We had heard so many good things about Tbilisi that we knew we were going to love it.
And, when we arrived and found lots of local Georgian foods that happened to be vegan in addition to some vegan cafes and restaurants, we knew we were going to love it even more!
We’ll talk more about why we love Tbilisi so much and why we could see ourselves settling down here for a few months in another post but now we’re going to just talk about coffee and food.
Without further ado, here are the best vegetarian and vegan cafes and restaurants that we found in Tbilisi.
Vegan Café Tbilisi
We love our coffee but often have to do without it when travelling, as plant milk isn’t always available in the countries that we visit. We were expecting to have to do without coffee in Tbilisi as we’d done a bit of research and reports said that plant milk isn’t widely available in cafes.
You’ll be glad to know that wasn’t the case and we there were quite a few options for getting our caffeine fix in the city.
Dunkin’ Donuts
We went to the Dunkin’ on Rustaveli Avenue and were surprised to find that they had organic soymilk. Was it good coffee? No, not in our opinion. It had a weird taste and we didn’t go back the second time.
Kiwi Café
We spent a lot of time in Kiwi Café! They only have soymilk and I think the coffee is made in a machine as I asked for my latte to be extra hot but she said she had no control over how hot the milk gets as it’s made in a machine.
Was it good coffee? Yes! They also serve homemade pastries and deserts to go along with the coffee if you want a treat. I would highly recommend the cherry tart!
They also have lots of power outlets and fast Wi-Fi so it’s a great place if you’re looking for a café to work in.
The cherry tart and chocolate brownie are both delicious!
Mama Terra
They have nut milk and coconut milk. Lattes, cappuccinos, Americanos, hot and iced coffee – they’re all available here.
Much like Kiwi, they have power outlets, fast wi-fi, and amazing homemade deserts. Was the coffee good? Yes! I had the coconut milk latte and it was sweet and creamy.
More info on their Facebook page.
Hurma Café
We didn’t have coffee in Hurma so I can’t comment on what it’s like but they did have soy milk and coconut milk too. They had a wide selection of hot and cold coffee options.
Skola Coffee & Wine Bar
This is a cute little café that has a few non-dairy milk options including oat milk (which can be very difficult to find). They also offer alternative methods of making coffee (filter, drip, aeropress) so it’s definitely the option to go for if you’re really into your coffee.
Double B Coffee & Tea
We didn’t try here but the coffee is reported to be good but very overpriced by Georgian standards (similar to NYC prices!). They have coconut milk and almond milk.
Erti Kava
Is reported to have plant milk and vegan hot cocoa.
Luca Polare
This is an ice-cream parlour with multiple outlets and is reported to have soy milk for coffee.
Looking for the best vegan restaurant in Tbilisi?
If yes, we have a few recommendations for you!
Breakfast:
Mama Terra
– Opens at 11AM (closed on Sundays)
– Serves an amazing vegan omelette (made with bean flour, water, spices and it stuffed with yummy veggies)
– Other vegan breakfast options include oats with coconut milk and dates, traditional pancakes, chia pudding bowls and a Mexican omelette.
* Note that this is a vegetarian restaurant but all vegan dishes are prepared and stored separately from animal products. All dishes are marked vegan, raw food and gluten free so you know exactly what you’re getting.
(This place is, in our opinion, the best place for breakfast for vegans in Tbilisi).
This is the vegan omelette – it’s so tasty!
Hurma Café
– Opens at 9AM so is ideal for early risers
– The vegan options are limited and include oatmeal with coconut milk and a range of healthy juices and smoothies.
* Note that this restaurant serves meat dishes too.
Skola Coffee & Wine Bar
– Opens at 8AM Mon-Fri and 9AM on Sat and Sun
– Is reported to have vegan breakfast options but I couldn’t find the menu online.
Irmale’s Café
– Opens at 9AM Mon-Sat and 1PM on Sun
– This is a small cafe with light, healthy vegan dishes including salads, soups, buckwheat pancakes (sweet and savoury), juices, smoothies, crackers and cakes. We heard about this place just before we left so we didn’t get to try it but the reports are very good.
Erti Kava
– Opens at 9AM every day
– Reported to have two labelled vegan breakfasts: avocado toast and oatmeal with coconut milk, fruit, and feijoa jam.
Ovsyanka
– Opens at 10AM every day
– Serves oatmeal with coconut milk and some other breakfast options.
Lunch/Dinner
Lots of local Georgian dishes just happen to be vegan and they’re delicious! I’ll list some of our favourite vegan dishes that we tried below and you can literally get these in all restaurants serving local food in Tbilisi.
Georgian food that’s vegan & super delicious!
Lobio – Served in a clay pot, this dish consists of red beans, onion, garlic, herbs, and local seasonings in a yummy sauce. It’s delicious with some freshly made cornbread.
Beans in a clay pot with cornbread on top.
Mchadi – Mchadi is a local cornbread that is usually eaten with Lobio.
Eggplant with walnuts (Nigvziani Badrijani) – This sounds like a strange combo but it’s super delicious. Consisting of slices of eggplant that are fried and filled with walnuts, coriander and garlic, this dish was one of our favourites. It’s served cold and pomegranates are normally sprinkled on top for extra flavour.
Pkhali – Boiled vegetables are chopped and mixed with garlic, onion, herbs and walnut to create this tasty dish.
Lobiani – This is a traditional Georgian dish of bean-filled bread. It’s heavy and a great filler if you’re extra hungry. It’s definitely a dish for sharing too as it’s normally huge! We loved it but didn’t eat it too often as it made us feel full very quickly.
I had read that some places add bacon fat to the mix of beans for extra flavour so just be sure to always ask if the filling is made with beans and beans alone.
Lobiani
Soko Kecze (mushrooms in a clay pot) – It’s exactly as it describes! We loved this dish as the mushrooms were always juicy and tasty. Cheese is commonly added so make sure to order the version without the cheese (Sulguni).
Mushrooms cooked in a clay pot.
Ajapsandali – This is a traditional Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian dish that’s made with onion, potato, eggplant, bell pepper, tomato, parsley and other seasonings.
Cucumber & Tomato Salad with Walnuts – This is a delicious starter or can be eaten as a main course with some mushrooms and bread. It’s a mix of cucumber, tomatoes and onions in a creamy walnut and herb sauce. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds!
Cucumber & Tomato Salad with Walnuts
Mushroom or potato khinkali – These were Carlo’s favourite! They’re soup dumplings that are boiled and made with flour and water-based dough. Go for the mushroom or potato options if you’re vegan. Most places have a minimum order of 3-5 so you will end up eating a lot of these!
Mexican potatoes – Think thickly cut potatoes seasoned with lots of chillies and seasoning. They can be fried or baked depending on the restaurant.
Mexican potatoes was one of my go-to dishes. They can be super spicy but always tasty.
If you want a break from Georgian food and you’re craving some western vegan food options for lunch or dinner, check out the following;
Mama Terra
Serves a wide selection of vegan sandwiches (falafel, “vegan tuna”, and Mexican mollete are some options), appetisers (quinoa bowls, raw spring rolls, and hummus and veggies are on the menu) as well as ethnic patters, soups, deserts, teas and coffees. High quality ingredients used and there are some raw and GF options too.
Homemade crackers and the famous monkey smoothie from Mama Terra.
Hummus Bar
Serves a wide range of hummus with different toppings. Other options include falafels, veggies, pita bread, salads and dishes made with eggplant. They make their own pita bread and the falafel is baked instead of fried.
Kiwi Café
The prices are so affordable.
Some options include pizza with vegan cheese, tofu curry, salads, soups, pasta dishes, wraps with tofu, hummus and veggies, and a selection of deserts and sides. We found the quality of the food wasn’t as good as other places but it’s still a good option if you’re in the area. The prices are super cheap too which is a big plus considering the location is so central.
This is the large pizza from Kiwi Cafe and it was delicious. Vegan cheese and soy sausage included!
Café Leila
Super cosy café and restaurant in the Old City serving a wide range of dishes that include soups, salads, and falafels. It is overpriced compared to other places but the food is reported to be worth the extra cost.
Muhudo Falafel Shop
Vegan falafel shop in the very centre of the city that serves falafel, dips and drinks.
GOBY
GOBY is a fast food place offering a mixture of Georgian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. You’ll find falafels, different types of hummus, an eggplant sandwich, fritters, soups, salads, and more on the menu.
Ronny’s Pizza
They have many outlets in Tbilisi and they do delivery too. You can order online and get the vegan pizza or customise your own.
I’m sure that are a few more options but these are the best places we came across during our two weeks in the city.
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