Souvenirs from Georgia – Where & What to Buy in Georgia 2024

As a Georgian, I often get asked what to buy in Georgia to bring back home as authentic and original souvenirs for friends, family, and loved ones. This extensive guide to the best souvenirs from Georgia comprises my favorite items that make perfect gifts.

As hundreds of Georgian souvenirs are on the market, especially mass-produced trinkets, I decided to focus more on independent, small-sized entrepreneurs who craft handmade, unique, and even traditional products. The post also includes typical souvenirs for a wider choice.

This post is divided into sections based on traditional things to buy in Georgia, including unique and interesting gifts. Because most of the shops in the Old Town and its famous Meidan Bazaar are usually overpriced, the second part of the post includes my favorite, more than 23 souvenir shops in Tbilisi, along with a map.

Typical and traditional souvenirs from Georgia, country

When you ask a local what to buy in Georgia, almost everyone suggests traditional Georgian souvenirs: wine, churchkhela (a Georgian sweet made from grape juice and nuts), Lurji Supra (also known as Blue Tabla tablecloth), chacha (a strong alcoholic beverage like vodka),  kantsi (animal horn drinking vessel), or typical Georgian spices and clay pottery.

However, a few other traditional things to buy in Tbilisi (and the country) typically don’t make the list. Therefore, I decided to include them in this section.

Georgian food recipe cookbook

As you already know, Georgian cuisine is diverse, with plenty of regional and specialty meals. Therefore, a cookbook makes an excellent souvenir for preparing your favorite food back home. The shops listed below sell a variety of sizes and types of Georgian recipe books in English. I especially love Heritage of Georgian Taste, but it’s big, bulky, and pretty heavy.

Alternatively, if you don’t have space in your luggage but still want to get one of the recipe books, a few of them are available on Amazon, and here are my top choices: Georgian Cookbook by a professional and famous Georgian chef, Georgian recipes from every region, Supra: A feast of Georgian cooking, and Tasting Georgia: A Food and Wine Journey in the Caucasus with Over 70 Recipes.

Minanqari

Minanqari in Georgian stands for cloisonné enamel, which artists have made for centuries in the country. You can find silver/gold jewelry, various religious items, and utensils made with the cloisonné enamel technique.

Even though there are many different techniques, the most widespread in Georgia is vitreous enamel, also known as porcelain enamel. The items are made by welding powdered glass to a base by firing at 750-850C temperature (1,380 -1,560F). The powder melts, flows, and hardens to a silky, durable vitreous layer.

You can find a wide choice of Minanqari items in almost every gift shop nationwide. If you are interested in learning more, you can also schedule a visit to the Ikorta Enamel Jewelry Studio, just a 40-minute drive from Tbilisi.

This enterprise works with women displaced from South Ossetia after the Russo-Georgia 2008 war. They make pendants, rings, and pins and also hold workshops if you want to try making one. Once done, they’ll send it to you in Tbilisi.

Georgian tea

While Georgia is known for its 8000 years of winemaking, many neglect entirely the fact that the country has been a tea producer for at least two centuries. The production of Georgian tea started when we became part of the Russian Empire and invited a Chinese tea grower to help raise the demand for tea in the Empire. During the Soviet times, it saw its peak and was one of the largest exporters within the union.

Sadly, unlike wine, Georgian tea production was hit hard after the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, it’s seeing a comeback thanks to artisanal tea growers in Guria, Imereti, and parts of Samegrelo.

Artisanal tea brand Renegade Tea Estate, close to Kutaisi, Imereti, has revived one of the Soviet-era tea plantations and makes delicious, flavorful Georgian teas. You can even visit the estate to see the plantation, learn more, see their production line, and do some tasting.  

In Tbilisi, visit a tiny Bitadze tea museum and shop to see vintage packaging, buy black, green, or herbal teas, and even schedule a tea tasting of a few other small-size tea growers.

Tablecloths and runners

While Lurji Supra, or the Blue Table, is one of the most popular things to buy in Georgia, other companies also make very special and unique runners and tablecloths with Georgian ornaments and designs.

My favorites are Oda Souvenirs imprinting, its owners’ Elene Melkadze’s paintings on tablecloths, runners, magnets, etc., Igrika creating handprinted tablecloths, runners, and various other interior decor items based on Georgian ornaments, and Mood.o using a coat of arms and state emblems of Vakhushti Batonishvili’s geographical maps he made in 1735-1752.

Rugs and carpets

Handweaved carpets and rugs have been part of Georgian and Caucasian households for centuries. Mountain regions such as Tusheti and Khevsureti have been the prime areas for wool, hand-loomed rugs, and carpets that depict traditional Georgian elements and symbolism.

I recently discovered that Georgia is also home to the famous Borchalo carpets, handwoven by only a handful of women in two Azeri villages of Marneuli Municipality, which is run by reWoven.

The quality and origin of the carpets sold in various carpet shops in Tbilisi vary widely. They include antique to modern designs, mass-produced to handwoven, and artificially dyed wool to natural dyes. You can also find cheap versions at Dry Bridge Flea Market and souvenir shops.

Woolen socks and slippers

Since wool production was widespread in Georgia, many traditional items were also made from it. In the mountains of Tusheti and Khevureti, wool socks and slippers were everyday items.

In modern days, they are not very popular among the locals, but they make cute souvenirs from Georgia. Both socks and slippers are intended as indoor winter wear.

A few shops in Tbilisi sell socks and slippers in various designs. The Sachvretela brand crafts them from Tushetian wool and incorporates traditional Tushetian design elements.

Sunflower oil, jams, and honey

Sunflower oil is my favorite ingredient. It makes simple Georgian cucumber-tomato salad and home-style fried potatoes exceptionally flavorful. Almost every household has a bottle of the oil reserved explicitly as a salad dressing.

In the past, we also made many jams and preserves from various fruits in season, which we typically saved for the winter months. However, in modern times, only a few make it at home as most of them are already available at supermarkets and grocery shops. My mom still does a few jars here and there, but not as much as we used to in my childhood.

If you are after slightly different and spicy jams instead of sweet ones, I love Keto’s chili jam with quince; that’s an ideal condiment on a cheese platter.

Walnut and yellow cherry jams are typical and traditional preserves. We also have a few specialties for honey—pinecone jam, usually made in Bakuriani and Borjomi, and acacia and linden honey.

Fun fact: we call yellow cherries tetri bali, or white cherry.

Original & unique souvenirs from Georgia

Ceramic items by Hoda

While clay pottery made from red clay (wine jugs, mini qvevri, shallow drinking bowls, and ketsi pans) is traditional to Georgia and widely used for serving/cooking Georgian food, white clay products were introduced to traditional craftsmanship a while back.

There are a few dozen ceramic studios in Tbilisi, crafting all sorts of items, from spoons to plates, flower pots to mugs, vases to lamps. However, visit Hoda Ceramic Studio if you want truly unique gifts from Georgia (read more about Hoda in the shops section of this post).

Serving boards by Maqmani Wood

What differentiates Maqmani Wood‘s serving boards from others is the engraving of various Georgian traditional ornaments found in Georgian orthodox churches and ethnographic items.

The boards, mainly made from Georgian oak and walnut wood, come in eco-friendly packaging with a QR code that explains where this ornament is from and the exact Google Maps location.

Besides the design, the boards vary in shape, size, and handles. They try not to reshape the wood into typical round or rectangular forms; instead, they use its original lines to create unique formations.

It is an ideal Georgian souvenir for serving appetizers, charcuterie and cheese platters, snacks, and other food.

Designer clothes & accessories by KEBURIA

George Keburia is a famous Georgian self-taught designer whose clothes, sunglasses, and bags are worn by iconic world-famous artists and public figures such as Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Camila Cabello, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Solange Knowles, Kendall Jenner, Lorde, Paloma Faith, Ashlee Simpson; the list goes on.

His bold glamour pieces, which are both feminine and daring, are frequently showcased in international fashion magazines, shows, and photoshoots.

Georgian architecture lamps by Lampino

Lampino is another independent entrepreneur who recreates famous Georgian architectural buildings, windows, and wooden-carved balconies into beautiful lamps, pins, and magnets made from wood.

Her most popular piece is probably the famous Kaleidoscope house on Betlemi Street, which, when turned on, immediately attracts the eye with its colorful stained-glass-like illusion.

However, in addition to typical Georgian architecture, you can also find Soviet Brutalist pieces, such as the Parliament, Saburtalo residential buildings, and the old post office on Rustaveli Ave.

Tablecloth with Georgian ornaments by Igrika

Among all the beautiful tablecloths out there, I especially like Igrika for its simple and gorgeous designs. They use ancient Georgian ornaments and symbols to create genuinely unique pieces by printing them directly on the fabric with hand-carved blocks.

The name’ igirka,’ which means April in old Georgian, perfectly matches the souvenirs they make based on symbols from the ancient totemic past.  You can find their products in the shops listed below, at pop-up markets, or even order them online.

Moreover, I once asked them to make it partly custom-made for my best friend by choosing one of the symbols as the central piece and colors.

Cool t-shirts by SioTbilisi

While various printed t-shirts saturate the market, I particularly like ones made by SioTbilisi, a print shop and a cafe serving delicious breakfast in Tbilisi.

They offer slightly different and pretty cool prints of iconic Soviet Brutalist architectural landmarks, such as the Bank of Georgia Headquarters and Nutsubidze Sky Bridge than I’ve seen elsewhere.

They also have a TV Tower, Tbilisi City College, the Palace of Rituals, etc. In addition to short-sleeved shirts, they have hoodies and long-sleeved tees.

Khinkali socks by Altersocks

For those who love colorful socks with various prints, Altersocks makes the perfect souvenir from Georgia for anyone. With quite a wide choice of patterns, most of us are huge fans of their Khinkali print.

They also have other Georgia-themed socks, such as Chokha (traditional clothes), Pirosmani (a famous local artist), the Georgian alphabet, wine, flag, Adjaruli Khachapuri, etc. You can also find Harry Potter, Dali, Klimt, Van Gogh, and Frida-themed socks.

Leather bags by Cosmo

If you are looking for unique handmade leather bags, check out my review of Cosmo’s wide range of different-style bags.

Started as a hobby of making simple necklaces back in 2015, the company has evolved in just a couple of years, offering a great selection of accessories and uncommon bags inspired by Georgian ornaments, the alphabet, and traditional clothes. 

Made from natural materials, mainly from Georgian leather, accompanied by local walnut tree details, the bags are sturdy, well-thought-out, and 100% handcrafted.

Here, you can find colorful and minimalist backpacks, shoulder bags, fanny packs, laptop bags, wallets, bow ties, you name it. The choice is so diverse that you’ll have difficulty picking just one!

Handmade notebooks

One of the unique gifts from Georgia is handmade notebooks to buy for yourself or someone who appreciates them. Many small entrepreneurs craft notebooks of different sizes, shapes, and covers.

You can find these notebooks at small shops and pop-up markets listed in the souvenir shops section below. I got the one pictured here as a custom-made gift from Oto by Mansard. It has a leather cover and plain paper without lines.

Georgian words by Vitsro

Another Georgian souvenir I find pretty fun is the pins and magnets of Georgian words and sayings made by Vitsro (narrow in English).

They have a wide choice of Georgian terms with English translations, so you know what you are buying. Some of my favorites are shemomechama (I accidentally ate the whole thing) and ra vchamot? (what should we eat), but you can also buy nakhvamdis (goodbye), madloba (thank you), sikvaruli (love), or even separate letters to make up names.

Georgian letters by Atare

Atare, translated as ‘wear,’ specializes in accessories in the Georgian script. The letters are made either from silver or gold.

The designs are simple yet elegant, making them perfect souvenirs from Georgia for yourself or someone who likes wearing bracelets or necklaces. Apart from letters, you can also have it custom-made with the recipient’s name or any word you desire.

Georgia-themed suitcase covers by Chini

Want to make your suitcase easily identifiable and original? Then Chini’s covers might be ideal. Their primary focus is Georgia-themed suitcase covers made of soft textiles to prevent them from scratches or other damage. 

The pints include Georgian script, flag, and famous paintings of Georgian artists of the past century, such as Pirosmani, Petre Otskheli, and Lado Gudiashvilli, to name just a few. Besides suitcase covers, they make tote bags with the same textile and print.

Ceramic tiles by Pila

Another unique souvenir from Georgia you can take back home is the ceramic tiles handmade by Pila Ceramics.

Inspired by Georgian nature and culture, the tiles feature re-designed Georgian ornaments. They can be used as a stand-alone decoration or as a tiled wall in the kitchen, living room, or even a bedroom. I find their green tile collection especially beautiful.

Besides the ornaments, they also have mountain-peak-shaped tiles that align to create a mosaic-like illusion.

Stone mosaics by Kamara

Kamara‘s primary focus is processing and lining natural stones (mostly Onix, Laxurite, and Travertine stones ) with innovative, modern technologies. Their handmade mosaic pieces are stunning and impressive.

They make small and large works of art, such as Christmas tree decorations, wall pieces, coasters, and magnets. They also recreate famous paintings of Georgian and international artists if that’s something you are interested.

Georgian alphabet posters by Manuscript

The Georgian language and script are unique languages unlike any other. Therefore, bringing a souvenir from Georgia with this particular script might be something to consider.

Inspired by the decorative ornaments and miniature compositions of medieval Georgian books, Manuscript created posters of different sizes and formats based on the works of Elene Machavariani, a professor, caligrapher, scribe, and Doctor of Arts.

These posters, featuring 38 letters of the three-shaped alphabet—Asomatruli (Mrglovani), Nushuri, and Mkhedruli—have gold-plated details, international transcription, and numerical value references created by Elene’s granddaughter, Mariam Zhorzholiani.

You can choose from individual letters with different backgrounds or buy the whole alphabet in two sizes.

More interesting Georgia souvenirs to buy

Handmade felt pouches & accessories by Maqmani

Maqmani is a sister company of Maqmani Wood that makes handmade felt accessories such as laptop, tablet, and phone cases, bookmarks, keychains, pins, bags, and more. It also handcrafts beautiful and colorful necklaces. 

Hand-knitted hats and gloves

At least a dozen independent entrepreneurs hand-knit winter hats and gloves of various colors and patterns. You can find beanies, pom pom hats, balaclavas, and cute animal beanies, to name just a few.

You can find these hats at the various souvenir shops listed below or at pop-up markets. My favorites are Tamri HandCreations and the social enterprise Bebias (translated as ‘grandmas’), which employs the elderly. 

Biodegradable packs by Ringo 

Do you or your friends have a furry friend? Ringo offers handmade leather packs with biodegradable bags for picking up feces. This environmentally friendly product comes in various colors. You can buy only the leather bag or a package with four plastic bags.

We have had it for Louie for several years; it’s durable and handy, as you can hang it on your bag or the harness.

Musical crib toys by Chikitai

Chickitai offers fluffy and soft toys made from natural materials for those with kids, whether toddlers or preschoolers.

Its primary focus is the musical crip toys that play famous songs of a legendary Georgian composer Giya Kancheli, which are very melodic, peaceful, and simply genius! 

The company’s face is a stork who believes that everything fantastic starts with great music; therefore, what a person hears as their first track does matter.

Cute wooden houses by Bamo

If you are looking for Georgian gifts for children, consider Bamo. This family woodworking studio creates charming eco-friendly wooden houses as decor items or children’s toys and furniture. 

It all started with them creating some toys from natural materials for their own children. They then realized that the market lacked such products and decided to turn their passion into a business. You can browse their selection at their shop next to Gallery 27 (listed below) or even ask them to make something custom-made.

Handmade natural products by Kirke

I am a big fan of natural and handmade hygiene and self-care products. Therefore, I am always looking for new companies on the market.

Over the years, I have tried a few different ones and finally came to love Kirke. They have great roll-on-and-paste deodorants, face and eye creams, and soaps, which I frequently buy.  

Vintage and antique items at flea markets

Those who love antiques and vintage items will find Tbilisi a paradise. With two big open flea markets—Dry Bridge and the less-known Barakholka in Samgori—you can find all sorts of things to buy in Tbilisi, from silverware and porcelain chine to Soviet memorabilia and retro trinkets, to modern TV remote controllers, second-hand cameras, door handles, posters, and many others.

Nostalgic posters at various vintage bookstores

A popular souvenir to buy in Tbilisi is a Soviet propaganda poster, vintage advertisement, or archival movie poster (or recreation of it) at various vintage bookstores scattered throughout the city. I list a few of those places in the below section.

Black Dog Studio is one of the first poster and typography shops to re-design and re-print retro Georgian movie posters and create designs. GeoPoster is another one that creates various stationery and posters inspired by vintage esthetics.

23 best souvenir shops in Tbilisi

Most companies and independent crafters listed in this post sell online via their websites or Facebook pages. Only a few have their physical studios or shops, and many sell their products on the occasional weekend and at seasonal pop-up open-air markets such as Stall or at various souvenir shops in Tbilisi.

Online store Veli has a separate category, Made in Georgia, enlisting Georgian souvenirs online. You can quickly deliver them to Tbilisi at your desired time, starting within three hours after the purchase. You can also find a few artisanal crafters enlisting their products on the Etsy store.

In this section, I list some of my favorite souvenir shops in Tbilisi where I shop for gifts for my foreign friends, whether typical, traditional, or artisanal.

Top places to get the best gifts from Georgia

Eski

Eski souvenir shop comprises 27 social enterprises from all over Georgia that work with people with disabilities, single mothers, or inmates, to name a few. These enterprises make different souvenirs, from ceramics to tablecloths, jewelry to bags, toys to board games, and many more.

What to buy in Georgia for an eco-conscious person? One interesting social enterprise at Eski is 7R, which creates souvenirs and accessories from recycled textiles to promote a green economy, reduce waste, and encourage social entrepreneurship.

The wooden toys here are made by Dadari and Kodala social enterprises, which use non-toxic wood and paints. However, some toys are not painted and are in their natural color. You can find static toys and puzzles that help with early development.

In addition, you’ll also find a pencil pack with a ruler and a case from Armenecoop, an Armenian social enterprise in Dilijan that employs single mothers and young women.

Gallery 27

Gallery 27 is one of the famous souvenir shops in Tbilisi displaying crafts by around 300 enterpreneurs. You can find almost anything mentioned in this post, from ceramic items to Minankari jewelry, handcrafted pendants using natural flowers to candles, tablecloths to woolen hand-knitted hats, coasters to postcards, etc. 

It also showcases embroidered purses and headbands, oversized wall decorations, a few books, soaps, knitted children’s cardigans, and adult coats, to name a few. With such an extensive assortment, finding a meaningful gift here is easy.

Ethno Design

Ethno Design is another great souvenir shop in Tbilisi established by the Georgian Heritage Crafts Association. The shop mainly sells products its members produce, but you’ll also find other companies here that craft ethnic and cultural souvenirs.

One of the association members is a famous ceramicist, Girogi Tatulashvili, who creates some of the cutest ceramic items. His signature item is a deer wine-drinking vessel he recreated based on the ethnographic artifact found in Gori and showcased at the Gori Ethnography Museum. Visiting his studio is one of the top things to do in Gori.

Other souvenirs here include various Minankari jewelry, plenty of ceramic items, wool socks and slippers, tablecloths, dolls in Georgian attire, bags, and more.

Babale

Babale is a social enterprise founded by the Down Syndrome Association, whose founders and members are parents of children with the syndrome.

The studio and shop sell ceramic items of different sizes and sorts (from tiny cactus plants and houses to big mugs and plates), tablecloths, tote bags, aprons, and socks created based on the paintings and designs of teens with Down Syndrome.

Ceramic studios and shops in Tbilisi

Hoda Ceramics

Established by my sister, Kristi, she creates exceptional design decor items with cute characters. It might seem biased coming from me, but I’ll leave it to you to judge.

Most of her work is done by hand, and she rarely uses molds. Her pieces are small in size and easy to transport. Moreover, she can create custom items on request, such as when I asked her for my mother-in-law (pictured). In case you are staying in Georgia for a while, Kristi also offers one and two-day workshops so that you can create something yourself.

White Studio

White Studio is another ceramic shop that creates tableware and home decor items. With two separate shops—White Studio and White Studio Home—the choice is vast.

White Studio Home is devoted to oversized decorative items such as vases, lamps, wall decorations, bathroom sinks, and pots. They also have a small selection of smaller tableware pieces, including plates, mugs, pitchers and jugs, bowls, etc. They use Georgian ornaments on their pieces and create floral and fruit decorations.

Clothing and Georgian designer stores in Tbilisi

KEBURIA

As mentioned above, KEBURIA is a brand of a self-taught Georgian designer, George Keburia, famous for its bold designs that push the boundaries of fashion.

His newly opened stand-alone store mixes avant-garde futurism with classic elegance. Its design uses stainless steel, uncommon materials, and full-size mirrors behind the steel gratings, creating an incredible sense of depth and dimension.  

KEBURIA is also an eco-conscious brand whose production standard and made-to-order model tries to reduce its environmental impact. His designs blend feminine charm with masculine elements, making him stand out among other Georgian designers.

The retro-futuristic glamour of the 1980s inspires the store’s Fall/Winter 2024 pieces. The attire is made from wool, vegan leather, velvet, satin, and wool eco-leather, to name a few.

Samoseli Pirveli

Translated as ‘first attire,’ Samoseli Pirveli was the first clothing brand to manufacture Georgian traditional clothes into modernized attire since 2008.

The company creates beautiful pieces based on traditional regional clothing and accessories for women, men, and children. In addition to dresses, coats, and jackets, you’ll find leather, velvet, canvas shoes, bags with hand-embroidered decorations, bashlyk made from various fabrics, wool hats, small purses, T-shirts, etc.

Petit Bazar – kids concept store

If you are looking for Georgian gifts for kids, Petit Bazar is an ideal choice, with a wide range of products displayed in their shop in the Vake district.

The store sells 90% of Georgian products, including clothes from Spilow, crocheted toys, Macrame items from Macrame Art, photo albums, games for development, bags, necklaces and bracelets, ceramic bowls, wood toys, and hats.

It also has wooden furniture from Tviti and Gogora. While most of the books displayed here are in Georgian, a few are in English, both international and local publications.

Where to buy Georgian wine in Tbilisi

8000 Vintages

8000 Vintages pioneered wine bars in Tbilisi. With four branches in Tbilisi, one in Batumi, and one even in Berlin, Germany, the shop and bar have some of the broadest selection of Georgian wines from various small and big wine companies.

Their assortment includes almost all regional wines, as well as natural and bio wines. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about their selections, so if you need help, they are there to help you find something that suits your preferred flavor profile.

Warehouse

The Warehouse at Stamba Hotel premises is a newly opened wine bar and a shop that stocks Georgian wines and imports some international brands.

With their primary focus on Georgian natural wines from small and medium-sized enterprises, the choice is surprisingly broad. Come here if you want to buy genuinely artisanal Georgian wine. You can also grab a glass from their opened-bottle selection and sit inside or at the amphitheater.

Food souvenir shops in Tbilisi

Bitadze tea shop

Bitadze Tea Shop and Museum is a tiny space close to Freedom Square that offers a selection of Georgian teas. A wall showcases the history of Georgian tea, its production, and its retro packages.

In addition to typical black and green loose teas, you can choose herbal ones crafted by artisanal tea growers in the Guria and Imereti regions.

Kona

Kona is another Georgian loose tea and herbal blend company. Kona, in Georgian, means a ‘bouquet’ and reflects the idea of creating a flavorful bouquet of various mixes crafted from wild herbs from nine regions of the country and those the company grows in its garden.

Kona has four collections: Guria Grand Cru – rare artisan black, green, and blueberry loose-leaf tea; Wellness collection – detox and immune system booster; Epicurean collection – gourmet teas; and Herbal Zen – herbal mixes for relaxation.

Badagi

Almost every local buys churchkhela at Badagi for personal use or as souvenirs. Being one of the prime churchkhela-making companies, Badagi offers a wide choice for the beloved Georgian snack.

The company has several locations in Tbilisi, but the branch at Miminoshvili Street in the city center offers the most choice. You can buy traditional churchkhela or choose the ones with more nuts and less grape juice. They also have both walnut and hazelnut churchkhelas. And if you like fruit leather, they also have it.

Cheese House

Georgia’s diversity includes landscapes, historical landmarks, cuisine, and a wide range of cheeses produced in almost every region of the country. 

Sadly, like Georgian tea, the cheese industry experienced significant industrial change during and after the Soviet Union. The Soviet government prioritized only a few types of cheeses for production in the country, while the rest almost vanished.

A few years back, Ana Mikadze, a passionate cheese gourmand, made it her mission to scout for forgotten cheeses and revive them. After years of research, she established Cheese House to present artisanal cheeses. The store stocks almost 50 types of cheese, as well as honey, crackers, wine, jams, and other produce. Whether you like aged cheese or flavored with various herbs, spices, or nuts, the choice is vast.

Waime Spices

I typically buy my spices in various bazaars, but traveling with spices that have a powerful odor can be tricky.

For instance, an excellent Svanetian salt will make your suitcase smell like salt, so it’s essential to have it adequately packed. I advise to have a ziplock bag that can keep those odors inside.

Waime Spices is one of the many spice companies in Tbilisi, but it properly packages its spices for easy and odorless transportation.

Book shops in Tbilisi

Eari bookstore

Eari is a bookstore and cafe in Tbilisi’s Sololaki neighborhood. Its floor-to-ceiling shelves feature a wide selection of vintage, contemporary, and new books in Georgian and English.

The shelves are divided by category and theme, making it easy to browse for something interesting. I also noticed a few children’s books and cookbooks that would make great Georgian gifts.

Biblusi

Biblusi is a nationwide bookstore with multiple locations in major cities, including Tbilisi. While most of the books found in Biblusi cater to Georgians, you can discover Georgia-related books in English based on history, sights, food, and even Georgian writers translated into English.

Museum shops in Tbilisi

Almost every museum in Tbilisi has a small souvenir shop selling a wide selection of gifts.

The National Gallery’s shop mainly consists of artsy souvenirs from Georgia, such as books about Georgian painters, notebooks, and various accessories (tote bags, t-shirts, and aprons) with prints of famous paintings of Pirosmani and Lado Gudiashvili, to name a few.

The shop at the Georgian Museum of Fine Arts has more contemporary items. Their gift selection consists of Banksy merchandise left in stock after the exhibition, posters of Petre Otskheli’s drawings, Taschen books of various categories, small ceramic items, silk scarfs, jewelry, tablecloths, magnets, coasters, etc.

Leather bags and souvenirs in Tbilisi

17 Kvadrati

17 Kvadrati, or 17 Squares, is a small shop in the courtyard of Sofia Melnikova’s Fantastic Douqan, a beloved cafe-restaurant with a tranquil environment.

The shop mainly sells handcrafted items made from leather and canvas. Most of its products are minimalist bags of various sizes and models, such as backpacks, fanny packs or bum bags, cases, and shoulder bags. You can also find belts, notebooks, bracelets, wallets, and other smaller accessories.

Additionally, they have started crafting bags from recycled pet food sacks, which I find extremely cute and eco-conscious.

Termitti 

Located a few minutes from Freedom Square, Termitti creates leather bags, wallets, purses, belts, backpacks, fanny packs, and other accessories right in their studio and shop. 

If you like something but want it in a different color than displayed or have a design in mind, you can ask them to create it custom-made for you. 

A few years ago, Oto gifted me one of their purses. I use it almost every day, and it has also traveled with me to a few countries. It has remained as if he gave it to me yesterday.

Retro and vintage souvenirs in Tbilisi

Old Book Story

Hidden in the Chughureti neighborhood, a few minutes’ walk from Marjanishvili, Old Book Story is a vintage book and poster shop that mostly stocks Georgian and Russian books and posters. However, you might also find English-language books.

Browse through retro posters of local and international films and plays (both in Georgian and Russian), Soviet propaganda, old wine and beverage labels, and a few vintage bags.

Dry Bridge Flea Market

Ramidging through Dry Bridge Flea Market is one of the top things to do in Tbilisi. Open daily, the market is livelier over the weekend when more sellers come out with vintage and antique products laid out directly on the pavements or car hoods.

Anything can be found here, from silverware to chandeliers, Soviet propaganda to modern remote controls, door handles to outdoor lamps, posters and paintings to watches, and many more.

Barakholka

While Dry Bridge Flea Market is quite famous and sometimes overpriced, Barakholka in Samgori is an alternative version with lower people and prices.

However, the market has quite a similar vibe and nostalgic items. Oto and I have found quite exciting items here, including tiny cast iron pans, big ceramic jugs, huge wooden chests, outdoor lamps for the garden, etc.

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