I have ever had (sorry, Armenia and Turkey!).
There are three options: small, medium, and large. Now, we are big eaters so we went for the medium, and wow, was that a mistake! We probably could have gone for a small to share between us.
Crispy herby falafel balls smothered in a spicy and creamy (but not too creamy) sauce, with all the salad, pickles, and wrapped up in a chewy lavash-style bread. It’s messy; you’ll be trying to eat, hold all the fillings inside the wrap, and stop the sauce dripping down your wrists at the same time, so grab plenty of napkins. But it is absolutely worth the challenge.
Falafel Box
A vegetarian restaurant serving Lebanese cuisine. You’ll find options such as shakshuka, tabbouleh, fattoush at Falafel Box. We tried the falafel wrap and the scrambled egg wrap and both were tasty yet inexpensive.
Brunch and Dine
Brunch and Dine is a small place serves some healthy and tasty food. Chia puddings, sandwiches, salads, brunches.
Iveria Cafe
This cafe has nice views over the city and serves breakfast/brunch at pretty reasonable prices. Scrambled egg, avo toast, good coffee: you can’t go wrong.
The Vegan Spots
Kiwi Vegan Café
We love a place where do you don’t have to double check with the server that your meal won’t turn up with meat in it. Shawarma, burgers, noodles, tofu! Since we have been travelling, finding a restaurant serving tofu is an absolute winner. They are one in a million. And Kiwi Cafe Vegan knows what they’re doing.
The Best Sweet Spot
Lumier’s Chimney Cake
📍 25 Aleksandr Pushkin St. (chain all over Tbilisi)
Chimney cake isn’t Georgian, but these are delicious and stodgy and rich! They cook the cake on a spit fresh in front of you, and then you choose your filling (I recommend the stewed cinnamon apple with vanilla cream!). If you’re looking for extra decadence, you can even get it topped with ice cream!
The Thai Spots
The Thai food in Tbilisi is great, and there are loads of restaurants to choose from. Our favourite spots were:
Serving punchy curries and chewy noodles, you can’t really go wrong with what you order.
Where to Stay in Tbilisi
Magnolia Hotel (£)
We stayed at Magnolia, which is a lovely hotel with beautiful rooms with big windows, so that you can catch the stunning sunrise each morning! They serve a buffet breakfast, and have a roof terrace too.
🛏️ Book Magnolia Hotel 🛏️
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