If Stamba is Tbilisi for those who appreciate luxury, Fabrika is Tbilisi for those who crave energy. This former Soviet sewing factory, where Red Army uniforms were once stitched, has become Georgia's main creative hub: hostel, coworking, bars, galleries, workshops, shops -- all under one roof.
Fabrika opened in 2016 and within a few years became a phenomenon. Digital nomads from 50 countries live here, Georgian designers work here, local musicians hang out, and every Friday the courtyard transforms into a space where languages, music, and aromas mix.
I bring guests here not to "see a sight." Fabrika isn't a sight. It's a place where Tbilisi shows its young, cosmopolitan, slightly chaotic side -- the one you won't find in any guidebook.
What is Fabrika: from sewing factory to creative hub
The building was constructed in the 1950s as a sewing factory. Four floors, concrete walls, massive windows (needed light for sewing), long corridors. At peak capacity, 2,000 people worked here -- mostly women, sewing military and civilian clothing.
After the USSR collapsed, the factory closed, like hundreds of similar enterprises across Georgia. The building sat empty for 15 years. In 2014, a group of Georgian investors bought it and began the transformation.
The concept was simple: don't demolish, reimagine. Concrete walls stayed. Industrial windows stayed. Shared kitchens, sleeping areas, and coworking were added on the upper floors, while the ground floor was given to shops, bars, and workshops. The courtyard -- concrete, enclosed from the street -- became the main venue: tables, chairs, murals on walls, a stage for live music.
The result: a place that looks like a Berlin squat, functions like a world-class hostel, and feels like a neighborhood in miniature. Fabrika isn't just accommodation. It's a community.
Hostel: rooms, prices, and who stays here
| Room type | Description | Price/night (GEL) | Price/night (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorm bed (8 beds) | Bunk beds, curtains, lamp, outlet, locker | 25-35 GEL | ~$9-12 |
| Dorm bed (4-6 beds) | Same but more spacious | 30-45 GEL | ~$10-16 |
| Female dorm | Women only, 6-8 beds | 30-40 GEL | ~$10-14 |
| Private double room | Bed, desk, wardrobe, shared bathroom | 80-120 GEL | ~$28-42 |
| Private room with bathroom | Ensuite, quieter area | 100-150 GEL | ~$35-53 |
| Family room (4 people) | Double bed + bunk bed | 120-160 GEL | ~$42-56 |
Included: WiFi (100+ Mbps), shared kitchen (fully equipped), laundry (5 GEL per load), lockers in dorms, bed linen, towel.
Not included: breakfast (but the courtyard has a cafe with breakfast from 8 GEL), parking (none), air conditioning (not in all rooms -- ask).
Coworking: prices, WiFi, and work atmosphere
Fabrika's coworking occupies the 3rd floor -- a former sewing workshop. High ceilings, industrial windows, plenty of natural light. Desks are long communal tables (library-style) and individual ones (for those who value space).
| Plan | Price (GEL) | Price (USD) | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day pass | 15-20 GEL | ~$5-7 | WiFi, outlets, coffee |
| Weekly | 70-90 GEL | ~$25-32 | + printer, locker |
| Monthly | 200-300 GEL | ~$70-105 | + 24/7 access, meeting room |
| Meeting room (1 hour) | 20-30 GEL | ~$7-10 | 4-6 people, projector |
WiFi: 100-150 Mbps (real speed, personally tested). Stable -- video calls work without issues. Backup channel available.
Atmosphere: productive but not corporate. People work on laptops, drink coffee, occasionally chat. No library silence, no cafe noise. The sweet spot. There's a quiet zone for those needing absolute silence.
Bars and restaurants in the courtyard
The Fabrika courtyard is the main attraction. An enclosed concrete space the size of a small plaza, surrounded by building walls. Walls covered in murals, bar signs between them, tables, string lights. In the evening it feels like a small festival every day.
Dive Bar. Cocktail bar with craft drinks. Cocktails: 12-20 GEL (~$4-7). Signature drink: "Tkemali Sour" (chacha + tkemali plum sauce + lemon). Atmosphere: dark, underground, electronic music. For those who like bars without pretension. Open until 2:00 AM.
Warszawa. Bar + pizzeria with Polish flair. Polish craft beer (8-12 GEL per glass), thin-crust pizza (12-18 GEL). Interior: wooden tables, retro posters. More relaxed than Dive Bar. Good place to start the evening.
Lupi Coffee. Specialty coffee. Flat white: 6-8 GEL. V60, Aeropress, cold brew from 5 GEL. Opens at 8:00 AM -- great morning start. Beans from local roasters.
Wine Bar. Georgian natural wine. Glass: 8-15 GEL. Bottle from 20 GEL. Staff knows wine and will explain each variety. Quiet atmosphere, good for conversation.
Street food stalls. Khinkali (1-1.5 GEL each), burgers (10-15 GEL), falafel (8-10 GEL), khachapuri (6-10 GEL). Changes seasonally -- some leave, some arrive. But there's always food, and it's always cheap.
Street art and murals
The courtyard and walls of Fabrika are an open-air gallery. Murals are updated every year: artists from Georgia, Ukraine, Germany, and Brazil come to paint the walls. Some works span 4-5 stories.
What to look for:
- Main courtyard wall -- usually the largest mural, changes every 1-2 years. Themes: social or abstract.
- Stairwells -- between hostel floors. Graffiti, text, stickers. Chaotic and authentic.
- Back courtyard -- behind the main building, through a passageway. Less known, more "raw" street art. Not everyone goes here -- but they should.
- Street entrance -- the arch you walk through is painted on both sides. Good frame for photos.
For photographers: best light for mural shots is morning (9:00-11:00 AM) when the courtyard is still empty and sun hits the main wall. In the evening, string lights create a different -- equally photogenic -- mood.
Getting there and the Marjanishvili district
Fabrika is at 8 Ninoshvili Street, in the Marjanishvili district -- Tbilisi's left bank. This is one of the liveliest and most authentic neighborhoods: a former working-class area that turned trendy without losing its character.
- Metro: Marjanishvili station -- 3 minutes on foot. Exit toward Agmashenebeli Avenue, then left into the side street.
- Taxi: from center (Freedom Square) -- 5-7 GEL (Bolt/Yandex Go). 5-10 minutes.
- On foot: from Freedom Square -- 15-20 minutes across the Kura River bridge. Pleasant route along the embankment.
- Bus: routes 20, 46, 88 to Marjanishvili stop.
What's in the neighborhood
- Agmashenebeli Avenue -- pedestrian street with cafes, shops, and beautiful 19th-century architecture. 3 minutes from Fabrika.
- Dezerter Bazaar -- Tbilisi's biggest market. 10 minutes on foot or 1 metro stop.
- Gabriadze Puppet Theater -- across the bridge, 15 minutes walking.
- Bridge of Peace -- glass pedestrian bridge, 10 minutes.
- Barbarestan restaurant -- Georgian cuisine from 19th-century recipes. On Agmashenebeli, 5 minutes from Fabrika. Average bill: 40-60 GEL.
Digital nomad guide
Fabrika has become the unofficial "capital" of digital nomads in Tbilisi. Here's why -- and how to get the most out of it:
Why Fabrika:
- Cost of living. Bed + coworking + food = 1,500-2,500 GEL/month (~$525-875). That's 3-4 times cheaper than Lisbon or Bali.
- Community. You're not alone: at any given time, 20-40 remote workers live at Fabrika. Shared kitchens, bars, spontaneous dinners -- connections happen naturally.
- WiFi. 100+ Mbps -- reliable. For Zoom calls, coding, design -- more than enough.
- Location. Metro 3 minutes away. Airport 30 minutes. Old Town 15 minutes on foot.
Monthly budget (modest):
| Category | GEL/month | USD/month |
|---|---|---|
| Dorm bed | 750-1050 GEL | ~$260-370 |
| Coworking | 200-300 GEL | ~$70-105 |
| Food (cooking + eating out) | 600-900 GEL | ~$210-315 |
| Transport | 50-100 GEL | ~$18-35 |
| Entertainment | 200-400 GEL | ~$70-140 |
| Total | 1,800-2,750 GEL | ~$630-965 |
Nightlife: what happens after dark
Fabrika after 9:00 PM is a different world. The courtyard fills with people, string lights come on, music drifts from bars, the air smells of pizza and chacha.
Typical Friday:
- 8:00-9:00 PM -- courtyard fills up. People grab tables, order first drinks.
- 9:00-10:00 PM -- live music on stage (when scheduled). Jazz, indie, electronic -- depends on the night.
- 10:00 PM-midnight -- peak: courtyard full, all bars running, conversations in 10 languages simultaneously.
- Midnight-2:00 AM -- courtyard gradually empties, but Dive Bar serves until the last customer.
- 2:00 AM+ -- the hardiest move to clubs: Bassiani (10 minutes on foot) or Khidi (15 minutes).
Important: Fabrika is not a club. No dance floor, no cover charge, no dress code. It's a courtyard with bars where the party happens organically. If you want to dance until morning -- go to Bassiani (techno) or Mtkvarze (commercial electronic).
Comparison with other hostels and coworking spaces
| Criteria | Fabrika | Envoy Hostel | Impact Hub |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Hostel + coworking + bars | Hostel only | Coworking only |
| Bed/night | 25-35 GEL | 20-30 GEL | -- |
| Coworking/day | 15-20 GEL | -- | 20-25 GEL |
| WiFi | 100+ Mbps | 50-80 Mbps | 150+ Mbps |
| Courtyard bars | 6-8 | 0 | 0 |
| Street art | Yes, large-scale | Minimal | No |
| Events | Weekly | Rare | Monthly |
| Community | Strong | Medium | Professional |
| Best for | Nomads, creatives | Backpackers, budget | Business, startups |
Verdict: Fabrika is the only place in Tbilisi that combines housing, work, and nightlife under one roof. If you just need a hostel -- Envoy is cheaper. If just coworking -- Impact Hub is more serious. But if you want it all plus atmosphere -- Fabrika is unmatched.
Tips from Timur: dos and don'ts
Do:
- Come on a Friday evening -- that's Fabrika at maximum energy.
- Try the "Tkemali Sour" at Dive Bar -- the signature cocktail.
- Walk through to the back courtyard -- the best street art is there.
- Visit the Fabrika Market (first Saturday of the month) -- unique souvenirs.
- Have breakfast at Lupi -- coffee on par with European specialty shops.
- Walk down Agmashenebeli Avenue after Fabrika -- beautiful street, great restaurants.
Don't:
- Book a dorm if you're noise-sensitive -- Friday and Saturday nights are loud (courtyard is right below).
- Expect luxury -- this is a hostel, not a hotel. Clean but simple. For comfort, check Stamba Hotel.
- Come only for street art during the day -- you'll miss the main event (evening atmosphere).
- Leave valuables in the dorm -- use the locker, that's what it's for.
Perfect evening combo: dinner at Barbarestan (30 minutes, 40-60 GEL) then Fabrika for cocktails and music (2-3 hours, 30-50 GEL) then a stroll along the Kura embankment to the Bridge of Peace (20 minutes). Total evening: 70-110 GEL, and you'll see three sides of Tbilisi: gastronomic, creative, and nocturnal.