Fabrika is a converted Soviet sewing factory that has become the social and creative heart of Tbilisi. A hostel, coworking space, four bars, street art murals, monthly craft market, and gallery exhibitions — all in a single courtyard in the Marjanishvili district. Digital nomads live here for months. Backpackers discover it and extend their Tbilisi stay. On Friday nights it becomes the starting point for every good evening in the city.
What is Fabrika and where does it come from
The building was constructed in the 1950s as a Soviet sewing factory employing up to 2,000 workers at its peak. After the collapse of the USSR, like many Soviet industrial enterprises, it fell into disuse and sat empty for decades. In 2014, a group of Georgian developers purchased the complex and began converting it into a creative hub. Fabrika opened to the public in 2016 and quickly became one of the most internationally recognised addresses in Tbilisi.
The industrial architecture — long factory buildings, a central courtyard, exposed concrete and metal — was preserved deliberately. What you see now is not a restoration but a transformation: the bones of a Soviet factory repurposed as a platform for the city's creative class.
Hostel: rooms and prices
| Room type | Price per night | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Dorm 8-bed | 25–35 GEL | Budget backpackers, social atmosphere |
| Dorm 4-6 bed | 30–45 GEL | Quieter dorm experience |
| Women's dorm | 30–40 GEL | Solo female travellers |
| Private room (shared bathroom) | 80–120 GEL | Couples on a budget |
| Private with ensuite | 100–150 GEL | Comfort seekers |
| Family room | 120–160 GEL | Small families |
The hostel community is genuinely international. In any given week the guests include digital nomads from Europe and the Americas, backpackers completing the Caucasus circuit, Georgian students studying in Tbilisi, and creative professionals working remotely. The shared spaces — roof terrace, lounge, courtyard — are the mechanism that makes it work as a social environment.
Coworking space: rates and WiFi
| Pass type | Price |
|---|---|
| Day pass | 15–20 GEL |
| Weekly pass | 70–90 GEL |
| Monthly pass | 200–300 GEL |
| Meeting room (per hour) | 20–30 GEL |
WiFi speed: 100–150 Mbps actual (tested multiple times across the coworking space and hostel rooms). Fabrika has a backup internet channel for reliability. Monthly subscribers have 24/7 access with key card. The coworking fills up by 10 am on weekdays; arrive early for the best desk positions (near windows in the main hall).
Bars and restaurants at Fabrika
Dive Bar
The social heart of Fabrika evenings. Cocktails 12–20 GEL. The signature drink is the Tkemali Sour — chacha (Georgian grape brandy) with tkemali (Georgian sour plum sauce) and fresh lemon. It sounds unusual; it tastes extraordinary. Order it before you look at anything else on the menu. The bar fills from 20:00 and peaks around 23:00–01:00 on weekends.
Warszawa
Polish craft beer bar with excellent outdoor seating directly in the main courtyard. Beer 8–12 GEL per glass, pizza 12–18 GEL. The combination of Georgian summer evenings and Polish beer in a Soviet courtyard should not work as well as it does. Good for groups — long communal tables, lively but not loud.
Lupi Coffee
Speciality coffee, opens at 8 am. Flat white 6–8 GEL. The best option for working mornings — quiet before 10 am, excellent WiFi, good natural light. Their filter coffee changes weekly based on single-origin roasts.
Wine Bar
Glass of Georgian wine 8–15 GEL. Focused on natural wines and qvevri wines from small producers. Good for an introduction to Georgian wine diversity before a Kakheti trip.
Street art and gallery exhibitions
Fabrika functions as an open-air gallery. The main courtyard wall features a large-format mural that changes every 1–2 years, commissioned from international and Georgian artists. The stairwells contain older, more spontaneous work. The back courtyard — which most visitors miss — has some of the most interesting pieces: less curated, more raw.
Inside the main building, gallery spaces rotate exhibitions every 3–4 weeks. Check the Fabrika Instagram for current show information. Entry is almost always free for gallery openings, which happen on Thursday or Friday evenings.
Events calendar
- Live music: Friday and Saturday evenings in summer, mainly in the courtyard. Genres range from Georgian folk to jazz to indie. No fixed ticket — a donation or drink purchase is the norm.
- Fabrika Market: First Saturday of every month. 30–50 stalls selling handmade jewellery, vintage clothing, ceramics, prints, and local food. Arrives at 10 am, best selection before noon.
- Gallery openings: Thursday or Friday evenings, every 3–4 weeks. Check Instagram.
- Film screenings: Irregular, mostly in summer. Outdoor projection in the courtyard.
- Rooftop yoga: Morning sessions, 10–15 GEL. Best views over the city at sunrise.
How to get to Fabrika
Address: Ninoshvili Street 8, Marjanishvili district, Tbilisi.
- Metro: Marjanishvili station — 3-minute walk
- Bolt from Freedom Square: 5–7 GEL, 8–10 minutes
- Bolt from airport: 20–25 GEL, 25–35 minutes depending on traffic
- Buses: 20, 46, 88 stop on Aghmashenebeli Avenue, 2-minute walk
The neighbourhood is worth exploring beyond Fabrika itself. Aghmashenebeli Avenue (3 minutes on foot) is the main local street with authentic restaurants and coffee shops. Deserter's Market (10 minutes walking) is the best place for fresh produce, cheese, and spices. Barbarestan restaurant (5 minutes) is one of the best Georgian restaurants in the city.
Digital nomad monthly budget at Fabrika
| Category | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed | 750–1,050 GEL |
| Coworking pass | 200–300 GEL |
| Food (local restaurants, markets) | 600–900 GEL |
| Transport (Bolt, metro) | 50–100 GEL |
| Entertainment, bars, events | 200–400 GEL |
| Total | 1,800–2,750 GEL ($630–965) |
Timur's tips: dos and don'ts
Do:
- Come on Friday evening from 20:00 — the courtyard at its best
- Order the Tkemali Sour at Dive Bar before anything else
- Walk to the back courtyard — the less-visited art and quieter atmosphere
- Come for the Fabrika Market on the first Saturday (arrive at 10 am)
- Start mornings at Lupi Coffee with a filter coffee
- Walk to Aghmashenebeli Avenue for dinner — better food, lower prices than Fabrika's restaurants
Don't:
- Book a dorm if you are noise-sensitive — this is a social hostel, not a quiet retreat
- Come expecting luxury — Fabrika is cool, creative, and affordable; it is not polished
- Visit only during the day — Fabrika truly comes alive from 19:00 onwards
- Leave valuables in the dorm without using the provided lockers
I came to Tbilisi for two weeks and ended up staying six. Fabrika is why. The coworking is genuinely good (fast internet, comfortable chairs, quiet until noon), the hostel crowd is interesting, and the Friday evening courtyard scene is one of the best things I have experienced anywhere in three years of travel. I met people from 20 countries in that courtyard. Two of them are now close friends. Timur's neighbourhood walk that starts near Fabrika and goes to the Deserter's Market is the perfect orientation for anyone staying in this part of the city.