Eat · Sololaki & Freedom Square
Barbarestan
A booked dinner in Sololaki cooking from 19th-century recipes: book ahead, order the tasting menu or a few plates, and plan 90 minutes.
- Historical recipes
- Book ahead
- Qvevri wine list
- Order: Historical recipe menu
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: weekday lunch
- Queue risk: dinner
- Vegetarian options
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 9The Armenia–Azerbaijan and Armenia–Türkiye land borders a…Georgia treats entry to Abkhazia or South Ossetia from Ru…Do not plan travel to Abkhazia or South OssetiaOld-town slopes and stairs in Sololaki and Abanotubani st…
- Caucasus ↗The Armenia–Azerbaijan and Armenia–Türkiye land borders are closed; any route that crosses them is not a route, however short it looks.
- Caucasus ↗Georgia treats entry to Abkhazia or South Ossetia from Russia as illegal; entering that way can mean arrest or a ban when you next reach Georgia proper.
- Georgia ↗Many passports enter visa-free for a long stay; if yours needs a visa, apply only on the official e-visa portal.
- Georgia ↗Do not plan travel to Abkhazia or South Ossetia: crossing their boundary lines from Georgian-controlled land is treated as illegal entry, and many governments advise against it.
- Georgia ↗In Orthodox churches women cover their heads and shoulders and wear a skirt or a wrap; men remove hats and avoid shorts.
- Georgia ↗Carry Georgian lari in small notes for minibuses, markets and the metro card; cards work in most Tbilisi cafés and shops but not everywhere outside the capital.
- Kartli ↗Minibuses (marshrutkas) have little space for large bags: leave the big bag at the Tbilisi hotel and take a day pack.
- Tbilisi ↗Old-town slopes and stairs in Sololaki and Abanotubani stop suitcases: bags go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Tbilisi ↗Buy a Metromoney card at a metro station and load it with lari; the metro, buses and the cable car take the same card.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Lunch and dinner service; confirm the day before
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
weekday lunch
Reservations
Reserve ahead
Paying
Cards taken
Per person
GEL 50–902026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
Tip
Format
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Your first order
- Historical tasting menuისტორიული მენიუAsk for the current version.GEL 60–90
Menus and prices change; the board on the day wins.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
How to order
- Book a table a few days ahead; say if you have allergies.
- Ask which wines are served by the glass and the price of each.
Tipping
Service is usually on the bill already; unlike in the US, don't add 15–20% on top.
Allergies and diets
- YesVegetarian · Georgian food has many vegetable dishes: pkhali, badrijani, lobio, mushrooms, cheese breads. · say: “ხორცის გარეშე, გთხოვთ (KHOR-tsis GA-resh, gt-KHOVT): without meat, please.”
- AskVegan · Possible with pkhali, lobio and salads; cheese and egg are in many breads.
- NoHalal · Pork is common and there is no halal certification; ask about each dish.
- AskGluten-free · Bread and dumplings are wheat; grilled meat, salads and lobio are safer. Ask. · say: “ხორბლის გარეშე, გთხოვთ (KHOR-blis GA-resh, gt-KHOVT): without wheat, please.”
- AskNut allergy · Walnuts are in many sauces and starters (satsivi, pkhali, badrijani): tell staff before you order. · say: “ნიგვზის გარეშე, გთხოვთ (NIG-vzis GA-resh, gt-KHOVT): without walnuts, please.”
Paying
Cards taken
- Check whether service is on the bill before you tip.
- Service may be added: check the bill.
- Cards accepted; add service if it is not on the bill.
Booking
- Booking
- Reserve ahead
- Reservations
- Taken
- Note
- Book ahead, especially for dinner and weekends; confirm by phone or the website (check).
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
- 1Book a table a few days ahead; say if you have allergies.
- 2Ask which wines are served by the glass and the price of each.
No shared language? Tap dishes in the order builder below and show the waiter the full-screen list in the local script. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| How much is it? | რა ღირს? | rah GHEERS |
| The bill, please | ანგარიში, გთხოვთ | ahn-gah-REE-shee, GTKHOVT |
| Hello | გამარჯობა | gah-mar-JOH-bah |
| Thank you | მადლობა | mahd-LOH-bah |
| Delicious! | გემრიელია! | gem-ree-EH-lee-ah |
Portions and sharing
- Ask for the historical menu or three to four plates to share.
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Bottled water: Charged per bottle — Ask for tap or the price.
Paying and tipping
Service is usually on the bill already; unlike in the US, don't add 15–20% on top.
- Check whether service is on the bill before you tip.
- Service may be added: check the bill.
- Cards accepted; add service if it is not on the bill.
- Tipping: About 10%; check whether service is already on the bill.
- Ask if the 10% service is already on the bill before you tip.
At the table
- Georgian food is for sharing: order a few dishes for the table and let them arrive together.
- Bread comes free at many places, but check: some restaurants charge per basket.
Price and paying
- Typical spend
- ₾50–90 per person (2026 estimate, check)
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
Always accepted; keep lari for small places.
Cards and contactless work at most sit-down places (check small ones).
Not used for food.
Some places take mobile pay; carry a card as backup.
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianyes
Georgian food has many vegetable dishes: pkhali, badrijani, lobio, mushrooms, cheese breads.
Show: ხორცის გარეშე, გთხოვთ (KHOR-tsis GA-resh, gt-KHOVT): without meat, please.
- Veganask
Possible with pkhali, lobio and salads; cheese and egg are in many breads.
- Halalno
Pork is common and there is no halal certification; ask about each dish.
- Gluten-freeask
Bread and dumplings are wheat; grilled meat, salads and lobio are safer. Ask.
Show: ხორბლის გარეშე, გთხოვთ (KHOR-blis GA-resh, gt-KHOVT): without wheat, please.
- Nut allergyask
Walnuts are in many sauces and starters (satsivi, pkhali, badrijani): tell staff before you order.
Show: ნიგვზის გარეშე, გთხოვთ (NIG-vzis GA-resh, gt-KHOVT): without walnuts, please.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- Phone or website; give date, time, group size and allergies.
- How far ahead
- 2–5 days, more in October
- No-show / cancel fee
- Ask about the policy at booking.
- Dress code
- Smart casual.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Public holidays and 1–2 Jan | check before you go | Hours change; confirm the day before. |
| Monday | check before you go | Some restaurants close on one weekday; confirm. |
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Hour by hour, with queue times
Quietest listed hour: 12:00 (light).
- 12:00lightlittle or no wait
- 13:00busya short wait is possible
- 14:00lightlittle or no wait
- 18:00busya short wait is possible
- 19:00heavyexpect a line
- 20:00packedexpect a long linePeak
- 21:00heavyexpect a line
- 22:00lightlittle or no wait
Desk estimate of crowd on a weekday; weekends and holidays run one level higher. Not live data. No line length is on file, so waits are in words.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Restrooms
- Restroom on site · accessible restroom: check
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- kids' menu: ask · stroller: check · Better for lunch with children
- Access
- step-free: check · An old Sololaki building: ask about steps
Hygiene
- Standards are high.
- Ask about raw or cold dishes if you are pregnant.
Facts
- Reservations
- Taken — Book ahead, especially for dinner and weekends; confirm by phone or the website (check).
- Capabilities
- food · toilet
- Getting there
- Walk from Freedom Square into Sololaki (address on booking) · ~8 min walk
Cons
- Popular: dinner tables go early.
- Prices are above the city average.
- Tasting menus can run long.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Pkhali (ფხალი) | Chopped vegetables with walnut paste. | A starter for the table. |
| Satsivi (საცივი) | Cold turkey or chicken in walnut sauce. | A festive dish. |
| Qvevri wine (ქვევრის ღვინო) | Wine fermented in a buried clay vessel. | Ask for a glass to try. |
| Chakapuli (ჩაქაფული) | Lamb or veal with tarragon and sour plum. | A spring dish (check season). |
Price check
- locals pay
- Locals eat here on special occasions.
- tourist price
- Wine by the glass and set menus are the main cost.
- rule
- Service may be added: check the bill.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Bottled water | Charged per bottle | Ask for tap or the price. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Do I need to book?
Yes for dinner and weekends; lunch is easier.
What is the food?
Georgian dishes from 19th-century recipes, plus qvevri wine.
How much does it cost?
About ₾50–90 per person (2026 estimate).
Is it good for vegetarians?
Yes; there are many vegetable and walnut dishes.
How long does dinner take?
About 90 minutes to two hours.
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- A qvevri wine bar (pick on the day)6 min walkA wine bar for a late glass.
- A khinkali house near Freedom Square (pick on the day)2 min walkWalk-in khinkali (dumplings), eaten by hand; go before 13:00 or after 15:00; order by the piece and ask the price first.Walk-in khinkali (dumplings), eaten by hand; go before 1:00 PM or after 3:00 PM; order by the piece and ask the price first.
- A tone bakery (pick on the day)5 min walkBuy shotis puri hot from the clay oven at 07:00–10:00; cheap, quick and best eaten within minutes of leaving the oven.Buy shotis puri hot from the clay oven at 7:00 AM–10:00 AM; cheap, quick and best eaten within minutes of leaving the oven.
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h).
All places to eat in Tbilisi, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Tbilisi in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Tbilisi (eat)
- officialGeorgian National Tourism Administration
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.