Quick Bites: Laliko in the West Village is the buzzy newcomer everyone’s talking about. Chito Gvrito in Gramercy is the neighborhood regular. Oda House has two Manhattan locations for mid-week cravings. Mrs. Georgia in Astoria is Queens’ first Georgian spot. Toné Café in Brighton Beach has been making the real stuff since 1997.
Georgian food is one of New York City’s great sleeper cuisines — wildly flavorful, surprisingly affordable, and built for sharing in a way that makes it the perfect group dinner. We’re talking about khachapuri (cheese bread so good it should be illegal), khinkali (soup dumplings that put you in an immediate good mood), and a whole canon of herb-driven stews, grilled meats, and walnut sauces that most New Yorkers have never tried. With a wave of new openings bringing Georgian cuisine into the spotlight, now is the moment to get familiar.
What Is Georgian Cuisine?
Georgia is a small country at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, nestled between the Black Sea, Russia, Turkey, and Armenia. Its cuisine reflects that geography: bold spices, fresh herbs, pomegranate, walnuts, and a deep love of cheese and bread that rivals anywhere in the world. The country also produces some of the oldest wine in the world — Georgian orange wines (amber wines made with extended skin contact) are a revelation if you’ve never tried them.
The two dishes you need to know before your first visit: khachapuri, a boat-shaped bread filled with molten cheese and topped with a raw egg and butter (you stir it tableside and tear off the bread crust to dip), and khinkali, pleated soup dumplings filled with spiced meat broth that you eat by holding the knob on top, taking a bite, and slurping the soup inside before eating the rest. There’s a technique. You’ll figure it out.
Where to Eat Georgian Food in NYC Right Now
Laliko — West Village, Manhattan
80 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014 | Sun–Wed noon–10pm, Thu–Sat noon–10:30pm
Laliko is the restaurant everyone in the West Village is talking about right now, and for good reason. Opened in early 2025 by restaurateur Gurami Oniani, it brings a contemporary polish to classic Georgian cooking without losing any of the soul. The 42-seat dining room is warm and intimate, and the khinkali are impeccably pleated — a signal of serious craft. The showstopper is the Mother Khinkali: a dramatic giant dumpling that arrives tableside and conceals six smaller dumplings inside. Yes, it’s theatrical. Yes, it’s delicious. The Georgian wine list is curated and includes natural amber wines that pair beautifully with everything on the menu. Reservations open at midnight on the first of the month — plan ahead, or try walking in during off-peak hours.
Chito Gvrito — Gramercy, Manhattan
173 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10003 | Mon–Fri noon–11pm, Sat 11am–11pm, Sun 11am–10:30pm
If Laliko is the special occasion spot, Chito Gvrito is where you go on a Tuesday because you just really need khachapuri. Located on 3rd Avenue in Gramercy, this is a neighborhood restaurant in the best sense — accessible, consistent, and genuinely beloved by the regulars who pack it nightly. The adjaruli khachapuri here is lighter on bread than most, which makes the cheese-to-carb ratio feel almost reasonable. The shkmeruli — fried chicken in a milk and garlic sauce — is a cult favorite: funky, rich, and impossible to stop eating. They offer a two-course lunch for $30 on weekdays that’s one of the best value meals in the neighborhood.
Oda House — East Village & Upper East Side, Manhattan
76 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009 (East Village) | 406 E 73rd St, New York, NY 10021 (Upper East Side)
Fri–Sat noon–11pm, Sun noon–10pm, Mon–Thu 4–10pm (UES location)
Oda House has been the gateway Georgian restaurant for many New Yorkers since it opened in 2013, and it remains one of the city’s most reliable options. Chef Maia Acquaviva has earned Michelin recognition for her work keeping hundred-year-old Georgian recipes alive. The menu covers the full breadth of the cuisine: oversized khinkali, multiple khachapuri styles, kebabs, and a solid selection of vegetarian dishes and stews with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options. The East Village location on Avenue B has a cozy, unpretentious vibe; the Upper East Side spot is slightly more polished. Both deliver.
Mrs. Georgia — Astoria, Queens
37-10 31st Ave, Astoria, NY 11106 | Lunch noon–4pm daily (20% off food on weekdays), Dinner until 10pm weekdays / 11pm weekends | Happy Hour 4–7pm
Mrs. Georgia is the first Georgian restaurant in Queens, and it fills a real gap in the borough’s already incredible dining landscape. The 31st Avenue location puts it right in the heart of Astoria’s restaurant row, and the menu hits all the classics: hand-folded khinkali, adjaruli khachapuri, chakapuli (a bright, herbaceous lamb stew that often gets overlooked in favor of the showier dishes), and a solid lineup of grilled meats — lamb chops, beef and pork kebabs, lamb kebabs. The full bar offers Georgian wines, chacha (the country’s grape-based spirit), and signature cocktails. The weekday lunch deal — 20% off the full food menu — is legitimately excellent value for the neighborhood.
Toné Café — Brighton Beach, Brooklyn
265 Neptune Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235 | Daily 7:30am–9pm
If you want to understand Georgian bread at its most elemental, make the trip to Brighton Beach. Toné Café has been baking inside a traditional tone (a circular clay oven) since 1997, making it the first Georgian oven bakery in all of New York. The shoti bread — long, canoe-shaped, with a burnished crust and chewy interior — comes out of that clay oven smelling like something you want to eat immediately and think about for the rest of the week. Six varieties of khachapuri are on the menu, with the adjaruli as the crowd favorite. This is a bakery first and restaurant second, which means the bread and pastry are exceptional. Go early, go hungry.
The Order of Operations: What to Order on Your First Visit
At any Georgian restaurant, start with the pkhali — small vegetable dumplings or patties made with walnut paste, garlic, and herbs. They’re usually cold, inexpensive, and a great way to understand the flavor profile before the heavier dishes arrive. Follow with adjaruli khachapuri (get the cheese boat on your first time — the other varieties are great, but this one explains the whole cuisine in one dish). Order khinkali — at least four per person, because you will want more than you think. If you eat meat, add a kebab or the shkmeruli. Finish with churchkhela — walnut strings dipped in grape must — if the restaurant has it. And order a glass of Georgian amber wine. It’s the only correct pairing.
Getting There
Manhattan spots (Laliko, Chito Gvrito, Oda House) are all easily reached by subway. Mrs. Georgia in Astoria is a short walk from the N/W train at 30th Ave. Toné Café in Brighton Beach is on the B/Q line at Brighton Beach station — it’s a trip, but the neighborhood alone is worth the ride. Go on a weekend, eat Georgian food, then walk the boardwalk. It’s a perfect New York afternoon.
