Eat · Sololaki & Freedom Square
A tone bakery (pick on the day)
Buy shotis puri hot from the clay oven at 07:00–10:00; cheap, quick and best eaten within minutes of leaving the oven.
- Bread from about ₾1
- Cash only
- Best 07:00–10:00
- Order: Shotis puri and khachapuri from a tone oven
- Counter seating
- Walk-in window: 07:00–10:00
- Queue risk: after 19:00
- 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?
Most tone bakeries open early and close in the afternoon or when the dough runs out
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
07:00–10:00
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Bring cash
Per person
GEL 3–122026 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
- Shotis puri loafშოთის პურიEat within minutes of leaving the oven.GEL 1–2
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
- Point at what is coming out of the oven and hold up fingers for the number.
- Ask for it wrapped in paper if you want to carry it.
- Go before 10:00 for the freshest bread; some stop when the dough runs out.
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.”
- YesVegan · Plain shotis puri is vegan; cheese and bean breads depend on the recipe (ask).
- 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
Bring cash
- Pay at the window and eat it hot on the street.
- No tipping; prices are posted or obvious.
- Cash (lari); many tone bakeries have no card reader.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Not taken
- Note
- A walk-up bakery counter.
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.
- 1Point at what is coming out of the oven and hold up fingers for the number.
- 2Ask for it wrapped in paper if you want to carry it.
- 3Go before 10:00 for the freshest bread; some stop when the dough runs out.Go before 10:00 AM for the freshest bread; some stop when the dough runs out.
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 |
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Bread as a starter in a restaurant: Brought unasked and added to the bill — Ask “tsdis?” or check the bill line.
Paying and tipping
Service is usually on the bill already; unlike in the US, don't add 15–20% on top.
- Pay at the window and eat it hot on the street.
- No tipping; prices are posted or obvious.
- Cash (lari); many tone bakeries have no card reader.
- 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
- ₾3–12 per person for a bread breakfast
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.
- Veganyes
Plain shotis puri is vegan; cheese and bean breads depend on the recipe (ask).
- 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.
What is in the dishes
- Imeruli khachapuri sliceიმერული ხაჭაპურიdairy · wheat
- Puri with cheese and a pickleპური და ყველიdairy
Read from the menu names and notes; recipes vary and cross-contact is not tested. Check with the kitchen.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- No bookings; walk up.
- How far ahead
- Not needed
- No-show / cancel fee
- Not applicable
- Dress code
- None.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Late afternoon and evening | check before you go | Some tone bakeries close when the dough is gone. |
| 1–2 Jan and Orthodox Easter | check before you go | Some shut for the holiday. |
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: 11:00 (quiet).
- 07:00busya short wait is possibleQueue for fresh bread
- 08:00heavyexpect a line
- 09:00busya short wait is possible
- 10:00lightlittle or no wait
- 11:00quietlittle or no wait
- 12:00lightlittle or no wait
- 13:00lightlittle or no wait
- 14:00quietlittle or no wait
- 16:00lightlittle or no wait
- 17:00busya short wait is possibleEvening bread run
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
- Seating
- Standing or a shelf: no proper seats
- Kids
- kids' menu: no · stroller: ok · A short stop
- Access
- step-free: partial · A counter on the street; the pavement is often uneven
Hygiene
- Bread is baked at high heat, so the risk is low; take it in paper rather than a plastic bag.
- No hand-wash point: carry wipes.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not taken — A walk-up bakery counter.
- Capabilities
- food
- Getting there
- Tone bakeries are on side streets across Sololaki and the old town: ask your hotel for the nearest · ~5 min walk
Cons
- Bread is wheat; no gluten-free option.
- Most tone bakeries take cash only and have no seating.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Shotis puri (შოთის პური) | Long, boat-shaped bread baked on the wall of a clay oven. | Say “ori shotis puri”: two. |
| Lobiani (ლობიანი) | Flatbread stuffed with mashed beans. | One, please: “erti lobiani”. |
| Imeruli khachapuri (იმერული ხაჭაპური) | Round bread with cheese inside. | By the piece; hot from the oven. |
| Tone (თონე) | The clay oven, and by extension the bakery. | Look for a bakery with a queue. |
Price check
- locals pay
- Shotis puri is ₾1–2 a loaf; the price is the same for everyone.
- tourist price
- Bread in a sit-down restaurant is usually sold at a marked-up ₾3–5.
- rule
- No tipping; prices are posted or obvious.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Bread as a starter in a restaurant | Brought unasked and added to the bill | Ask “tsdis?” or check the bill line. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
What is shotis puri?
Georgian bread baked on the wall of a clay oven; it is best hot.
How much does it cost?
About ₾1–2 a loaf (2026 estimate).
Can I pay by card?
Most tone bakeries take cash only.
When should I go?
07:00–10:00 for the freshest bread.7:00 AM–10:00 AM for the freshest bread.
Is it vegetarian?
Plain bread is; cheese and bean breads are vegetarian but not vegan.
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- A khinkali house near Freedom Square (pick on the day)6 min walkA lunch table later in the day.
- A qvevri wine bar (pick on the day)3 min walkA glass or a flight of amber and red wine with cheese and pkhali: 18:00–21:00, seated, ask the price of each glass first.A glass or a flight of amber and red wine with cheese and pkhali: 6:00 PM–9:00 PM, seated, ask the price of each glass first.
- Barbarestan5 min walkA booked dinner in Sololaki cooking from 19th-century recipes: book ahead, order the tasting menu or a few plates, and plan 90 minutes.Reserve ahead
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.