Having arrived in Tbilisi even for a short time, you should definitely visit the national gallery to admire the paintings of Niko Pirosmani
As Lenta.ru notes, breakfast is not particularly customary in Tbilisi, but for the persistent – eggs Benedict, pancakes, waffles, omelets are served at La Strada. The black burger with salmon and gnocchi with cheese and caramelized walnuts are also marvelously good. Besides this Italian project, to which the brilliant Isaac Correa contributed, there are chain restaurants Entre, Coffee Bean, and Wendy's.
At lunch, so that your conscience and the jeans cutting into your waist don't torment you, head to the funicular. In the adjacent restaurant, they make the best Adjarian khachapuri in the city, served in three sizes. Don't be greedy – a small one is quite enough. Mix the egg, cheese, and butter, break off dough from the edges and dip into the resulting filling. A valuable piece of knowledge: you can order Adjarian khachapuri without dough inside, and it's very tasty.
The best drink to wash it down with is a traditional old Tbilisi drink – chocolate lemonade. And for dessert – cream doughnuts, two of them, or as many as you're not ashamed of. But no freelancing, the other desserts are not impeccable!
The most kosher dinner is in restaurants opened in Tbilisi apartments. A good example is Purpur, where European cuisine coexists with traditional spices and cooking methods. Another atmospheric place is Qeto I Kote. And for vegetarians, there is the only project in Tbilisi with vegetarian food – Leila. Phali, cheese sticks, corn tortillas are worth taking without thinking about the consequences.
The Old Town is primarily courtyards entwined with ivy and vines. And inside, of course, cafes and bars. "O, moda, moda," for example. The food here is European with a noticeable Italian influence. The menu includes salads, pastas, sandwiches and a fairly good selection of wines, and the courtyard itself is tiny, with an abundance of trees and plants, making you feel very secluded and romantic.
Cocktail culture in the city is not very developed, mojito is still on top, and they don't know about penicillin here yet. But there is always a way out, although in this case, rather a way in – the bar at the Rooms hotel. The drinks are signature, the bartenders are excellent, the crowd is pleasant. Don't miss the chacha cocktail, but this option is for those with a sweet tooth.
At night, Tbilisi does not sleep. Its inhabitants are divided into two parts: half go to McLaren to sing karaoke (according to locals, it's the very best), and the other half prefer nightclubs that are not inferior to Berlin's. Places of Georgian power – Home, Lolita, and although a bit tired, but still wow, El Centro. In the latter, as a bonus, there is a live band, usually performing covers in a jazz arrangement.
If you're lucky, you'll come across some festival, of which there are many in the city. For example, in September, the place to be was the park near the funicular, where tents were set up for one day, turning the space into an outrageous circus tent. The music was the most progressive, and behind the decks were both Georgian talents and popular European DJs.
To feel like a real Tbilisi partygoer, around four o'clock, head to a khinkali place: meat, cheese, potato and mushroom, one of each. Just no utensils. This is important!
Wine flows in Georgia like from a cornucopia. There is so much everyday, instant red and white for any task and budget in the country that you'll have to taste it more than once a day.
In the city, wine is the number one drink, and wine bars are perhaps the most common element of the Tbilisi landscape. Experts agree: on Erekle II Street, you need to look for the establishment g.Vino – a very comfortable place with an excellent wine list. On Kote Abkhazi Street (also known as Leselidze), there is a shop Vinomania, don't pass by. And, of course, the cult place – Vino Underground on Galaktion Tabidze Street, especially for connoisseurs of organic wines.
When you get tired of walking, enjoying life, beautiful views, and food (if that's even possible), be sure to visit the national gallery to admire the paintings of Niko Pirosmani. Aren't you curious to see the portrait of the woman to whom the poor artist presented a million scarlet roses? It is also worth buying a ticket to the Rezo Gabriadze Puppet Theater, because such subtle, beautiful, and impressive performances are hard to find. It makes sense to look into the Paliashvili Georgian Opera and Ballet Theater, but it's better to choose the vocal genre, it's somehow more reliable.
As a souvenir of Tbilisi, bring home wine (because of high prices at the airport, it's better to stock up in city enotecas and supermarkets), homemade churchkhela (the best in the city is sold in a small shop on Miminoshvili Street), jewelry and clothing by Georgian designers from Dots, and a couple of extra kilograms. Because denying yourself phali, pelamushi, and khinkali is simply a crime against taste.