The more I chat to people living in Dubai, the more one theory keeps proving itself: come summer, everyone heads somewhere with kinder weather for a few weeks — somewhere you can open a window without immediately feeling like you have just finished a full cardio session. I did exactly the same, so a Cape Town food guide is on its way. But today, we are staying a little closer to home, somewhere much more familiar: Tbilisi.

Truth be told, Georgia is one of those places where you could spend days eating almost anywhere and still struggle to have a bad meal. So you might reasonably ask: why food guide? Well, from experience, the moment you actually need a café for a quick call, decent Wi-Fi, or somewhere to linger for a couple of hours, you somehow end up picking the worst possible option. That is exactly when having a reliable list of go-to spots for every occasion comes in handy.

So, to make sure you are never left wondering where to eat the moment khachapuri alone won't cut it (don't worry, those places made the list too), here we go.

One of the reasons you happily woke up for that airport run and sat suspiciously content next to a stranger on the plane is Georgian food. It is delicious, it is rich, and it is gloriously indulgent — and we are never not ready for it. Portions permitting, of course. So, where should you go?

Shavi Lomi

My personal favourite Georgian food spot, and one I never need an excuse to return to.

It has been around since 2011, yet at weekends you will still be fighting for a table — which tells you everything you need to know about the food. But it isn't just the cooking that keeps people coming back.

The setting is just as memorable. You walk through an unassuming door on an ordinary street, find yourself passing through someone's house, and moments later emerge into a hidden courtyard that feels as though it has fallen straight out of Alice in Wonderland. It is worth the detour alone.

ORO Tbilisi

This is the place to head if you love Georgian food but fancy seeing the classics with a more contemporary twist. Think beautifully plated dishes and familiar flavours elevated without losing what makes them so good.

The menu covers all the Georgian staples, but leans noticeably towards Samegrelo (Megrelia), a western region known for its bold, spicy cooking. It is also a great pick for a first or second date: relaxed enough to put you at ease, yet polished enough to make the evening feel like an occasion.

Rtveli – Authentic Georgian

Another gem on the list, Rtveli – Authentic Georgian is one of the newer additions to Tbilisi's food scene. Even so, it has already built a loyal following among both locals and visitors.

The focus here is traditional Kakhetian cuisine. In other words, very good news for your appetite. Mtsvadi takes centre stage, so charcoal-grilled pork or lamb skewers are non-negotiable — order them and thank us later. And while you are rarely disappointed by the drinks anywhere in Georgia, here it deserves a little extra attention. Don't just sip it politely — actually savour it.

Zala Restaurant

Zala feels like stepping back in time — the kind of place where you would half expect everyone to be dressed in elegant, old-fashioned attire, though there is thankfully no dress code to worry about.

Everything here feels a touch grander than usual, in the best possible way: the presentation, the interior, the dishes themselves — all of it comes together to make Zala well suited to a proper fine dining experience. In the evenings, there is often live Georgian music, giving the place a romantic, slightly theatrical atmosphere.

Ninia's Garden

A small, modern Georgian spot tucked away in a leafy courtyard, run by Chef Meriko Gubeladze, who has built a name for modernising Georgian cuisine without losing sight of its roots.

The best bit, though, is the story behind the name. The restaurant is named after Ninia Zaridze, a 20th-century Tbilisi merchant who famously let young couples into her private garden free of charge at a time when public gardens charged an entrance fee. Before long, "Do you think this is Ninia's Garden?" became a Georgian way of saying, "Do you think everything's free?"

The restaurant happily leans into that tradition. Every guest receives a little something on the house — perhaps a dessert, a drink, or a small surprise.

If you think this part is one to skip, don't be so quick to judge. First — Georgian food can be quite calorie-heavy, and eating it twice a day (if you are in full "eating out" mode during your travels) might catch up with you in a not-so-great way within just a week. And second — imagine how hard a non-Georgian place has to work to compete with Georgian cuisine. Well, quite a lot, as it turns out! Which means the food here is genuinely good. So, here we go.

Izakaya Tbilisi

The well-deserved first place among non-Georgian cuisine goes to this one. Izakaya Tbilisi genuinely follows the real Japanese izakaya concept — plenty of small plates, all designed to be shared over drinks.

What makes it especially good? Honestly, the food itself is superb. It goes far beyond the usual sushi-only approach, covering everything from yakitori (charcoal-grilled skewers) and kushiyaki to ramen, donburi, sashimi, and dishes cooked on a konro grill. Another big bonus: the open kitchen, so you can watch everything happening as it is prepared.

BISTRO ENTHUSIASTS

As you can probably guess from the name, this spot is a European-inspired café-bistro, and its whole thing is that there is no signature dish. Instead, the menu changes regularly, follows the seasons, and focuses on carefully sourced ingredients, with plenty of brunch plates, sandwiches, pastries and speciality coffee alongside a concise lunch menu. One thing I did notice, though: there are always quite a few healthy options on offer.

One important note, though: laptops aren't allowed, and the café is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So, if you were planning to wrap up a report over good food and a glass of something, you will want to choose another spot.

Chicos

This place's concept is also less about a specific cuisine and more about the all-day European bistro vibe with Latin American touches — and that combination genuinely works in its favour. It is a small spot (someone apparently counted exactly 18 seats), though with the summer terrace it usually feels a bit bigger, giving you a lovely, lively atmosphere without ever feeling cramped.

The menu was created by French-trained chef Irene Perminof, while one of the founders' time living in Buenos Aires inspired many of the Latin American touches.

Iakobis Ezo

You know how it goes — half your group wants Georgian food, the other half is dead against it. For exactly this kind of stand-off, this is the place: a modern European neo-bistro with Georgian influences. What does that mean in practice? The cuisine is primarily European — breakfast covers every type of egg you could want, and lunch runs through pasta, fish, meat and seasonal plates — but there is also a handful of Georgian dishes worked in.

Overall, Iakobis Ezo is one of the most interesting new additions to Tbilisi's dining scene. Tucked behind the building is a leafy courtyard that fills up the moment the weather turns warm, and it is a great option for anyone who enjoys good background music too, since it doubles as a listening bar.

Georgia is overall a pretty relaxed place, so you won't find many spots actively against people working from their laptops (though a few do exist!). But there is a difference between a café that is simply happy for you to stay a while and one that is actually designed for it — comfortable, practical, and somewhere you can happily settle in for hours. The places below fall firmly into the second category.

Shavi Coffee Roasters

This isn't just a café, it is a growing chain that pretty much anyone who has spent time in Tbilisi has heard of, and for good reason: it is a genuinely great mix of good coffee, laptop-friendly seating with plug sockets, good natural light, a comfortable set-up, and staff who leave you to get on with your work rather than hovering.

And just so you know: it played a real role in shaping Tbilisi's coffee culture. When Shavi first opened, specialty coffee was still in its infancy in Georgia — so it is fair to call it something of one of the founding fathers for the wave of cafés that followed.

OKRO Coffee Roastery

Where Shavi keeps things focused on coffee and pastries, OKRO takes it a step further with a proper breakfast menu, making it a solid choice for early risers. And even if breakfast, for you, just means a good croissant — you sre still covered, since pastries get just as much attention here as the coffee does.

For anyone working, there is good wifi and a wide communal table, both guaranteed. You will like it!

Coffee LAB

This is another strong option for remote workers, thanks to its good coffee, reliable Wi-Fi, and genuinely comfortable set-up. It is also a proper speciality café rather than just another coffee shop, roasting its own beans and offering everything from espresso and V60 to AeroPress, with a regularly rotating selection of single-origin coffees.

Another bonus? The huge windows. On sunny days, the light pours in, giving you that extra nudge to actually get some work done.

Honestly, all the places listed above would work fine for breakfast too. But we are all a bit anxious about work these days, so if we sit down somewhere surrounded by people hunched over laptops, we will probably catch the vibe and start thinking about deadlines too (not exactly recommended on holiday). So here are the safe spots for a proper, quiet breakfast, with just a small nod to work if you really need it.

Kikodze Bar

Despite having "bar" in the name, cocktails are strictly an evening thing here. Mornings — even the late ones — are all about proper breakfast. The menu changes from time to time, but dishes like syrniki (soft cottage cheese pancakes) are a highlight, with plenty of comments calling them the best they have ever had, alongside a long list of other breakfast options.

If you need to quickly finish something urgent on your laptop, nobody is going to chase you out — but the whole set-up is built for a slow, relaxed, enjoyable morning, not a breakfast-meets-work session.

Kartli Joys

This is the proper breakfast spot, with a menu covering pretty much every breakfast dish you could think of — and breakfast is served all day, so it doesn't matter when you wake up, or whether you fancy avocado toast for lunch or dinner. It is also a solid choice if you are watching what you eat, since there are plenty of healthier options on the menu.

As with Kikodze, you can work here as the place is lap - top friendly, though people share it tends to get a bit loud, since people come here to chat over coffee rather than sit in silence.

Salty Cafe

Salty Cafe is the standout gem of the breakfast and coffee list — a modern neighbourhood spot with a proper brunch game, excellent specialty coffee, and an easy-going atmosphere to match.

But the real trick up its sleeve? You can hire a road bike right there (30 GEL for two hours — an absolute steal), head out for a ride, and tackle one of the nearby climbs before coming back for breakfast. Just make sure to book the bike in advance, as they only have a handful available. Working here is perfectly doable too, but honestly, I would say your laptop is the least exciting thing you could bring.