Kutaisi surprised us immensely, purely positively. This was helped in no small way by its superb dining scene. I do not enjoy hyperboles, and some restraint can go a long way especially in more subjective issues like this, but from my own perspective, despite its much smaller size, the eateries here in Kutaisi offer the best mix to tourists and locals alike. You may not have ten different Asian joints to choose from like you would in Tbilisi, and there are not like twenty different established bakeries selling khachapuri as is the case in Batumi, but the city has so many little gems that I realized if I were to return to Georgia to live for a longer period of time, I would pick Kutaisi as my “base,” and this article will tell why.
El Depo – https://goo.gl/maps/K9jzfkmp8vMGdmeN6
El Depo is locals’ favourite, and you can see that from the way waiters treat you, the not so welcome foreigner. In our case, we did not have any serious issues with the service, other than them forgetting my mother’s overcooked shashlik, but there are some nightmare fueling scenarios in Google reviews about this place so keep that in mind. It was extremely cheap, the khinkali was likely the best one I had, and the interior was properly cooled down during a particularly bad heat wave. There are positives, there sure are plenty of them. If you want the local experience, pay less, and eat well, give this joint a chance, though be ready for some poor service and a long wait.
Cafe Tiflisi – https://goo.gl/maps/d35LqVV3M8P4NgAD7
Alright, after that extremely positive intro, this will look like a very weird start by two not so stellar reviews back-to-back, but yeah despite all the hype surrounding it, we did not particularly enjoy Cafe Tiflisi as well. Once again, the service was, interesting… Given how hot the weather was, and how heavy Georgian dishes are, and how little my mother eats, we decided to try their famous khachapuri, “just” one of it for lunch to be particular. There was no one else in the joint at the time other than a coffee drinking couple, and despite that we felt quite unwelcome as two “cheap tourists.” Even that khachapuri gave our stomachs a trouble, as it was too big to eat. When we paid, we also got some bad looks from an older man, presumably the owner. The food was okay, prices (for drinks at least) were certainly inflated, but you may give them a shot nevertheless, since they do have a huge menu full of local food.
El Paso – https://goo.gl/maps/mKZGVP9hLptDJP8GA
The first place we dined in at Kutaisi was El Paso, and I must say it was the best decision ever. The service was stellar, waiters could speak English, prices were very low, and the khinkali was on point. Their tomato sauce was the real game changer though, and it just made all khinkali taste better, though I feel like it is a cardinal sin to have those balls of dough and joy filled with the said sauce… Nevertheless, go here, without even thinking twice about it.
Fleur – https://goo.gl/maps/cSiArnQcfmCRRGZ78
Fleur is our favourite establishment in town, due to a plethora of different reasons. They have an incredibly diverse menu that has Georgian and Turkish staples in it, as well as some vegetarian options such as a burger full of cheese and grilled vegetables. Their so-called shakshuka (which was basically a Turkish menemen) was the best thing I had in Georgia during this trip, and I will not retract this bold statement of mine under any circumstance. Everything from the juicy tomatoes they used to the ample amount of sweet onions found inside this admittedly gooey mess hit the spot, and the fresh bread we ordered with it was simply divine. Go here, eat all they offer, and be happy.
Siam Thai Restaurant – https://goo.gl/maps/kCHw8Qge919dnUsH8
Kutaisi is a smaller city, where you cannot even find a simple noodle joint like the Red Panda in Batumi. So, you can probably understand my amazement when I came across Siam Thai, a restaurant owned and operated by an actual family from Thailand! Rest assured, the food was even beyond our wildest expectations, though admittedly it may be helped by the fact that the staff was so nice all the time. Perhaps more importantly, they catered well to my request to make the Tom Yum as spicy as possible, and for a summer dinner, it was spicy in just the right amount! A must go if you are in Kutaisi.
Hoegaarden Kutaisi – https://goo.gl/maps/cnRtd9MmhEmowncH8
What surprised me the most about Kutaisi’s eating out scene was the sheer number of well-known brands setting up shop in town, especially breweries dedicated to popularizing some German beers here in the heart of Georgia. This, likely, has a lot to do with the number of German tourists heading to Kutaisi but it was an interesting thing to note regardless of the reason behind it. We did not have time to try them all, obviously, but our experience at Hoegaarden was nothing short of amazing. They served an incredible mushroom with sulguni, the best I had so far, and their potato-based dishes were above and beyond. The “home style” potato was my favourite, though the Mexican fries with its own “Mexican” sauce went especially well with their Hoegaarden on the tap. A night out in this fine establishment can hardly disappoint.
Mary’s Irish Pub – https://goo.gl/maps/hCZFAst2tn5YDgAy6
Well, as if all these lovely German breweries setting up shop in Kutaisi was not enough, recently an Irish Pub appeared near the city’s centre as well, alongside a few other already established pubs in the region. It is clear that they will make a name for themselves as well, since the service is unparalleled, and the clientele seems to be made up of foreigners only, which will surely allow them to gather their own following soon enough. The spinach pasta I had here was (surprisingly) tasty, and their fish and chips was superb too. A fair piece of warning though, try to go here on weekends if you want to enjoy their full menu, as we had to make some sacrifices when we visited them during an ordinary Tuesday evening before we left town.
Mini Art – https://goo.gl/maps/7g1pGniABEt4uSh57
The one thing that sort of let me down about dining out in Kutaisi was the seeming lack of any proper pizzerias in town. Apparently, some of those aforementioned breweries make some good pizza, but I did not have the chance to try them. Admittedly, the one I had in Magnolia in Tskaltubo, which is merely 20 minutes away from Kutaisi was indeed an exceptional one, so I suppose this is not much of an issue for locals. In any case, Mini Art is known for its desserts, interior design, and a very unique style of pizza so I had to give them a chance. In short, it is not for me. It is very cheesy and saucy, which is great, but I prefer a thinner dough that is a bit more baked. Still, with their tasty desserts as a finisher (especially that lovely lava cake), we enjoyed every single second of our dinner at Mini Art Café.
Mio – https://goo.gl/maps/L3EGKv7N1DzQacks6
Mio has the best ice cream in town, according to locals, and well, for me. Given how I only had ice cream in just one spot that is certainly a stretch to say, but the pistachio ice cream I had here could rival most in Turkey, so that says something. It is not cheap at 3 GEL per scoop, and I am a simple man who truly enjoys even the cheapest milky ice cream that seems to have been in production since the Soviet times, so I would hardly go back to it myself, but if you consider it as more of a dessert than ice cream, than the price will be more justified and a return trip would be more likely.
Bakery Sanimusho – https://goo.gl/maps/XHuy3NjtkndDw74b6
Though it hurts me to say that I have no photos of the superb pastries we enjoyed from Sanimusho, you should take my word for it and believe that they are the best when it comes to baking stuff in town. Prices are just, food tastes superior and somehow healthier (compared to street vendors that sell the same baked goods for similar if not more expensive prices), and choices are quite limitless. We bought a lot from here on our last day as we left Georgia, so that we could have a few last “bites of Georgia” during our long bus ride back home. Thankfully, they certainly delivered on the taste department, and I especially enjoyed their brownie which I would recommend to all.