The Best Secret Restaurants In Tbilisi

Along with the vibrant dining scene in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, some of the great cafés and restaurants remain hidden. And if you don’t know where to look, you most probably won’t find them. Thus, here’s the guide to some of the secret restaurants you might want to check out once in Tbilisi.

1. Ghumeli

Restaurant, European, Georgian

Ghumeli is located on the top floor of the Iota Hotel, offering excellent views of the capital. The word ghumeli in Georgian means oven; consequently, the restaurant focuses mainly on oven-baked meals. It also features an open kitchen with a huge oven, so you can see how your meals are prepared. Here, you can try both international and Georgian dishes as well as desserts and fine wine.

2. Bina N37

Restaurant, Georgian, European

This is one of the hidden restaurants of Tbilisi. The name bina means an apartment in Georgian and perfectly describes the cosy eatery. Located on the top floor of a residential building, Bina N37 offers a homey atmosphere, homemade-style dishes, and a qvevri wine that comes right from its terrace – the owner has buried several clay vessels for its house-made wine right here.

3. Sofia Melnikova's Fantastic Douqan

Restaurant, Georgian, European

Often going by the shorter name of Melnikova’s, the restaurant is set in a small garden and is a fantastic place during the hot evenings of spring and summer. The yard, designed with vintage décor items, is full of plants, trees, and bushes. Thus each table is quite private. However, don’t worry if you happen to be in Tbilisi in autumn or winter, there is indoor seating available, too. The venue offers decent food, homemade lemonades, soups, and sandwiches to name a view. The menu primarily features the staples of Georgian cuisine, but you can find some international dishes as well.

5. Academy Lounge Restaurant

Restaurant, European, Georgian

Located on one of the back streets off Rustaveli Avenue, Academy Lounge Restaurant is a cozy place designed in vintage style. The menu here is diverse, offering international cuisine, desserts, and wide choice of soft and alcoholic beverages. In addition to indoor seating, the venue has a small courtyard where you can sit peacefully and enjoy your meal.

6. Cafe Littera

Restaurant, European, Georgian

Located in the yard of Writer’s House, a building built in 1905, Cafe Littera offers one of the fanciest dining experiences in Tbilisi. Owned by the famous female Georgian chef, Tekuna Gachechiladze, the meals here are unique. Her traditional Georgian staples are not like any other you might taste in other places offering local cuisine. She mixes the latest trends in the culinary world with traditional recipes.

7. Floor 8

Restaurant, European, Georgian

Floor 8, located at the top of a building near Freedom Square, is more of a lounge than a restaurant offering excellent views of Tbilisi. The spacious and beautifully designed venue is excellent both for dining out and for its late-night DJ parties. The menu here is the mixture of international dishes and is one of the few restaurants that keeps its kitchen open till 3 a.m.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.