Georgian food is one of the great reasons to visit the country, and Batumi is an excellent place to meet it. The cuisine is generous, convivial and full of herbs, walnuts, cheese and spice, and Batumi adds sea fish, subtropical fruit and the customs of Adjara. This guide explains what to order, how to eat it and which food experiences are worth booking.
Adjarian khachapuri
The dish you must try is the Adjarian version of khachapuri, a boat-shaped bread filled with melted cheese and topped with a runny egg and a slice of butter. Stir the egg and butter into the cheese with a fork or a piece of crust, then tear off the bread and dip it in. It is rich, so share one between two as a starter, and add a salad. Other regional versions, such as Imeretian, are round and filled with cheese inside, and you can sample them too.
Khinkali
These large dumplings, twisted at the top and filled with spiced meat and broth, are eaten by hand. Hold the knot, bite a small hole, sip the broth, then eat the rest and leave the knot on the plate. Cheese, potato and mushroom fillings are available, so vegetarians are well served. A khinkali tour or a cooking class is the best way to learn the technique and the table customs.
Seafood and fish
Batumi sits on the Black Sea, and its restaurants serve fish such as mullet, turbot and local specialities, often grilled or fried and sold by weight. Ask what is fresh that day, and compare prices before you order. Smaller cafes away from the busiest stretch of the seafront are usually cheaper and often just as good.
Mountain flavours
The hills behind the city produce cheese, honey, cornmeal, beans and butter, and Adjarian highland cooking is hearty. A mountain feast tour gives you a table of dishes in a village setting, usually with homemade wine and a toast or two. Look for sulguni cheese, bean stews, pickles, herbs and fresh bread baked on the spot.
Salads, sauces and sides
Georgian salads are simple: tomato and cucumber with sunflower oil and herbs, often with a walnut sauce. Walnut-based dishes such as badrijani, aubergine rolls, are a classic starter. Sauces such as tkemali, a sour plum sauce, and adjika, a spicy paste, add punch. Do not miss fresh herbs, which appear in generous bunches.
Wine and the qvevri tradition
Georgia is regarded as one of the oldest wine regions in the world, and many wines are still made in qvevri, large clay vessels buried underground. White grapes fermented with their skins become amber wine, with tannin and flavours of dried fruit and tea. A tasting at a family cellar or a wine-themed walking tour is a fine introduction. Ask for local varieties, and remember that small producers rarely export, so buy a bottle to take home.
Table customs
Georgian meals are social and slow. A supra, or feast, may include toasts led by a toastmaster, and glasses are raised for friends, family, peace and guests. Do not rush your host, accept a second helping graciously and expect conversation. Tipping is appreciated if service is not included.
Tea, coffee and sweets
Western Georgia grows tea, and a visit to a plantation is a pleasant half day. Georgian coffee, made in a small pot and served strong, is a good end to a meal. Churchkhela, strings of walnuts coated in thickened grape juice, are the classic sweet, and a family workshop shows how they are made. Bakeries sell fresh bread, pastries and the sweet bread filled with sugar or cheese.
Budget and booking
Batumi is affordable by European standards, and you can eat very well for a modest sum. In peak season, reserve tables in popular restaurants and book cooking classes or tastings a day or two ahead. Tell hosts about allergies and dietary needs in advance. If you stay in the old town, you will find many small restaurants within a few minutes’ walk, which makes exploring the food scene easy.
A simple food plan for three days
Begin with khachapuri and Georgian coffee on day one, take a khinkali lunch and a wine tasting on day two, and finish with a mountain feast or a cooking class on day three. Between meals, snack on fresh fruit, bakery bread and local cheese. That rhythm lets you sample the breadth of the cuisine without tiring your appetite.