12 Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Tbilisi

Vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Tbilisi were almost nonexistent a few years ago. Luckily, this is changing, and today, we see many restaurants catering solemnly to those who follow such a lifestyle. While there is an abundance of vegetarian food in Georgia, I decided to create a vegan and vegetarian guide to Tbilisi to give you all the possible information on where to dine.

At the end of this post, as a bonus, I have also included a few shop suggestions on where to find some plant-based ingredients to prepare meals at home.

7 best traditional vegan and vegetarian food in Georgia to try

If you are unfamiliar with Georgian cuisine, here are the traditional plant-based meals to look for in any Georgian restaurant.

Note: this list starts with solemnly vegetarian foods, adds a few vegetarian options of popular meat-based meals, and finishes with dishes that have or need cheese inside/aside.

Pkhali: Phkhali is an appetizer and a term for a plant-based traditional Georgian meal wrapped or seasoned with walnut paste. Quite often, they are topped with pomegranate seeds as a garnish. The most common ingredients to make Pkhali are spinach, bell pepper, beets, and cabbage.

ADVICE: always travel with comprehensive travel insurance that also covers COVID. I personally use SafetyWing. 

Eggplants with walnuts: Badrijani Nigvzit (Georgian name) is another appetizer many foreigners and locals rave about. This famous Georgian dish includes fried eggplant in long slices spread with a walnut, garlic, and spices paste. Then it is either rolled or folded.

Black bean stew: Lobio is the name of a thick black bean stew that is also a favorite for non-vegetarians. It originally comes from the Racha region and calls for onion, coriander, and garlic as its main ingredients. There is another version of Lobio made with walnuts. 

The best way to enjoy Lobio is to pair it with cornbread (Mchadi) and an assortment of pickles. 

Ajapsandali: This vegetarian traditional Georgian food is a Caucasian cousin of French Ratatouille. It is a cold stew (but I like it heated) and has eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, fresh herbs, red pepper, and garlic. You can eat it as an appetizer or as a side dish. 

Khinkali: Khinkali is primarily a meat dumpling; however, many restaurants offer vegetarian options with potatoes, cheese, and mushrooms.

Khachapuri: Khachapuri is the second most famous traditional Georgian food after Khinkali. It’s like a cheese pie, so if you eat dairy, you can try various types of Khachapuri once in Tbilisi. 

The most common version is Imeruli (plain, simple, round-shaped) and Adjaruli (boat-shaped, topped with an egg and butter). When ordering Adjaruli, you can tell the waiter not to include an egg or butter. 

Cucumber and tomato salad: You might be thinking, what’s so special about this food that I include it here? What makes it different is either Kakhetian sunflower oil or seasoned with walnut paste. 

How to find other vegetarian options in Tbilisi restaurants

Since Georgia is an Orthodox country, many people fast several times yearly for religious reasons. Wednesday and Friday are also fasting days for believers, even if there is no fasting period in the church calendar.  

Therefore, many restaurants have Samarkhvo or a ‘fasting’ section on the menus. Sometimes, they even have a separate small menu too. These meals enlisted as Samarkhvi are free from animal products, but they might have a fasting mayo, cheese, and honey. So it’s always good to double-check with your waiter.  

Best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Tbilisi

Mama Terra Veggie Corner

Mama Terra is one of the vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Tbilisi offering healthy international food focusing mainly on traditional Mexican cuisine with a Georgian twist. 

Conveniently located behind the Parliament on Ingorokva Street, Mama Terra has quickly become a go-to for many locals and foreigners looking for plant-based food that differs from mainstream food. 

Their diverse menu has plenty of salads, appetizers, egg meals, soups, and desserts. Apart from Mexican cuisine, they also offer Singapore-style noodles, Moroccan Tagine, Makhani soy meatballs, Quinotto (Peruvian meal), and German-style “beef” stroganoff. 

On my visit, I tried vegetarian Tamales made from steamed cornmeal dough filled with beans and bell peppers, topped with Imeretian cheese and jalapeno peppers. It came with salsa verge and pico de gallo sauces. 

My main course was Vegan Don Taco. Instead of a tortilla, they make a burrito-crepe style flatbread filled with a mixture of red rice, fried beans, mushrooms, and corn kernels, seasoned with coriander accompanied by pico de gallo sauce. 

I liked Don Taco more than I did Tamales. I am not saying Tamales were terrible; I preferred Tacos as they were more flavorful and had character.

Both servings were quite big and perfect for sharing if you go with friends and try different meals. 

Mama Terra also brews its own Kombucha and makes mocktails from it. They even sell a SCOBY if you want to make it at home. 

Falafel Box

If you love falafel, this vegetarian restaurant in Tbilisi serves the best falafel in town – it’s crispy outside and soft inside, well seasoned, very smooth, and soft with balanced flavors. 

I tried their falafel wrap, which had a good portion of falafel, lettuce, tomato, and homemade pickles wrapped in pita bread. I paired it with homemade ayran (thin salty yogurt) – the perfect combination! 

I returned for their Falafel Box, with six falafel balls, tahini sauce, and fresh veggies.

Falafel Box offers various Lebanese meals, including Fattoush salad, tabbouleh, fatteh, and hummus. They serve Shakshuka, Lebanese breakfast, fried eggs, and egg wrap if you fancy breakfast. I’ll be back to try more of their meals.

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Vegan Place

Vegan Place is one of the go-to vegan restaurants in Tbilisi among the plant-based diet community. Known for its secret weapon, none other than its mouthwatering seitan dishes, Vegan Place is a discovery that I waited too long to visit. 

The menu might be short, but it has an ample selection of vegan food focusing on street food style and bowls. They craft these one-of-a-kind bowls that are bursting with intricate, unforgettable flavors. 

And if you’re craving something familiar with a vegan twist, they have shawarma, Cheeseburger, nuggets, gyros, and Mac’n’Cheese and French fries. 

One of their bestsellers is Bowl #3, with in-house-made BBQ seitan, smoked rice, fresh vegetables, and ranch dressing. Even though it might not look big at first glance, the content inside these bowls are hefty portions rich in flavor. I tried the seitan for the first time, and it’s so delicious that I would love to have it as a snack all day, every day. 

After complimenting the staff about the flavorful meal I’ve tried, she told me that their shawarma is an all-time favorite among the customers. So, I have to try it next time. 

They also recently added new specials to their menu –  Philly cheese steak and Banh mi sandwiches – with their in-house crafted seitan. 

The interior of the Vegan Place is charming, with walls painted halfway in dark blue and burgundy colors, while dimmed lights create a cozy atmosphere. The doodles on the wall, paintings, and wall-mounted tiled bar table add a distinctive appeal to the venue.

Darani

Darani mainly offers falafel pita sandwiches. Their falafel balls are the second-best I have tried in Tbilisi thus far, with a well-balanced flavor, smooth consistency, and the right amount of spices. 

The menu is small and has a handful of meals. Their bestseller and everyone’s favorite is the Pita with Tomato and Darani’s Special Sauce, which comes with falafel balls, veggies, and pickles. It’s worth mentioning that they make their pita in-house; therefore, the size is just perfect, and the whole sandwich is very filling. 

I have also tried their veggie salad with six falafel balls and a sauce of your choice. I am a salad lover, and this one was nothing special, but I gave them constructive feedback.

It has a lot of chickpeas and a few veggie slices (cabbage, cucumber, shredded carrot, and bell pepper). Eating chickpeas in the salad and as a falafel felt too much. However, the number of falafel balls that came with the salad was more than enough, and I barely managed to finish it. 

That being said, I highly recommend it for their pita sandwiches and falafel balls on their own. 

Salobie Bia

If you are looking for a traditional Georgian vegetarian restaurant in Tbilisi, look no further. Known for the black bean dish Lobio, Salobie Bia’s menu offers a good selection of meat and plant-based Georgian cuisine.

Try their main course Lobio, in a clay pot with various pickles and a cornbread mchadi. Other items on the menu are pickled mushrooms, Lobiani (black bean pie), proso millet (Panicum miliaceum), and quinoa ghomi with Sulguni cheese. 

Before your order arrives, look around as it looks like a small museum, showcasing a private collection of vintage items, various signs, movie postcards, contemporary art, mosaics, traditional clothes, and toys. 

Muhudo 

Mukhudo is the Georgian word for chickpeas. This small falafel joint behind McDonald’s on Rustaveli offers only one type of falafel wrap in three sizes. 

The falafel wrap has good falafel balls accompanied with lettuce, hummus, pickled cabbage, cucumber, and tomato, and seasoned with tahini, peanut, and chili sauce.

It’s worth noting that the falafel is roughly blended/mashed with bits of chickpea pieces felt when chewing. Although it didn’t bother me, some might like a smoother consistency. 

They recently expanded their venue and offer a few tables to enjoy your wrap with various alcoholic or soft drinks. 

Living Vino: Vegan Restaurant & Natural Wine Bar

Your Tbilisi vegan restaurant list should include Living Vino, a cute place on Lado Asatiani Street serving plant-based meals paired with some of the best natural wines in the country. 

Opened by two Ukrainian friends who also know the world’s organic and natural wine market, they take their business quite seriously by looking into their meals’ nutritional value and ensuring they have enough fiber and protein. 

Their food focuses mainly on Mediterranean cuisine. The menu is packed with a wide range of meals from Buddha Bowls to Vegan Kharcho (a traditional Georgian spicy meat stew), from Tofu Burgers to vegan desserts. 

On my visit, I tried their Detox Buddha Bowl, an Indian-inspired red lentil meal seasoned with garam masala and turmeric and topped with pickles, grilled cauliflower, greens, and coleslaw. The flavors were well balanced with the right amount of turmeric, while the veggies on top made the lentils moist and easy to digest. 

They often add new vegan meals to their menu and announce it on their Facebook page. They also host wine and food-related events and even have a club membership with some perks if you are into that. 

Jekuna

October 2023 update: temporarily closed until further notice

Jekuna is one of the vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Tbilisi serving food made from canned Jackfruit. It is the world’s largest fruit grown on a tree in Asia, South America, and Africa. This tropical fruit contains vitamins and minerals, making it a common ingredient in many vegetarian and vegan meals worldwide.

The interior of this vegan cafe in Tbilisi has adorable painted illustrations on its walls and colorful chairs. 

The menu has a relatively wide choice of vegan food, mainly made from Jackfruit. Their meals also include chickpeas, soy meat, and mushrooms as their main ingredient. 

Jackfruit Khinkalsons is a take on traditional Georgian dumplings, Khinkali, made from Jackfruit filling with a Gyoza sauce on the side. The plate has ten tiny Khinkalis and is a perfect appetizer with balanced flavors. The sauce, made from rice vinegar, spices, soy sauce, and aromatics, is sweet and salty with a chili kick. 

Their Mushroom Nuggets Burger has a whole oyster mushroom as its main ingredient coated in vegan batter and then deep-fried. It also has coleslaw and pickles inside and comes with french fries aside. The burger is flavorful and filling; it’s also a perfect size. 

One more vegan food to try here is the Jeck Sandwich which can be made either vegan or vegetarian. Ask the waiter when ordering. The sandwich has a jackfruit paste spread on a slice of bread accompanied by fresh cucumber, canned pineapple, and avocado slices.

Dedaena Bar

If you are grabbing an evening drink or want to preparty somewhere that serves vegetarian food in Tbilisi, come to Dedaena Bar in Dedaena Park next to the Dry Bridge. 

The menu has four vegetarian burgers, a falafel wrap, hummus with veggie sticks, a falafel plate, and a few side dishes. 

I have tried their Grilled Tempe Burger that comes with french fries. Tempe or Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food initially made from fermented soybeans. 

Although, it’s made from other beans and grains worldwide nowadays. The fermentation process is natural and controlled; it needs to shape into a cake form during this time. 

Dedaiena Bar makes Tempe in-house, and the burger has iceberg salad leaves, fermented Jonjoli (Georgian cousin of capers), tomato slices, homemade mayo, and red onions. 

Ummy – Raw Vegan Cafe

October 2023 update: temporarily closed until further notice

This is the place to go if you are looking for raw vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Tbilisi. The word ‘umy’ in Georgian means ‘raw,’ and that’s the main motto and focus of Ummy, offering meals made from uncooked, dehydrated, and sprouted ingredients. 

Their menu is not extensive but has a good choice of salads, main courses, appetizers, soups, and desserts. Meals are made fresh with unique methods to keep them nutritionally packed. 

Come here to try Pitaya Bowl made with banana, strawberry, and pitaya topped with sprouted seed granola and various seeds. Sprouted Wheat Salad combines cherry tomatoes, almonds, arugula, lollo rosso, and dates. And Sprouted Chickpea Dip comes with veggie slices and dehydrated crispy bread. 

Kiwi Vegan Cafe

Kiwi Vegan Cafe is a veteran of the vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Tbilisi, as it was the first one to cater to a plant-based lifestyle since 2015. 

Their extensive menu offers a good selection of salads, pasta, sandwiches and burgers, soups, and bowls, to name a few.

I’ve tried their good Tofu shawarma, but it was pretty dry but well-seasoned. The chickpea Tofu burger was much tastier and came with vegan cheese, veggies, pickles, and french fries on the side.

Soup Culture

Soup Culture is a street food joint offering vegan and vegetarian soups in eatable cups. Yup, you read it right! 

Located on Griboedovi Street, the venue operates out of a small window, offering three different soups – lentil, beetroot, and vegan cheese poured in a yellow (colored using turmeric powder) bread cup that you can eat while sipping your soup on the go. 

I am not a big fan of beetroot, and the staff didn’t quite advertise the vegan cheese soup, so I was left with a lentil. The flavor was as good as a usual lentil soup and didn’t drip from the bread cup! 

Overall, it was good. However, I prefer the soup to be a bit hotter than it was. But that might be my preference. 

The Cone Culture 

If you are after vegan ice cream in Tbilisi, The Cone Culture is the place to check out. They constantly experiment with flavors and develop the most unusual and unimaginable tastes. 

While most of their ice cream is not vegan or vegetarian, they make sorbets from local fruits and berries that make them vegan-friendly. These sorbets are also gluten and dairy-free. 

Their menu changes according to the seasonal ingredients, but they always have fruity sorbets year-round, depending on the season. 

Vegan food Tbilisi shop list 

Sadly, Tbilisi doesn’t have a wide vegan food choice in its mainstream supermarkets. Plant and nut-based milk are common in small markets such as Nikora, 2 Nabiji, and Spar. Carrefour, Goodwill, and Agrohub might have more extensive options for vegan food in Tbilisi. They also have dedicated shelves for imported BIO products, some of which are vegan and vegetarian. 

Luckily, specialty shops cater to vegans in Tbilisi, importing various produce. However, you might not find mass-produced Tofu or vegan charcuterie. And when it comes to Tofu, several people make them at home and then sell them through Facebook. 

Bio Ship Organika: one of the best shops for vegan food in Tbilisi. They have a wide variety of produce, such as grains, flowers, superfoods, and self-care products, to name a few. They have two branches in Tbilisi (Vake and Saburtalo areas), but you can also order online.  

Daily Organics: another online store selling superfoods and superpowers that are 100% organic. Their products are mainly fruit powders that are a healthy addition to your diet. 

Georgita: specialty shop offering a wide range of products imported from abroad, including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.  

And if you want to connect with other vegans or vegetarians in Tbilisi, try these two groups on Facebook: Georgian VEGANS/Vegetarians💚🌱 and Vegans / Vegetarians in Georgia 🌱🇬🇪

Spread the word!