Top 8 Traditional Foods
in Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti

Mingrelian khachapuri is a Georgian khachapuri variety originating from Samegrelo. Although it's quite similar to its Imeretian cousin, this khachapuri is round and it's topped with even more cheese (usually chkinti-kveli Imeretian cheese). The dough is prepared with flour, water, yeast, sugar, and salt. Once it has risen, the dough is topped with a combination of eggs and cheese, then baked until the cheese becomes bubbly and golden brown. Before serving, this khachapuri variety can be rubbed with butter, if desired.Expand

Kharcho is a hearty Georgian soup featuring beef or chicken, walnuts, and rice. It is traditionally seasoned with a Georgian spice blend called khmeli suneli (a combination of dried blue fenugreek, marigold petals, basil, parsley, fennel, coriander, bay leaves, and red pepper) and tkemali plum sauce. The soup is so popular that almost every family has their own variation and recipe. It is recommended to serve kharcho hot and garnish it with freshly chopped coriander.Expand

Elarji is a specialty of the Georgian Samegrelo region, prepared as a thick porridge consisting of coarse cornmeal, cornflour, and sulguni or tchkhinti cheese, depending on what's available. The dish has an extremely thick texture, and it is very elastic. If properly made, one should be able to stretch it overhead. It is traditionally served hot and consumed with Georgian bazhe sauce, made with garlic, walnuts, and various spices.Expand

Kubdari is a popular Georgian pastry that is traditionally filled with beef, pork, or a combination of the two, along with spices such as cumin, dill, coriander, blue fenugreek, red pepper, onions, garlic, and salt. The dough consists of flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt, and eggs. Interestingly, the meat used in this savory pie should be cut, not minced, while the salt should be local and aromatized with special herbs. It is recommended to glaze kubdari with butter and serve it hot.Expand

Originating from Samegrelo, Smoked Sulguni or Shebolili Megruli Sulguni is a Georgian cheese made from the milk of cows, buffalos, and goats (rarely), or a combination of the three. This semi-hard cheese has a dense, springy, and elastic texture underneath its natural rind. Due to the fact that the cheese is smoked, its aroma is smoky, while the flavors are both smoky and salty. The paste is yellow in color, while the crust is hard and golden brown or dark brown due to the smoking process. Smoked Sulguni melts exceptionally well, and it's recommended to serve it with ghomi, a local porridge that's a staple in Samegrelo.Expand

Gebzhalia is a traditional dish originating from the region of Samegrelo. The dish is prepared with a combination of fresh cheese such as sulguni, cottage cheese, hot green peppers, mint, garlic, and salt. The mint and green peppers are chopped, mixed with garlic and salt, then crushed in a mortar. The cheese is cut into slices, boiled, mashed until softened, then rolled with a rolling pin. The mashed mint, peppers, and garlic are placed on the softened cheese, and the combination is rolled up, then cut into smaller portions for serving. It's recommended to serve gebzhalia with Georgian cornmeal called ghomi.Expand

Chvishtari is a traditional cornbread originating from Svaneti. It's usually made with a combination of cornflour, milk, eggs, oil, salt, and sulguni cheese. The dough is kneaded with the cheese until it becomes firm and smooth. It is then flattened and cooked on both sides in a greased frying pan over medium heat until lightly golden. It's recommended to eat chivshtari on the same day that it was made, preferably while still hot.Expand

Narchvi is a traditional cheese hailing from the Svaneti region. It's made from cow's milk. The cheese is placed in a small wooden tower and it's then pressed with stones for more than 3 months (and up to a year). Narchvi has a soft and buttery texture, while the flavors are surprisingly strong, ranging from sweet to sharp and nutty.Expand