The short answer: khinkali are twisted dumplings, filled with spiced minced meat that turns into a mouthful of hot broth as they cook. You eat them with your hands: pick one up by its knot of dough, turn it upside down, bite a small hole in the side, sip the juice, then eat the rest and leave the knot on your plate. They come from the mountain valleys of eastern Georgia, and Pasanauri, on the road to Kazbegi, has the strongest reputation for them. Here is the rest of what you need to know.
Where khinkali come from
Khinkali are credited to the highland peoples of eastern Georgia: the Mokhevians of the Kazbegi area, the Mtiuletians of the upper Aragvi valley, and the Pshavians and Khevsurians further east [1]. Pshavi and Khevsureti are the most widely accepted birthplace, though there is also a theory of influence along the Silk Road around the 13th century [1]. Among Georgians, the khinkali of Pasanauri, in Mtiuleti on the Military Highway, carry special prestige [1], and the roadside restaurants there make it a classic lunch stop on the way to Kazbegi.
Mountain food was built from what shepherds had: meat, onions, salt, pepper and flour. The dumplings travelled down to Tbilisi and changed on the way.
City style and mountain style
- Mtiuluri (mountain style): the older, plainer version, with minced meat, onion, salt, plenty of black pepper and sometimes caraway or cumin, but no fresh herbs [1][2]. The pepper makes your lips tingle.
- Kalakuri (city style): the Tbilisi version, usually beef and pork mixed with fresh herbs such as coriander and parsley, and often a little garlic [1][2]. Milder and greener.
- Potato, mushroom and cheese: the common meat-free fillings [1]. Mushroom khinkali, usually with herbs and onion, are the vegetarian favourite, and potato and mushroom versions are the usual choice on Orthodox fast days.
Traditional recipes mix lamb, beef or pork [1]; in Tbilisi most places use beef and pork. If a menu just says "khinkali", ask which style it is.
How to eat them
- Wait a minute. They come out of the pot scalding. Let them sit briefly, or you will burn your mouth on the broth.
- Use your hands. Pick the dumpling up by the knot at the top (the kudi, "tail") [1]. A knife and fork break the skin and spill the juice onto the plate, which is exactly what you want to avoid [1].
- Bite and sip. Hold it over your plate, take a small bite from the side near the top, and suck out the broth before it runs down your wrist [1].
- Eat the rest, not the knot. The knot is thick, doughy and often undercooked. Leave it on the plate; Georgians traditionally use the pile of knots to count how many each person has eaten [1].
- Add pepper. Khinkali are served plain, with black pepper on the table. Mountain-style ones need little extra.
Some people eat the cheese and potato versions with a knife and fork, since there is no broth to lose. Nobody will mind.
How to order
Khinkali are ordered and priced by the piece, not by the plate. They are more filling than they look: about five to eight makes a meal for most people, and big eaters manage ten or more [3]. Order a first round, see how you feel, and add more, remembering that each batch is cooked fresh. They go well with a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers, pickles and a glass of red wine or beer, and they are a staple of long evenings rather than quick lunches in the city.
A basic courtesy: khinkali are cheap, everyday food. Georgians eat them in plain canteens (sakhinkle) as much as in restaurants, and some of the good ones are the plainest-looking.
Making khinkali
The dough is simply flour, water and salt, rolled thin into circles. A spoonful of raw filling, loosened with a little water so it turns to broth in the pot, goes in the middle; then the cook pleats the edge in a circle, gathering the folds into a knot at the top and twisting it closed. Good cooks make neat, even pleats and a small knot, and shaping them fast takes years. Beginners can manage a passable dumpling within an hour, and the mistakes still taste good.
The dumplings are then boiled in salted water until they float and the dough is cooked through.
Where to eat and learn
- Pasanauri on the Military Highway, on the way to or from Kazbegi. See our stops on the Military Highway.
- Tbilisi: khinkali houses and canteens across the city, from the Old Town to the residential districts.
- In a kitchen: shaping them yourself, with a cook correcting your pleats, is the fastest way to understand them.
For the rest of the Georgian table, from khachapuri to badrijani, read What to eat in Georgia.
Tours for khinkali
Our trips are private, for 1–8 travellers. In the private Georgian cooking class with a market tour you shop the Dezerter Bazaar, then make khinkali and khachapuri with a local cook and eat them with two glasses of wine; vegetarian and vegan menus are possible. Out of town, the Kakheti village cooking day is spent with a host family baking bread, shaping khinkali and making churchkhela. For eating rather than cooking, the private Tbilisi food and wine walk includes a khinkali stop at a local canteen. See each tour page for the current price, or build your own food trip. Nothing to pay now.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Khinkali": en.wikipedia.org
- Advantour, "Kalakuri khinkali": advantour.com
- Sakhva Travel, "Khinkali: how to eat, recipe and where to try": sakhva-travel.com
Last checked: September 2026.
