Tbilisi has changed into autumn clothes, and now you want to spend more and more time in cozy cafes or authentic bookstores, where you can linger with your favorite book, sitting comfortably in an armchair. The city is home to a growing number of third-wave coffee shops and modern restaurants, and in vintage stores you can put together an outfit that matches the catwalk trends. We share our main recommendations – where to go, what to eat and where to go shopping in the capital of Georgia.
How to get there:
There are no direct flights between Russia and Georgia. It is most convenient to fly with transfers through Yerevan or Istanbul. To enter, Russians only need a foreign passport; they can stay in the country for 365 days without a visa. PCR tests and vaccination certificates will not be needed.
Choose the area
When choosing a hotel or apartment, we recommend paying attention to the city districts and setting your priorities correctly. Partygoers who are ready to spend their nights in bars and clubs and greet the day with a fresh croissant and espresso (and all this without leaving home) will find it comfortable to stay at Sololaki. This is one of the most colorful districts of old Tbilisi.
Behind temples, grottoes, museums and palaces – in Avlabari. We recommend staying higher up so that the balcony has a view of the picturesque red roofs.
In Chugureti there is the legendary creative cluster Fabrika, located on the site of a former garment factory. Now here you can stay in a hostel with a minimalist interior, but the main thing is to be at the epicenter of events, acquaintances and discoveries. On the territory there are designer shops, a ceramics studio, co-working space, restaurants and bars. At a minimum, it won’t be boring here, and at the maximum, you can make new friends and hobbies.
You can experience the life of the locals, meet sellers in vegetable shops and buy hot bread from the oven every morning in Saburtalo. The area has a separate metro line; you can go to any part of the city from one of 7 stations.
If you are looking for a quiet place where you can relax after a busy day, but are not ready to go far from the center, it is worth considering the area Vera. The intelligentsia has long settled here and the spirit of creativity and bohemianism is still preserved. The trendiest coffee shops can also be found in this area.
Vake is suitable for connoisseurs of modern architecture, futuristic business centers and boutiques. The huge park of the same name, which is especially beautiful in autumn, deserves special attention. There is Turtle Lake on the hill, next to which you can have picnics. We recommend taking the cable car up there at least once: the cabin offers an unforgettable view of the city. The ticket will cost the same as subway travel.
Here are some suitable hotel options where you can stay:
5 STAR APART HOTEL (rating 10 out of 10) — from 6,600 rubles* per night in a double room.
Fabrika (rating 9 out of 10) — from 6,600 rubles* per night in a double room.
Boutique Apart Hotel Upe (rating 10 out of 10) – from 6,400 rubles* per night in a double room.
Flex Hotel (rating 10 out of 10) – from 5,600 rubles* per night in a double room.
Sakhli at Chavchavadze ave 15 (rating 10 out of 10) — from 2,500 rubles* per night in a double room.
Drink coffee
More and more third-wave coffee shops are appearing in the city – small private establishments where true connoisseurs of the invigorating drink gather. We recommend that you forget about lattes with caramel syrup for a while and go try hand-brewed craft coffee. All sorts of obscure words – funnel, Chemex and V60 – will be happily explained by a friendly barista.
Pulp
A small stylish coffee shop with its own courtyard. Large selection of alternative coffee and pastries. There is always a bit of roulette with sweets here – the selection is individual every day, the guys publish the current list on social networks. So you can “open the hunt” for the Portuguese dessert pastel de nata or cinnamon bun. There are also local wines on sale.
Shavi Coffee Roasters
This coffee shop is a great place to spend time with friends or work on your laptop. Light walls and paintings with life-affirming phrases – nothing superfluous, just what you need for a photo in your feed. We recommend ordering a berry cheesecake with coffee, and buying a package of selected grains as a souvenir.
Groovy Coffee Roasters
A rare place where baristas offer not only a large selection of fresh beans from all over the world, but also their own roasting. At Groovy Coffee Roasters, it’s easy to feel like you’re visiting friends: the open kitchen, with a table full of pastries, deserves special attention. Try cheesecakes here – they are not so easy to find in cafes in Tbilisi, so don’t miss the chance!
Stories Tbilisi
A coffee shop that is often recommended by locals. Here you can drink a large glass of filter or V60 at an affordable price, despite the fact that the establishment is located in the very center of the city. Also popular are delicate cheesecake, baskets with berries, and honey cake.
Have lunch
Fragrant khachapuri, eggplant rolls and, of course, khinkali are often one of the main reasons for coming to Georgia. To make your culinary adventures a success, we recommend visiting the following restaurants.
Holy Restaurant
The building is pink and peach, the inside is green and light, and the walls are decorated with minimalist paintings by artist Anna Pepe. In this stylish restaurant serving Georgian cuisine, we recommend trying steak with pomegranate sauce and khachapuri. And don’t forget to check out the cocktail menu.
Stamba cafe
A hotel cafe where you should go for a special atmosphere of luxury. The menu includes both traditional Georgian dishes (adjapsandali, chikhirtma) and European and Asian cuisines (risotto, mango salad and ramen). Not many people know, but the hotel has a quiet courtyard where you can go with a coffee to go and spend time reading a book.
Cafe Daphna
One of the most beautiful khinkal bars in the city. In addition to the usual options, we recommend trying mushroom khinkali and baked with blue cheese.
Bazari Orbeliani
If you miss European cuisine, you can go to the recently opened Bazari Orbeliani food court. Here you will find cream soup, pasta, Caesar salad, and craft beer. On the ground floor you can buy farm products, spices, souvenirs, and on the roof you can sit comfortably on the open terrace with a glass of cocktail.
Buy vintage
Furniture and home decor
When it comes to flea markets, vintage lovers often head to the Dry Bridge. There you can find a collectible record, a set of Soviet postcards or an antique samovar. But the prices are aimed at tourists. Therefore, we recommend spending a little more time and visiting atypical locations, where you can not only save money, but also find a unique item.
Samgori Bazaar
Samgori metro station is famous for its markets. One has only to step out of the subway to immediately plunge into the world of various goods and offers. Here you will find ruins of kitchen utensils, textiles and other household items. Prices are significantly lower than in the center.
STUDIO 995
Large selection of furniture from global and local brands. As the studio’s creators themselves say, you can find the rarest and most beautiful things in Tbilisi. By the way, online orders are available – delivery works.
Fotine
Dedicated to true antique lovers. The vintage store offers a large selection of furniture, lamps, decor and tableware. The assortment consists mainly of goods from Europe. Bargaining is welcome.
Clothes and shoes
Every year more and more vintage shops appear in the capital, and, as a result, stylish people. We’ll tell you further where to look for all the brightest and fashionable things.
Dezerter Vintage
Here you won’t have to spend a long time looking for something worthwhile, because this work has already been done by the second-hand store employees. Colorful shirts and ties are collected under neon signs, and collections of caps and clutches are found in slightly open old leather suitcases.
VINTYLATOR
For everything colorful, shiny, boho style – VINTYLATOR. A store with yellow walls, graffiti and a mirror at the entrance is hard to pass by. We have a large selection of hats, dresses and accessories.
Tsota tsota
If you want something unusual and unique, we recommend paying attention to silk kimonos with embroidery. The store’s creators specialize in Japanese clothing, but also offer trench coats, jackets, and raincoats. Important point: the studio works by appointment. The fitting date and time can be selected by contacting the hostess via messenger.
Buy a book
A great souvenir from a trip can be a street art album, a collection of poems by Georgian poets, or a postcard sent to a loved one.
They Said Books
A small coffee shop-bookstore where you can leaf through magazines over a cup of coffee, look at illustrations in collectible books about art and cinema, and buy a copy you like.
Books From Past
The bookstore looks like a small museum – figurines and vases are placed in the corners, and books about art are collected on the shelves. The room has a large balcony overlooking a quiet, cozy courtyard.
Prospero’s Books
An independent bookstore with its own cafe and a cozy courtyard for leisurely reading. According to the creators, they have collected the largest collection of English books in the Caucasus. You can also buy souvenirs for loved ones here: magnets and other nice trinkets.
Go shopping
The concept stores select brands that skillfully combine ethnicity with cutting-edge concepts. Therefore, it would be a great idea to bring something from Georgian designers from the capital. We’ll tell you where to look.
Materiel
The oldest clothing manufacturer has been operating since 1949 and represents a premium line. Over the past decade, the company has gained international recognition and won the hearts of fashionistas from all over the world. The brand finds the golden mean between femininity and masculinity and produces collections that combine timeless shapes and spectacular accents.
Dots
Subsidiary brand Materiel. The company produces clothes from environmentally friendly materials, with 90% being recycled. In addition to elegant jackets, dresses and other outfits, you can buy shoes, jewelry, sunglasses and bags here. Each product is made at a factory in Tbilisi.
IERI STORE
The first concept store in Tbilisi, which combines a store, a gallery, a coffee shop, a wine bar and a place for communication. IERI features the work of 25 designers who were born in Georgia or found inspiration here. What to buy – a sweater with traditional embroidery, a classic jacket or massive earrings in the shape of shells – is up to you. But one thing is for sure: it will be very difficult to leave here without shopping.
*Prices are current at the time of publication.
