Here we go again! My favorite restaurants I’ve tried the past few months. Enjoy!
Top Five Restaurants:
SushiRoom: It’s no secret at this point that I’m obsessed with Asian food in general, sushi in particular. While I still would argue that the best sushi you can find in Tbilisi is at Umami at the Radisson, SushiRoom is a very close second. They have a ton of options at a very friendly price point. I visited the location in Goodwill on a particularly challenging day (it may or may not have involved Ren rolling in poo at puppy play date the one weekend I went by myself) so I was ready to eat my feelings. I ordered one of the lunch specials that was probably meant for two or more people. I ate it all myself. No regrets.
Indian Express: Before visiting Indian Express, I had not eaten Indian food since our trip to GBAO in Tajikistan, almost three years ago. For some reason, every time I tried to eat Indian food in that country they somehow hid peanuts in it for me to find, and this made for some of the worst experiences I’ve ever had. Safe to say I was leery of trying again, but Indian Express was wonderful. The owner understood my concern and assured me there would not be a single trace of peanut anywhere near my food. And then there was the food itself. We ordered an array of chicken dishes and each one was better than the last. I would highly recommend this place for anyone looking for authentic Indian food in Tbilisi.
Coffeeshop Company: Coffeeshop Company is actually part of a chain of shops that originate in Vienna and have locations all over Europe. The location in Tbilisi is quite large with a nice outdoor seating area that will be great in the warmer months. The coffee is good, of course, but they have a huge menu of breakfast and lunch options as well. I’ve been twice, and I can’t seem to order anything but the salmon bagel sandwich. It’s quite massive, so for me, it’s enough for two meals. I’d recommend sitting before ordering since the menu posted behind the counter is not at all comprehensive. Best to wait for the printed version from the wait staff.
Tartine: Tartine, in French, means “a slice of bread,” and Tartine restaurant in Tbilisi specializes in such open-faced sandwiches which are meant to show off the quality of ingredients used for the toppings. I visited Tartine after the fun and slightly crazy Sulphur Bath experience, and it was a great stop when I was so desperately hungry and dehydrated from two hours of soaking in hot water. My tartine was very tasty and a really nice portion for a light lunch. I will say, this is one of the few restaurants I’ve visited since arriving in Tbilisi eight months ago that wasn’t able to serve us several items on the menu. It may have been an off day, but be prepared with second and possibly third options when ordering.
Taqueria Teko’s Tacos (aka “The Taco Place”): I know, we are late to the party on this one. Everyone’s already been. But it’s excellent and worth mentioning for anyone who hasn’t made it here yet. Sean and I visited on a day where we may have been drinking copious amounts of wine before dinner and proceeded to order pretty much the entire menu. Service was good and very fast. Everything was tasty, but here’s what we actually recommend: the chips and guacamole is great, but the salsa that comes with is more like adjika so we skipped it. The pork taco was Sean’s favorite, and we also both liked the vegetarian option. I really liked the chicken taco as well – it has the adjika salsa on it, which I know I just said I didn’t like, but on the taco, I’ll allow it. Neither of us were big fans of the beef shank, and the shrimp option was ok. The margaritas, however, were to die for.
Dessert and Drinks:
Cocktail Factory: Located next to Teko’s Tacos, Cocktail Factory is another relatively new bar that seems to be taking the city by storm. I would argue that they give Woland’s Speakeasy a run for their money. The bar itself is small, but it’s got a great outdoor area that will be fun in the Spring and Summer. As their name suggests, they specialize in unique and imaginative cocktails. The wait staff and bartenders are very friendly and speak very good English.
Ladurée Tbilisi: You may not know its name, but you’d probably know it by sight: those beautiful macaron shops decorated in soft pastels with a wall full of ribbons and towers and towers of macarons on display. Well. One opened in Tbilisi last month. My darling husband brought some home to me yesterday and I shrieked with excitement. They taste exactly like the macarons I tried in Paris. It was like a little slice of heaven. Only downside: this shop is a bit pricey, of course.
As always, please leave me any recommendations. I clearly love to eat. A lot. Also, follow me on Instagram for my current Tbilisi Eats recommendations.
