# What to Eat in Mountainous Adjara, Georgia: Dishes and Where to Eat (2026)

Source: https://glampingtago.ge/blog/adjara-mountain-food · Updated 2026-10-11 · Glamping Tago

## TL;DR

- The dishes of mountainous Adjara are borano (cheese melted in browned butter), sinori, kaimaghi, Adjarian khachapuri and river trout, eaten with mchadi cornbread.
- Borano costs 12 to 25 GEL in restaurants; a cafe lunch in Georgia runs 20 to 35 GEL a person in 2026, and khinkali cost 1.2 GEL each in Shuakhevi.
- Good lunch stops on the 85 km Batumi to Khulo road: Makhuntseti (Dologani Valley, Shergebuli, Chanchkerze, Avaliani), Keda (Akavreta) and Shuakhevi (Khinklis Sakhli, Adjara Inn).
- In Khulo, eat at Cafe Levon's by the market; above Khulo, Yurtalicious at Glamping Tago is a fully vegetarian yurt restaurant open to day visitors (breakfast 32 GEL, dinner 37 GEL).
- Eco House Merisi is a 23 km side trip from Keda, not a stop on the way; Restaurant Begheli in Khulo has closed.
- Carry cash: village guesthouses and small cafes rarely take cards, and the ATMs are in Khulo, Keda and Goderdzi.

Order borano, sinori and kaimaghi with mchadi in the Adjara mountains, and eat on the Batumi to Khulo road at Makhuntseti, Keda (Akavreta), Shuakhevi and Khulo. A cafe lunch costs 20 to 35 GEL in 2026.

Mountainous Adjara eats differently from Batumi. Up the Adjaristskali valley through Keda, Shuakhevi and Khulo, almost everything is cooked in butter and built on mountain dairy: braided cheese, nadughi curd and kaimaghi cream. Here are the dishes to order, the roadside restaurants worth stopping at between Batumi and Khulo, what a meal costs in 2026, and where to buy honey, cheese and wine to take home.

## What should you eat in mountainous Adjara?

Order borano, sinori and kaimaghi with mchadi cornbread: these three are the food of the Adjara highlands, and the official [Visit Ajara Khulo guide](https://visitajara.com/en/mountainous-ajara/2) lists them as the must-try dishes, together with Adjarian cheese and local potatoes. Add an Adjarian khachapuri and a plate of river trout and you have eaten the region.

The difference from the coast is butter. The [Georgian National Tourism Administration](https://georgia.travel/sinori) puts it at 95% of the dishes of mountainous Adjara, and the dairy does the rest. Ethnographers have recorded up to [150 different dishes](https://visitajara.com/en/gastronomy) in Adjara, and the highland and coastal kitchens differ, sometimes from one gorge to the next.

| Dish | What it is | Where to order it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Borano | Braided Adjarian cheese melted in browned salted butter (iagi), eaten with mchadi | Akavreta in Keda, family cafes in Khulo, Yurtalicious in Tago |
| Sinori | Thin baked dough sheets rolled, packed upright and baked with nadughi curd, butter and garlic | Akavreta, Cafe Levon's in Khulo, Yurtalicious lunch |
| Kaimaghi | Thick cream skimmed from chilled milk, eaten with cheese and mchadi | Village guesthouses at breakfast |
| Adjarian khachapuri | Boat-shaped bread with cheese, butter and an egg yolk | Every stop on the road |
| Chirbuli | Eggs cooked with walnuts and herbs, a dish found only in Adjara | Guesthouse breakfasts |
| Malakhto | Young beans with walnuts and unripe grape juice | Home cooking, guesthouse dinners |
| Iakhni | Beef or veal stewed with walnuts and spices | Restaurants in Keda and Shuakhevi |
| Kuruti | Balls of curd, milk, kaimaghi and corn flour, sun-dried in summer | Village homes, in winter fried in fat |
| Trout | River trout, usually grilled | Dologani Valley, Adjara Inn, Shergebuli |

### Borano: the dish to come for

Borano is aged Adjarian braided cheese, soaked in hot water to soften it, then fried in iagi, the browned salted butter of the mountains. The [tourism administration's recipe](https://georgia.travel/ka/%E1%83%91%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%9D) uses 100 g of cheese and 50 g of butter per portion, served with mchadi, and borano carries the status of an intangible cultural heritage monument of Georgia.

Some kitchens serve borano almost like an omelette. That is the modern version: some cooks add corn flour, others flour and eggs, while the [traditional way](https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%91%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%9D) is only cheese and browned butter. Ask for it the old way in the mountains. In restaurants it costs [12 to 25 GEL](https://madloba.info/en/blog/georgian-cuisine/borano-syrnoe-bliudo-adzharii/) a portion.

> **Tip:** Borano is rich: one portion is a starter for two. Tear the mchadi and dip it, and order a salad on the side.

### Sinori, kaimaghi and the rest of the mountain table

[Sinori](https://georgia.travel/sinori) takes the place of honour at weddings in Upper Adjara: unleavened sheets of thin dough (iukha) baked, rolled, cut, packed upright in a pan and baked again with nadughi curd, boiled butter and garlic. If borano sounds too heavy, sinori is the dish to order instead.

[Kaimaghi](https://georgia.travel/ajarian-dishes) is the high-mountain cream skimmed off chilled milk, eaten with cheese and warm mchadi. The same official list names dishes found nowhere else in Georgia: chirbuli, kaisapa, tsurvili, sinori, doshorva, kalajo, festilshorva, thermon, kapshon and mchkidi. Keda adds its own: [river trout and Kokotauri mineral water](https://visitajara.com/public/en/mountainous-ajara/1).

## How do you plan a food trip from Batumi to Khulo?

Drive or ride the Batumi to Akhaltsikhe road (Sh1) up the Adjaristskali valley: it is [85 km of asphalt](/how-to-get-to-glamping-tago) from the old Batumi bus station to Khulo, about 2 to 2.5 hours without stops. Every restaurant in the next section sits on this road or within 4 km of it, so you can plan lunch in Makhuntseti or Keda and dinner in Khulo or Tago.

| Stop | Towns | Distance from Batumi | Good for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Makhuntseti | Waterfall cluster, Keda municipality | About 30 km | Wine tasting, trout, khinkali, a short walk |
| Keda | Wine centre of Adjara | 41 km, about 55 minutes | Borano and sinori, local wine |
| Shuakhevi | River town | 70 km | Cheap khinkali, trout on a river terrace |
| Khulo | Market town | 85 km, 2 to 2.5 hours | Home cooking, supermarkets, ATMs |
| Tago | Village above Khulo | 92.5 km; the last 8.5 km by 4x4 | A vegetarian dinner with the valley view |

Two good tables are not on this road. [Eco House Merisi](#place-eco-house-merisi) is up the Merisi side valley from Keda and adds about 23 km and 40 minutes to the trip. The [Khikhani guesthouse](#place-guest-house-khikhani) is 38 km beyond Khulo. Both are separate trips, covered below.

### Where to sleep so that you eat well

Sleep in the mountains, not in Batumi: the best Adjarian food is cooked at home, and the guesthouses and camps above Keda cook three meals a day. [Visit Ajara](https://visitajara.com/en/mountainous-ajara/2) puts a village night with three meals at about 50 GEL.

Glamping Tago, our camp on the hill above Village Tago, is 8.5 km above Khulo and 92.5 km from Batumi. You sleep in a Lotus Belle tent and eat in Yurtalicious, our vegetarian yurt restaurant, with breakfast and dinner buffets cooked each morning by women from the village. It is open from 1 April to the end of October; see [today's prices](https://glampingtago.ge/book?from=blog_text).

> **Glamping Tago** (Village Tago, Khulo (Adjara)) - our venue
> Our camp above Khulo: tents and a dorm dome, with Yurtalicious, the vegetarian yurt restaurant, on site. A base for the honey and Ghorjomi food days.
> Season: 1 April to end of October · Google 4.9 (645)
> Pros: Breakfast and dinner buffets cooked on site by women from the village; Valley view from every table and tent; Jara honey and Ghorjomi food tours start here; 4x4 taxi from Khulo arranged for you
> Cons: The last 8.5 km from Khulo need a 4x4; Fully vegetarian kitchen: no meat or fish; Closed November to March; Tents, not hotel rooms
> [website](https://glampingtago.ge) · [Instagram @glampinggeorgia_tago](https://instagram.com/glampinggeorgia_tago) · phone +995 555 56 24 83 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJCWibuR1PXUARUTua5xy7clc)

Rima's Village Home in Vashlovani is 1.6 km off the main road before Khulo, a 2024 [Good Host](https://goodhost.ge/en/guest-houses/417) guesthouse with five rooms, three meals a day and Adjarian cooking masterclasses.

> **Rima's Village Home** (Vashlovani, Khulo (Adjara))
> A Good Host guesthouse just before Khulo where the hosts cook three Adjarian meals a day and teach the dishes.
> Capacity: 5 rooms, 12 beds · Google 5 (51)
> Pros: Three home-cooked meals a day; Adjarian cooking masterclasses; 1.6 km off the main road
> Cons: Five rooms only, book early; Book meals when you book the room
> [website](https://goodhost.ge/en/guest-houses/417) · phone +995 557 33 36 13 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJszfpbclFXUARuBAUhnzM0tE)

Hotel Khulo Inn sits right on the main road at the edge of Khulo, at 140 GEL a night on its [Visit Ajara listing](https://visitajara.com/public/en/hotels/1028). Guests come back for the breakfasts with homemade cheese and khachapuri.

> **Hotel Khulo Inn** (Khulo (Adjara))
> A small hotel on the main road at the edge of Khulo, known for breakfasts with homemade cheese and khachapuri.
> Price: 140 GEL a night · Google 4.9 (53)
> Pros: Homemade cheese and khachapuri at breakfast; On the main road, no 4x4 needed; Walk to the Khulo market
> Cons: In town rather than in a village; A small hotel: book ahead
> [website](https://visitajara.com/public/en/hotels/1028) · phone +995 511 20 91 35 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ6yDJWX5PXUARP2OTZgAXPi8)

## Which roadside restaurants are worth stopping at between Batumi and Khulo?

Stop at Makhuntseti for wine and trout, at Keda for borano and sinori, and at Shuakhevi for the cheapest khinkali on the road. All the places below are on the main road or a short spur off it, all rate 4.3 or higher on Google, and all have a phone number you can call ahead.

### Makhuntseti: the waterfall lunch stop

The Makhuntseti waterfall is the first big stop in Keda municipality, and the busiest: more than 11,000 people have reviewed it on Google. A short walk from the road takes you to the falls, and four restaurants sit within a few hundred metres.

> **Makhuntseti Waterfall** (Makhuntseti, Keda (Adjara))
> The waterfall the Makhuntseti lunch stops gather around: a short walk from the road and very busy in summer.
> Price: Free · Google 4.6 (11129)
> [website](https://georgia.travel/villages/keda) · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJnes6mtSKZ0ARA9LWDm0PrWo)

Dologani Valley is on the main road before Makhuntseti, with no detour. It is open until midnight, takes cash only and has live music; order the grilled trout or the khachapuri.

> **Dologani Valley** (Chalakhmela, Keda (Adjara))
> On the main road before Makhuntseti with no detour; grilled trout and khachapuri, live music, cash only.
> Google 4.8 (272)
> Pros: On the main road, no detour; Grilled trout and khachapuri; Open until midnight, live music
> Cons: Cash only; Before Makhuntseti, not at the waterfall
> [website](https://visitajara.com/en/restaurants/651) · [Instagram @dologani_valley](https://instagram.com/dologani_valley) · phone +995 593 33 25 25 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ99y1UhuNZ0ARV9rHDcFVskw)

Cafe Bar Shergebuli is a family cafe on the road in Kveda Makhuntseti with its own garden. It pours homemade Rkatsiteli wine at 20 GEL a litre and makes khinkali with meat, potato or mushroom.

> **Cafe Bar Shergebuli** (Kveda Makhuntseti, Keda (Adjara))
> A family cafe on the road with its own garden, homemade wine and big portions.
> Google 4.8 (74)
> Pros: Homemade wine, 20 GEL a litre; Khinkali with potato or mushroom; Garden seating on the road
> Cons: No website or Instagram; A simple family cafe
> [website](https://yandex.com.ge/maps/org/cafe_bar_shergebuli/91328612199/) · phone +995 555 58 11 10 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJVxM9_IeLZ0AR6O2v-RNEi64)

Restaurant Chanchkerze stands by the waterfall itself, a 3.9 km spur off the main road. It takes cards, closes at 23:00 and runs [culinary masterclasses](https://visitajara.com/en/restaurants/946).

> **Restaurant Chanchkerze** (Makhuntseti, Keda (Adjara))
> The restaurant by the Makhuntseti waterfall, 3.9 km off the main road; takes cards and runs culinary masterclasses.
> Google 4.8 (56)
> Pros: Right by the waterfall; Cards accepted; Open until 23:00
> Cons: Several 2026 reviews mention long waits for food; A 3.9 km spur off the main road
> [website](https://chanchkerze.com/) · phone +995 555 24 50 62 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ8aXiQfaLZ0ARK_DHwXCR5ms)

Avaliani Wine House is a winery restaurant on the road in Makhuntseti, open daily 10:00 to 23:00, with tastings, live music and culinary masterclasses.

> **Avaliani Wine House and Restaurant** (Makhuntseti, Keda (Adjara))
> A winery restaurant on the road in Makhuntseti for a tasting with lunch; open daily 10:00 to 23:00.
> Google 4.8 (185)
> Pros: Wine tasting with lunch; Culinary masterclasses; On the main road
> Cons: Several September 2026 reviews mention mixed-up orders; Facebook page only, no website
> [website](https://visitajara.com/en/restaurants/952) · [Instagram @avaliani_restaurant](https://instagram.com/avaliani_restaurant) · phone +995 595 03 75 03 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJZZOpyJ-LZ0AR4Xt5vmyiCco)

The [Adjarian Wine House](https://awh.ge/) at Acharistskali, at the very start of the road, is the best-known wine stop and the busiest. It runs tastings and khinkali and cheese masterclasses, open 11:00 to 22:00. Its Google rating of 4.1 from more than 1,300 reviews is lower than the family places further up, so taste there and eat in Makhuntseti.

> **Adjarian Wine House** (Acharistskali, Khelvachauri (Adjara))
> The best-known wine stop at the start of the road, with tastings and workshops; its rating sits below the family places further up.
> Google 4.1 (1306)
> [website](https://awh.ge/) · [Instagram @adjarianwinehouse](https://instagram.com/adjarianwinehouse) · phone +995 577 21 40 02 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJAbUVmv-MZ0ARV1Rk4rm_BuM)

### Keda: borano, sinori and Adjarian wine

Keda is the centre of Adjarian winemaking, 41 km from Batumi at 256 m, and the town to order borano and sinori. [Visit Ajara](https://visitajara.com/public/en/mountainous-ajara/1) names Tsolikouri (white) and Chkhaveri (a pinkish, late-harvest grape) as its wines, made in Pirveli Maisi, Vaio, Dandalo, Gegelidzeebi and Koromkheti. The grape harvest is in October.

Restaurant Akavreta, at 7a Rustaveli Street in Keda, is 1.3 km off the main road and open until 23:00. The owner has borano and sinori made with butter and cheese from the Adjara mountains and pours his own wine; it takes cards.

> **Restaurant Akavreta** (7a Rustaveli St, Keda (Adjara))
> The place in Keda for borano and sinori made with mountain butter and cheese, with the owner's own wine; open until 23:00.
> Google 4.9 (91)
> Pros: Borano and sinori with mountain butter; The owner's own wine; Open until 23:00, cards accepted
> Cons: 1.3 km off the main road, in Keda town; Facebook page only, no website
> [website](https://visitajara.com/en/restaurants/776) · phone +995 592 70 04 01 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJK-rIVI5fXUARkSCjVhPUNdE)

Vaio Resort in the village of Vaio is a 1.6 km detour from the main road. Its restaurant seats about 120 under seven wooden cottages, and the wine cellar is carved into the mountain: house wine, chacha, honey and Adjarian cooking masterclasses.

> **Vaio Resort** (Vaio, Keda (Adjara))
> A cottage resort with a restaurant for about 120 and a wine cellar carved into the mountain; house wine, chacha, honey and cooking masterclasses.
> Capacity: 7 cottages, up to 40 guests · Google 4.9 (141)
> Pros: Wine cellar in the mountain; Own wine, chacha and honey; Adjarian cooking masterclasses; 1.6 km off the main road
> Cons: Large restaurant that takes groups and events; Low in the valley, about 40 minutes from Batumi
> [website](https://vaioresort.ge/en/) · [Instagram @vaio_resort](https://instagram.com/vaio_resort) · phone +995 555 19 31 96 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJha1MXsRfXUARYLmEO5eoRL8)

### Shuakhevi: khinkali and trout by the river

Shuakhevi is the cheap stop. Khinklis Sakhli is a plain roadside dining room on the main road, where khinkali cost 1.2 GEL each and the portions are big.

> **Khinklis Sakhli** (Shuakhevi (Adjara))
> The cheapest khinkali on the road, in a plain dining room on the main road in Shuakhevi.
> Google 4.9 (42)
> Pros: Khinkali at 1.2 GEL each; Big portions; On the main road
> Cons: A plain dining room; No website or Instagram
> [website](https://visitajara.com/en/restaurants/656) · phone +995 577 20 38 03 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ-banM_5bXUARpO7SOwNc_p0)

Adjara Inn, at 51 Rustaveli Street, has a terrace over the river and serves mostly Adjarian dishes and trout from 10:00 until midnight, and takes cards. Order the trout here: the reviews praise it and the view, and are split on the khachapuri.

> **Adjara Inn** (51 Rustaveli St, Shuakhevi (Adjara))
> A river terrace on the main road in Shuakhevi serving Adjarian dishes and trout until midnight.
> Google 4.3 (206)
> Pros: Terrace over the river; Trout and Adjarian dishes; Open late, until midnight
> Cons: Reviews are split on the Adjarian khachapuri; Facebook page only, no website
> [website](https://visitajara.com/en/restaurants/834) · phone +995 558 99 49 00 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJTWq_qCtbXUARM3AxKEe3r10)

> **Watch out:** Shuakhevi's family cafes and roadside restaurants [close early](https://www.traveldojo.com/shuakhevi/) in the evening. Coming through late, eat at Adjara Inn or carry on to Khulo.

## Where to eat in Khulo town?

Eat at Cafe Levon's, a small family cafe next to the Khulo market at 24 Memed Abashidze Street. It has no phone or website, so just walk in from 10:00. Order the goulash and the khinkali: a goulash lunch for four costs about 32 GEL.

> **Cafe Levon's** (24 Memed Abashidze St, Khulo (Adjara))
> A family cafe next to the Khulo market for home-cooked goulash and khinkali at low prices.
> Google 4.8 (77)
> Pros: Home cooking at low prices; Next to the market; Opens at 10:00
> Cons: No phone, so you cannot book; No website or Instagram
> [website](https://yandex.com.ge/maps/org/cafe_levon_s/144707688804/) · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJS5WDHFlPXUARAbmX9y_rNdY)

Khulo has supermarkets, a market and [ATMs](/blog/mountainous-adjara). If you plan to sleep in Tago, buy what you need here: there are no shops in Tago. Without a 4x4, park anywhere in Khulo centre and take the 4x4 taxi up.

> **Watch out:** [Restaurant Begheli](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJZaSZAVhPXUARHjv0cpmahqA) in Khulo has closed for good, so do not plan a meal there.

## Where to eat above Khulo: Tago and Yurtalicious

Yurtalicious, the yurt restaurant at Glamping Tago, is a fully vegetarian kitchen, and it also feeds day visitors. Lunch runs 13:00 to 16:00 from the [lunch menu](https://glampingtago.ge/menu): Georgian salads, sinori, Adjarian khachapuri, and borano on the days the kitchen makes it.

[Breakfast](https://glampingtago.ge/restaurant) is a buffet from 09:00 to 11:00 at 32 GEL, and dinner a buffet from 19:00 to 21:00 at 37 GEL with dessert included: adjapsandali, chanakhi, lobio, soups and salads, one of three menus each night. The kitchen cooks no meat or fish; vegan, gluten-free and allergy meals are made on advance notice. The yurt seats 24 at the long table, so message us on WhatsApp to book a table before you come up.

> **Yurtalicious** (Glamping Tago, Village Tago, Khulo (Adjara))
> The yurt restaurant at Glamping Tago, fully vegetarian; day visitors book a table on WhatsApp.
> Capacity: 24 seats, up to 32 · Season: 1 April to end of October · Google 5 (67)
> Pros: Fully vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free on notice; Sinori and Adjarian khachapuri at lunch; Buffets cooked fresh each morning
> Cons: The road up from Khulo needs a 4x4; No meat or fish; Closed November to March
> [website](https://glampingtago.ge/restaurant) · [Instagram @glampinggeorgia_tago](https://instagram.com/glampinggeorgia_tago) · phone +995 555 56 24 83 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJpRbSTqBPXUARns9RdMEoDMU)

> **Good to know:** The [4x4 taxi](/how-to-get-to-glamping-tago) from Khulo to Tago costs 75 GEL per car for up to four people and takes 30 to 35 minutes. A normal car does not make it up the Khulo road. With one, take the easier Skhalta valley road: turn off at Zamleti, 4.7 km before Khulo, and come up through Cheri and Dzmagula (94 km, about 2 hours from Batumi).

## Where to eat at Goderdzi Pass?

Eat at the Goderdzi resort, 25 km past Khulo at the gondola base (1,700 m): cafes and hotel restaurants there are open to everyone, and a bowl of kharcho costs about [12 GEL](https://goderdzi.ski/). Glamping Tago is not on this road: going via Tago adds about 17 km.

The surest table is the a la carte restaurant of Hotel Ambassadori Goderdzi, open to visitors [from 12:00 to midnight](https://takeandhike.com/en/goderdzi/restaurants).

> **Hotel Ambassadori Goderdzi** (Goderdzi resort, Khulo (Adjara))
> The hotel at the Goderdzi gondola base with an a la carte restaurant open to visitors from 12:00 to midnight.
> Google 4.7 (337)
> Pros: Restaurant open to non-guests, 12:00 to midnight; At the gondola base
> Cons: A large resort hotel; 25 km past Khulo, off the Tago road
> [website](https://ambassadori.com/goderdzi) · phone +995 32 243 94 94 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJJaCuNtJLXUARSF8jz4snQGc)

[Beshumi](https://visitajara.com/en/resorts/3), the summer resort at 1,850 to 2,000 m, is 36 km from Khulo over the Goderdzi road. Go there for the Shuamtoba festival in August rather than for a meal, and eat in Goderdzi or Khulo.

## Is Eco House Merisi worth the detour for a meal?

Yes, if you have a free afternoon: the panorama restaurant at Eco House Merisi has a hall for 60 and a veranda for 40 over the Merisi valley. It is a side trip, not a stop on the way: it adds about 23 km and 40 minutes to the Batumi to Khulo drive.

The restaurant is [open 09:00 to 20:00](https://visitajara.com/en/restaurants/410) and takes cards, so come for lunch rather than a late dinner. The menu mixes the chef's own dishes, classic Georgian food and mountain Adjarian specialties, and there is a halal menu.

> **Eco House Merisi** (Silibauri, Merisi valley, Keda (Adjara))
> A panorama hotel restaurant up the Merisi side valley, worth a separate afternoon; open 09:00 to 20:00.
> Capacity: Hall for 60, veranda for 40 · Google 4.9 (1560)
> Pros: Panorama hall for 60 and veranda for 40; Over 1,500 Google reviews; Cards accepted, halal menu
> Cons: A 23 km side trip off the Khulo road; Kitchen closes at 20:00; Hotel restaurant, shared with hotel guests
> [website](https://ecohousemerisi.com/) · [Instagram @eco_house_merisi](https://instagram.com/eco_house_merisi) · phone +995 557 21 71 77 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJwRAkzM5fXUARj4hAxj5oCak)

The Khikhani guesthouse in Khikhadziri, at 1,300 m, 38 km and about an hour from Khulo, is the other table worth a separate trip. The hosts cook three meals a day and run Adjarian cooking masterclasses, and it pairs with a climb to Khikhani Fortress ([our guide](/blog/khikhani-fortress)).

> **Guest House Khikhani** (Khikhadziri, Khulo (Adjara))
> A Good Host guesthouse at 1,300 m below Khikhani Fortress where the hosts cook three meals a day and teach Adjarian dishes.
> Price: 25-80 GEL a night · Capacity: 6 rooms, 16 beds · Google 5 (26)
> Pros: Three meals a day from the hosts; Adjarian cooking masterclasses; Base for Khikhani Fortress
> Cons: 38 km from Khulo, a separate trip; Simple village rooms
> [website](https://goodhost.ge/en/guest-houses/153) · phone +995 591 71 40 15 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ5QdCG-6zQkARnOmTrHFeIkM)

## How much does a meal cost in upper Adjara in 2026?

A cafe lunch costs 20 to 35 GEL a person in Georgia in 2026, and the family cafes of the Adjara mountains come in under that: khinkali cost 1.2 GEL each in Shuakhevi, and four people eat in Khulo for about 32 GEL. Restaurant bills across Georgia rose [7.6% in the year to May 2026](https://georgiaguidebook.com/planning/georgia-prices-2026/).

| What | 2026 price | Where |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Borano | 12-25 GEL | Restaurants across Adjara |
| Adjarian khachapuri | 10-15 GEL | Cafe or restaurant, Georgia |
| Khinkali | 1.2 GEL each | Khinklis Sakhli, Shuakhevi |
| Khinkali, national range | 1-2.5 GEL each | Georgia |
| Cafe lunch | 20-35 GEL a person | Georgia |
| Goulash lunch for four | about 32 GEL | Cafe Levon's, Khulo |
| Homemade wine | 20 GEL a litre | Cafe Bar Shergebuli, Makhuntseti |
| Kharcho | about 12 GEL | Goderdzi resort |
| Breakfast buffet | 32 GEL | Yurtalicious, Tago |
| Dinner buffet with dessert | 37 GEL | Yurtalicious, Tago |
| Village night with three meals | about 50 GEL | Guesthouses in Keda, Shuakhevi, Khulo |
| Marshrutka Batumi to Khulo | about 10 GEL | Old Batumi bus station |

## Can vegetarians and vegans eat well in mountainous Adjara?

Vegetarians eat very well, because the mountain kitchen runs on cheese, butter, beans, walnuts and cornbread: borano, sinori, kaimaghi, khachapuri, malakhto and lobio are all meat-free. Vegans need one word: samarkhvo, the Orthodox fasting food with no meat, dairy or egg.

With samarkhvo food, [ask about the details](https://thegeorgianguide.com/food-wine/vegetarian-vegan-georgia/): egg in the dough, butter on the mushrooms, ham in the lobio. Cafe Bar Shergebuli makes khinkali with potato or mushroom. Yurtalicious in Tago cooks no meat or fish at all and makes vegan and gluten-free meals when you tell the kitchen in advance.

## Where to buy jara honey, cheese and Keda wine to take home?

Buy wine at the cellars in Makhuntseti and Keda, honey from the jara keepers of the Khulo villages, and cheese at the Khulo market. Khulo, Keda and Goderdzi also have supermarkets for the plainer things.

[Jara honey](https://www.jarahoney.com/) comes from wild bees kept in hollowed wooden logs hung high in trees, out of reach of bears. One hive gives up to 19 kg in a season, and only about ten dozen jara beekeepers are left in western Georgia. [24 jara keepers hold Bio certification](https://alcp.ge/news/jara-honey-bio-production-grabs-newly-appointed-ministers-interest), including the apiary at the Goderdzi Alpine Garden.

From Tago we run a half-day [jara honey tasting](/tours) at the home of Mindia, a sixth-generation jara keeper, with a Georgian feast at his table, and a full day in Ghorjomi with a working watermill, the village bakery and lunch in a family home.

For cheese, look for braided Adjarian cheese and chechili, the mountain cheeses that [the tourism administration](https://georgia.travel/ka/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A4%E1%83%9A%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98/%E1%83%AE%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%9D) says no trip to Khulo is complete without. A [cheese factory in Dioknisi](https://alcp.ge/news/cheese-factory-in-khulo), working since 2015, buys milk from 22 villages and more than 300 farmers and makes Imeruli, sulguni, cottage cheese and butter. For wine, Avaliani Wine House and Vaio Resort sell their own, and Shergebuli pours its homemade wine by the litre.

## When is the best time for a food trip to the Adjara mountains?

Come between June and October, when the summer pastures are full and every restaurant on the road is open; October adds the grape harvest and the wine festival in Keda. Glamping Tago and Yurtalicious are open from 1 April to the end of October and closed in winter.

- **Late July and early August: Shuamtoba.** The festival of the summer pastures is held in [Beshumi](https://travelguide.ge/en/events/shuamtoba-2026/) on the first weekend of August (2 August in 2026), free to watch. A separate Shuamtoba took place at [Mount Chudurauli](https://www.batumievents.com/Event/3125/?lang=en) in the Ghorjomi gorge on 25 July 2026.
- **October: the harvest and the Keda wine festival.** The [Visit Ajara Keda page](https://visitajara.com/public/en/mountainous-ajara/1) puts the grape harvest in October, and the [Adjara Ministry of Agriculture](https://batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/slideshow/634676/) holds the 2026 Keda wine festival in October in Fridon Khalvashi Central Park: a wine fair with at least 30 local winemakers, grape pressing, tastings and local dishes cooked by a chef. Earlier editions ran in November ([9 November in 2024](https://travel-batumi.com/en/autumn-and-wine-festival-in-keda-near-batumi)).
- **14-15 November: Gandagana in Batumi.** The [Gandagana rural tourism festival](https://gandagana.visitajara.com/en/about) brings the food, dairy, wine and honey of Keda, Shuakhevi and Khulo to Europe Square in Batumi, with tastings, cooking masterclasses and folk dancing. It is the way to eat the mountains after Glamping Tago closes for the winter.

## Practical tips: cash, hours and ordering

Carry cash. Dologani Valley, the village guesthouses and the small cafes take cash only; Chanchkerze, Akavreta, Avaliani, Adjara Inn and Eco House Merisi also take cards. The ATMs are in Khulo, Keda and Goderdzi.

- **Lunch is the main meal.** Plan it for Makhuntseti or Keda on the way up. Kitchens close between 20:00 (Merisi) and midnight (Dologani Valley, Adjara Inn).
- **Call ahead in the villages.** Guesthouse meals are cooked for the guests they expect, so book dinner when you book the room.
- **Download an offline map.** Mobile signal is [unreliable between Khulo and Goderdzi](/blog/mountainous-adjara), so save the restaurants you want before you leave Batumi.
- **Pay our transfers at reception.** The 4x4 taxi from Khulo to Tago is paid in cash at Glamping Tago, not to the driver.
- **Do not bring food to the glamping.** Glamping Tago asks guests not to bring their own food or drinks: the restaurant buys from local farms and employs people from the village.
- **Share the heavy dishes.** One borano and one sinori feed two people as a starter.

## How do you get to the restaurants of upper Adjara from Batumi and Kutaisi?

Take the Batumi to Khulo marshrutka from the old Batumi bus station at 1 Mayakovsky Street: it leaves every 30 minutes from 08:00 to 20:00, takes about 2.5 hours and costs about 10 GEL, and it stops halfway for food and a toilet. Driving, it is 85 km of asphalt to Khulo and a normal car is fine as far as Khulo.

| From | How | Time | 2026 price |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Batumi bus station | Marshrutka to Khulo, every 30 min, 08:00-20:00 | about 2.5 h | about 10 GEL |
| Batumi | Taxi app (Bolt, Yandex, Maxim) to Khulo | about 2 h | up to 175 GEL |
| Batumi | Private 4x4 straight to Tago, up to 4 people | about 2.5 h | 265 GEL per car |
| Khulo | 4x4 taxi to Tago, up to 4 people | 30-35 min | 75 GEL per car |
| Kutaisi bus station | Marshrutka to Batumi bus station, every hour, 08:00-18:00 | about 3 h | 20 GEL |
| Kutaisi airport | Bus to Batumi, 4 a day | about 2 h | 25 GEL |
| Kutaisi airport | Train to Batumi, 4 a day | about 2 h | 31 GEL |

The marshrutka drops you on the main road, so you can get off at Keda or Shuakhevi for lunch and catch a later one up. All prices and times are on our [how to get here](/how-to-get-to-glamping-tago) page; for the drive beyond Khulo, read our [mountainous Adjara guide](/blog/mountainous-adjara) and the [Green Lake guide](/blog/green-lake).

## Mountain food at Glamping Tago

We are on the hill above Village Tago, 8.5 km above Khulo. Our restaurant Yurtalicious is a yurt with the valley outside the window, and it is fully vegetarian: breakfast and dinner buffets cooked each morning by women from the village, and an a la carte lunch with sinori, Adjarian khachapuri and Georgian salads.

Stay the night and eat with the view; come up for lunch and we keep you a table. From Tago we also take you to the table of a sixth-generation jara honey keeper and to a family lunch in the Ghorjomi valley ([tours](/tours)).

- **Breakfast buffet:** 09:00-11:00, 32 GEL
- **Lunch:** 13:00-16:00, a la carte
- **Dinner buffet:** 19:00-21:00, 37 GEL, dessert included
- **Kitchen:** Fully vegetarian; vegan and gluten-free on advance notice
- **Seats:** 24 at the long table, up to 32
- **Season:** 1 April to the end of October
- **Getting here:** 92.5 km from Batumi; 4x4 taxi from Khulo 75 GEL per car

## FAQ

**What is borano and where can I eat it in Adjara?**

Borano is aged Adjarian braided cheese melted in browned salted butter (iagi), eaten with mchadi cornbread; some cooks add corn flour or eggs. It costs 12 to 25 GEL in restaurants. Order it at Restaurant Akavreta in Keda, at the family cafes of Khulo, or at lunch at Yurtalicious in Tago.

**What is the difference between borano and sinori?**

Borano is melted cheese in butter, eaten as a dip with cornbread. Sinori is a baked dish: thin dough sheets rolled, packed upright and baked with nadughi curd, butter and garlic. Sinori is lighter, and it is the wedding dish of Upper Adjara.

**Where should I stop to eat between Batumi and Khulo?**

Stop at Makhuntseti for wine and trout (Dologani Valley, Cafe Bar Shergebuli, Chanchkerze, Avaliani Wine House), at Keda for borano and sinori (Restaurant Akavreta), and at Shuakhevi for cheap khinkali (Khinklis Sakhli) or trout by the river (Adjara Inn). All are on the main road or within 4 km of it.

**Can I eat at Yurtalicious without staying at Glamping Tago?**

Yes. Hikers and day visitors eat there while the camp is open, from 1 April to the end of October. Lunch is a la carte from 13:00 to 16:00; breakfast (32 GEL) and dinner (37 GEL) are buffets. The yurt seats 24, so book a table on WhatsApp first.

**Is there vegetarian food in upper Adjara?**

Yes: the mountain kitchen is built on cheese, butter, beans and cornbread, so borano, sinori, khachapuri, lobio and malakhto are meat-free. Yurtalicious in Tago is fully vegetarian. Vegans ask for samarkhvo (fasting) food, then check the dough for egg and the mushrooms for butter.

**How much does a meal cost in Khulo and Keda?**

A cafe lunch costs 20 to 35 GEL a person in Georgia in 2026, and the mountain family cafes are cheaper: a goulash lunch for four costs about 32 GEL in Khulo, and khinkali cost 1.2 GEL each in Shuakhevi. Adjarian khachapuri is 10 to 15 GEL in a cafe and borano 12 to 25 GEL.

**When is the Keda wine festival in 2026?**

The Adjara Ministry of Agriculture holds the 2026 Keda wine festival in October, in Fridon Khalvashi Central Park in Keda, 41 km from Batumi. It brings together at least 30 local winemakers, with tastings, grape pressing and a chef cooking local dishes. Earlier editions ran in November (9 November in 2024). On 14-15 November, the Gandagana festival brings the food of Keda, Shuakhevi and Khulo to Europe Square in Batumi.

**Do restaurants in mountainous Adjara take cards?**

The bigger ones do: Chanchkerze at Makhuntseti, Akavreta in Keda, Avaliani Wine House, Adjara Inn in Shuakhevi and Eco House Merisi take cards. Dologani Valley, village guesthouses and small cafes take cash only, and the ATMs are in Khulo, Keda and Goderdzi.

**Is there a shop or supermarket near Tago?**

No, there are no shops in Tago. The nearest supermarkets, the market and ATMs are in Khulo, 8.5 km below, so buy what you need there before you go up.

**Is there mobile signal on the road to Khulo and Goderdzi?**

The Batumi to Khulo road has signal in the towns, but it is unreliable between Khulo and Goderdzi. Download an offline map and save the restaurants you want before you leave Batumi. Most roadside places take phone bookings, so call while you have signal.

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Source: https://glampingtago.ge/blog/adjara-mountain-food
Glamping Tago, Village Tago, Khulo, Adjara (Georgia) · hello@glampingtago.ge · WhatsApp +995 555 56 24 83