The short answer: khachapuri is Georgian cheese bread, and there is no single recipe: each region has its own. Imeretian is round and flat with cheese baked inside; Megrelian is the same with more cheese melted on top; Adjarian is a boat of bread filled with cheese and topped with an egg yolk and butter; penovani is made with flaky puff pastry; and achma is layered like a lasagne. Here is how to tell them apart, and how to eat the Adjarian one without making a mess.
A national dish, officially
The khachapuri tradition was added to Georgia's list of intangible cultural heritage in January 2019, and the country now marks a National Khachapuri Day on 27 February [1]. You will see it on every table, from roadside cafés to a family supra, as a starter to share, a snack or a meal in itself.
The cheese matters. Most khachapuri use imeruli, a fresh, slightly salty cow's-milk cheese from Imereti, or sulguni, an elastic brined cheese from Samegrelo, or a mix of both [1].
The main types
Imeretian (imeruli)
The everyday one, and the most common form: a round, flat yeast bread with salty imeruli cheese sealed inside [1]. It comes cut into wedges, like a pizza, and is the standard order for a table to share. If a menu just says "khachapuri", this is usually it.
Megrelian (megruli)
From Samegrelo in the west. It starts as an Imeretian khachapuri, then gets a second layer of cheese melted on top [1], often sulguni. Richer and heavier; one is plenty for two or three people as a starter.
Adjarian (acharuli or adjaruli)
The photogenic one, from Adjara on the Black Sea: a boat-shaped bread with a thick crust, its middle filled with melted cheese, then topped with a raw egg yolk and a knob of butter as it leaves the oven [1]. Imeruli and sulguni are the usual cheeses [1]. Restaurants often offer it in several sizes; the small one is still a full meal for one person.
Penovani
Cheese folded into puff pastry, baked until flaky [1]. It is the khachapuri of bakery counters and street kiosks, usually square or triangular, eaten warm on the go.
Achma
Originally from Abkhazia: several sheets of boiled dough layered with butter and cheese and baked, so it comes out soft inside and golden on top, closer to a lasagne without sauce than to bread [1][2].
Gurian
From Guria in the west: a crescent-shaped pie with chopped boiled egg in the cheese filling, traditionally baked for Christmas [1]. You are more likely to meet it in a Georgian home in winter than on a Tbilisi menu.
Cousins without cheese
- Lobiani: bread filled with spiced mashed beans, linked above all with Racha. It is the traditional bread on fasting days, when cheese is off the menu, and a safe choice for vegans [3].
- Kubdari: the Svan meat pie, a thick round bread filled with chopped, spiced meat. If you go to Mestia, order it.
How to eat Adjarian khachapuri
- Stir. As soon as it arrives, use your fork to mix the yolk and the butter into the hot cheese. The heat cooks the egg a little and makes a rich, runny sauce.
- Tear. Break off a piece of the crust from the end of the "boat" with your fingers.
- Dip. Use the crust to scoop up the cheese [1]. Work your way along the sides towards the middle.
- Finish. The soft bread under the cheese at the bottom is the reward. A knife and fork are fine for that part.
It is hot; give it a minute before your first dip. And it is filling: plan it as your meal, not a starter, unless you are sharing.
Ordering tips
- For a table of four, one Imeretian or Megrelian khachapuri is enough as a starter alongside salads and pkhali.
- Freshness matters. Khachapuri is at its peak straight from the oven. Bakery penovani that has sat on a shelf all afternoon is a lesser thing.
- Breakfast: a slice of Imeretian khachapuri or a warm penovani from a bakery, with tea or coffee, is a common Georgian breakfast or mid-morning snack.
- Vegetarians eat well: all the cheese breads are meat-free. Vegans should go for lobiani.
- Regional versions taste better in their region: Adjarian in Batumi, Megrelian in Samegrelo and Kutaisi, kubdari in Svaneti.
Common mistakes
- Ordering one each. Visitors often order an Adjarian khachapuri per person as a starter, then can't face the main course. Share it, or make it the meal.
- Letting it go cold. Melted cheese sets quickly. Eat khachapuri while it is hot, and ask for it to come first rather than with the grilled meat.
- Sticking to the famous ones. Imeretian and Adjarian are everywhere; achma, Gurian and kubdari are not. When you see them on a menu, especially outside Tbilisi, give them a try.
For how khachapuri fits with the rest of the table, see What to eat in Georgia, and for the dumplings that share the table with it, our khinkali guide.
Tours for khachapuri
Our food tours are private, for 1–8 travellers. The private Georgian cooking class with a market tour starts at the cheese hall of the Dezerter Bazaar, then teaches you to make khachapuri and khinkali with a local cook, and ends with the meal and two glasses of wine. The private Tbilisi food and wine walk tastes cheese at the bazaar, hot shoti bread from a tone oven, khinkali and small plates, and three glasses of Georgian wine in a natural-wine bar. See each tour page for the current price, or build your own trip around food. Nothing to pay now.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Khachapuri" (types; 2019 heritage listing): en.wikipedia.org
- Georgia Spirit, "Khachapuri guide: every regional variety explained": georgia-spirit.com
- Wikipedia, "Lobiani": en.wikipedia.org
Last checked: September 2026.
