What to Eat in the Caucasus

Framed by the Black Sea and the Caspian, the Caucasus balances high mountains, fertile valleys, and long winters that favor hearty, seasonal cooking. Grilling, stewing, pickling, and baking in clay or wood-fired ovens reflect climate and terrain, while herbs and dairy anchor daily meals.

Across Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, bread, rice, and preserved vegetables meet fresh greens and walnuts year-round. Spices are measured rather than hot, with tarragon, dill, cilantro, and garlic leading. Markets in Tbilisi, Yerevan, and Baku overflow with cheese, herbs, and fruit, fueling generous, shared tables.

Khachapuri is Georgia’s emblematic cheese bread, made by leavening wheat dough and encasing it with brined cheeses such as imeruli or sulguni. Imeruli is a flat, pan-baked round; megruli adds cheese on top; and Adjaruli, popular along the coast near Batumi, is boat-shaped and finished with a raw egg and butter. Baked in a home oven or a traditional clay tone, it emerges blistered, aromatic, and indulgently stretchy, with a balanced saltiness from the cheese. It is central to everyday eating and celebration alike, even inspiring the widely cited “Khachapuri Index” used in Tbilisi to track food inflation, and is eaten hot at breakfast, lunch, or late evening, often shared straight from the board.

Khinkali originated in Georgia’s mountain regions and are hand-pleated dumplings filled with minced meat, usually beef and pork or lamb, onions, and herbs. Seasoned simply with salt, black pepper, and sometimes summer savory (kondari), the filling releases juices as it cooks, turning the interior into a peppery broth. Dough rounds are rolled thick enough to hold 15–20 pleats, then boiled until the dumplings float and swell, glossy and taut. Eaten by hand—bite, sip the broth, then finish the meat and dough while leaving the knotted stem—khinkali are a cold-weather staple in Tbilisi and roadside eateries on mountain routes, but they now appear year-round at casual gatherings and long evening meals.

Khorovats is Armenia’s signature style of grilling, centered on skewered pork, lamb, or chicken marinated with sliced onions, salt, and black pepper, sometimes with a splash of wine or vinegar. Cooked over charcoal or fruitwood on a mangal, the meat gains light smoke, crisp edges, and a tender interior that stays juicy from steady heat and frequent turning. Platters typically include grilled eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, plus fresh herbs and airy lavash to wrap each bite. Khorovats anchors weekend picnics around Yerevan, family milestones, and holiday tables, and it travels well into the countryside where friends gather to cook outdoors in all seasons, from chilly autumn afternoons to long summer evenings.

Tolma (often called dolma in the region) in Armenia commonly means grape leaves wrapped around a filling of minced beef or lamb, rice, onions, and herbs such as dill and cilantro. The rolls are packed tightly in a pot, topped with leaves, and gently simmered until the rice is tender and the meat releases savory juices. Served warm or at room temperature with garlicky matsoun (yogurt), they are silky, aromatic, and balanced by the vine leaf’s gentle tang. Tolma is central to home cooking and festive spreads, with vegetarian versions during Lent and a widely attended annual festival celebrating its variations; you’ll find it at family gatherings in Yerevan and village tables throughout the growing season and beyond.

Azerbaijani plov highlights long-grain rice parboiled, rinsed, and steamed with saffron-infused butter until each grain is separate and fragrant. Many versions crown the rice with toppings (gara) prepared on the side—lamb sautéed with onions, chestnuts, dried apricots, and raisins, or herbs and greens in spring—then combined on the plate. For shah plov, the rice and toppings are encased in a crisp, golden gazmag crust made from dough or lavash, yielding a dramatic, buttery shell. Plov is a centerpiece of celebrations, from weddings and Nowruz to hosting honored guests in Baku homes, and it appears for leisurely weekend meals when time allows careful steaming and shared platters that encourage unhurried conversation.

Caucasian food stands out for herb-driven flavors, measured spicing, and techniques tuned to rugged geography—grilling over coals, slow stews, pickling, and clay-oven baking. Bread, rice, walnuts, and dairy frame meals that are generous but not heavy, with seasonal produce shaping the table. Explore more regional dishes and plan weather-smart trips using Sunheron’s tools.