Featured in the Ultima Guide 2026, Daredzhani invites long lunches, leisurely dinners, an excuse to dress up and conversations that take their time. Its rooms recall a Tbilisi professor’s apartment—exactly the sort of setting in which a grand Georgian feast feels inevitable. Begin with wine: one of the many fashionable Georgian bottles on the list. Build the opening spread around baba ghanoush with crisp aubergine, pomegranate and seeds, served with dedas puri (KZT 2,600), alongside ajapsandali (KZT 3,700) and dolma (KZT 4,200). The neo-khinkali come in miniature form, filled with beef and accompanied by a spiced sauce, or with chicken and shkmeruli sauce (KZT 3,800). The full-sized version pairs cheese with herbs (KZT 780 each). Khachapuri follows: cooked on a skewer (KZT 3,500), filled with young sulguni (KZT 4,500), or with chicken and mushrooms (KZT 4,300). For the main course, look to the mangal: shashlik from KZT 3,900, lula kebab from KZT 3,600, or trout for KZT 5,300. And to see you on your way, chacha (KZT 2,200) and local Umami craft ice cream flavoured with tarragon (KZT 2,200).
PRO.Khinkali is the Georgian restaurant from Arkady Novikov and Novikov Group. The mood is polished but relaxed—a natural fit for a smart-casual gathering, yet just as suited to a lively family dinner when the occasion calls for one. Khinkali hold centre stage. Filled with meat, cheese or mushrooms, they can be ordered boiled or fried. They are also available individually, making it easy to taste your way through every filling rather than settle on one. Prices reach KZT 1,200 apiece. Elsewhere, the menu remains on familiar ground: pkhali (KZT 5,050), assorted pickles (KZT 6,400), chakhokhbili (KZT 4,950), ojakhuri (KZT 7,150), lobio (KZT 3,300), kharcho (KZT 4,200), khachapuri from KZT 3,900 and mangal-grilled kebabs from KZT 4,200. In other words, the Georgian canon is fully accounted for. The drinks list spans wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic options.
Puri & Wine is an intimate restaurant with a bakery of its own and an unmistakable devotion to wine. On chef Teimuraz Tagviashvili’s menu, Georgian essentials sit alongside lesser-seen traditional dishes. There is charkhali tkemalshi, a salad of beetroot in plum sauce with herbs (KZT 3,490); khobi (KZT 4,190); and tomatoes nigvzit (KZT 3,790). Atsetsili brings together grilled peppers and aubergines, dressed with wine balsamic, herbs and spices (KZT 3,590). Among the mains, look to salmon chashushuli (KZT 5,890), mkerdi (KZT 5,790), or neknebi — beef ribs braised with vegetables for five hours (KZT 5,890). The classics have not been neglected: lobio (KZT 4,290), assorted pkhali (KZT 4,590), kharcho (KZT 3,690), and khinkali filled with meat, cheese or mushrooms (KZT 4,590). The cellar holds dozens of bottles for every occasion: distinguished Old World wines for life’s more luxurious moments; Kisi for a little Georgian nostalgia. Puri & Wine makes no secret of its affection for Italy either, so pizza and pasta make an appearance too.
Just Khinkali began life at the Platforma food court before moving into a fully fledged restaurant on the second floor of Jurek Tau shopping centre. The focus remains firmly on Georgian essentials, without an elaborate concept or decorative flourishes. In the kitchen, Georgian-born chefs hand-fold hundreds of khinkali each day, filled with meat, mushrooms or cheese (up to KZT 4,285 for five). The classics do not rule out experimentation. There are potato-filled khinkali (KZT 2,850), along with salmon and tom yum sauce (KZT 5,500) for a more unexpected turn. Make room, too, for the house khachapuri (from KZT 3,800) and signature kharcho (KZT 3,200). And be sure to save room for a traditional dessert (up to KZT 3,000).
Khachapuri Khinkalyevich follows a simple formula: unfussy Georgian cooking, generous portions and affordable prices. Elaborate presentation is beside the point. This is food for the middle of the table — and a group of friends gathered around it. The chef’s signature khachapuri have a section of their own. Each begins with bryndza and sulguni, then takes a less expected turn. Sokoti (KZT 3,790) adds mushrooms, herbs and garlic; Katmis (KZT 3,890), chicken fillet; and Khortsit (KZT 4,090), minced meat and eggs. The format is particularly well suited to a large gathering: order for the table, pass the plates around and share.
Manana announces itself in full colour. This family restaurant is awash in vivid colour and steeped in traditional hospitality. Inside, Georgian motifs, fur-covered armchairs, unconventional chandeliers and walls of glass all compete for attention. Nana Takalandze heads up the kitchen, moving effortlessly between Georgian classics and more inventive takes. That range extends from ajapsandali (KZT 4,400), chebureki (KZT 2,800) and khashlama (KZT 6,200) to mushroom pkhali (KZT 3,600), khachapuri with pear and Dorblu cheese (KZT 6,300), and mini khinkali with mushrooms and truffle (KZT 3,900). For larger parties, the scale rises accordingly: roast duck with apples (KZT 42,000), beshbarmak (KZT 35,000), or a whole lamb cooked on the spit (KZT 205,000). Younger diners are given a separate menu of colourful dumplings (KZT 2,800) and children’s khachapuri (KZT 3,200). Music, wine and easy conviviality set the tone for a generous feast among friends.
Photos: restaurant websites and social media; Yandex Maps
