Every time friends visit me in Tbilisi, they ask: "Timur, what should I take home?" Every time, I put together a list. Every time, they end up buying twice as much — because "it's so cheap here" and "this one's for mum, that one's for a colleague, and okay, two of these for myself".
Here is my tried-and-tested list. With prices, where to buy, and honest notes on what's genuinely worth packing — and what will gather dust on a shelf.
What food and drinks to bring back from Georgia?
1. Wine — from ₾10 per bottle
The number-one souvenir. Saperavi (dry red) is an all-purpose choice. Mukuzani is for enthusiasts. Amber Rkatsiteli from a qvevri will genuinely surprise people. Pack bottles in your checked luggage, wrapped in clothes. There are no Georgian export limits on wine.
Where: 8000 Vintages (Leselidze St), Wines Gallery. Or directly from a winemaker in Kakheti — three times cheaper. Price: ₾10–40 per bottle (good wine starts from ₾15).
2. Chacha — from ₾15
Georgian grape brandy at 45–65% ABV. Homemade chacha from a winemaker: ₾10–15 per litre. Bottled, shop-bought: ₾15–40. Go for Kakhetian chacha — it's the smoothest.
3. Churchkhela — ₾3–5 per piece
Walnuts or hazelnuts coated in thickened grape juice. Looks like a candle, tastes like a sweet. A good one is soft inside. If it's rock-hard, it's been sitting around too long.
Where: Dezertirebi Market (cheapest). Leselidze is about 30% pricier.
4. Svan Salt — ₾3–5
A blend of salt, garlic, coriander, utskho-suneli, and pepper from the Svaneti region. Add it to any dish and it instantly tastes Georgian. I'm not exaggerating — this is a magic spice. I put it on scrambled eggs and my neighbours knock to ask what I'm cooking.
5. Tkemali — ₾5–8
Sour plum sauce. Comes in green (sharp, spicy) and red (milder, slightly sweet). Goes with everything: meat, potatoes, bread. Homemade tkemali from a market grandmother is a whole experience of its own.
6. Adjika — ₾3–5
A hot paste made from chilli peppers. Georgian adjika is nothing like the stuff sold in Russian supermarkets. The real thing is aromatic, made with walnuts and herbs.
7. Khmeli-suneli — ₾2–3
A blend of 12–13 spices. The base seasoning of Georgian cuisine. Buy it at Dezertirebi Market — they mix it fresh in front of you.
8. Smoked sulguni cheese — ₾5–10 per kg
Brine-cured cheese smoked over alder wood. Melts on the tongue. Carry it in your hand luggage in a sealed bag — otherwise your whole suitcase will smell of it (delicious, but still).
9. Fruit leather (tklapi) — ₾2–4
Thin sheets of dried fruit puree — plum, grape, apple. All-natural sweets with no added sugar. A perfect alternative to candy for kids.
10. Honey — ₾15–30 per kg
Mountain honey from Tusheti or Svaneti. Dark, thick, with an herbal flavour. At the market you can taste before you buy.
What souvenirs to buy in Georgia?
11. Wine horn — ₾15–40
The classic Georgian souvenir. Drinking from it is awkward (you can't put it down — you have to finish the toast), but that's the whole point: a Georgian toast is never interrupted. Buy at the Dry Bridge market and negotiate the price.
12. Clay jug (mini-qvevri) — ₾10–25
A small decorative replica of a traditional qvevri. Some are functional and can hold wine. A beautiful and meaningful gift.
13. Ceramics — from ₾15
Georgian ceramic plates, cups, and bowls with traditional patterns. All handmade. Available on Leselidze and at the Dry Bridge market.
14. Kindjal dagger — from ₾50
The Georgian kindjali — decorative or antique. At Dry Bridge: from ₾50 for a new one, from ₾150 for antique. Remember: on a plane, knives go in checked baggage only.
15. Vinyl records — ₾5–20
Soviet-era vinyl at the Dry Bridge. Georgian polyphony, Soviet jazz, classical recordings. A treasure trove for audiophiles.
What unexpected things to bring from Georgia?
16. Georgian coffee setup (cezve + ground coffee) — ₾10–20
Georgians drink Turkish-style coffee. Pick up a cezve at the market and a bag of ground coffee. Back home you'll brew it and be transported straight back to Tbilisi.
17. Natural cosmetics — ₾10–30
Soaps infused with Georgian herbs, grape seed oil, balms. Boutiques on Rustaveli Avenue sell beautifully packaged options — perfect as gifts.
18. Georgian alphabet poster or magnet — ₾5–15
The Georgian script is one of the most beautiful writing systems in the world. 33 letters, each a work of calligraphy. An alphabet poster makes an unusual piece of wall art.
19. Georgian recipe book — ₾15–30
Available in English, with photos and stories behind the dishes. So you can make khachapuri at home and relive the trip every time.
20. Photo book or postcards — ₾5–15
Postcards of Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Kakheti. Old-fashioned? Yes. Lovely? Very much so.
Where to shop for souvenirs in Tbilisi?
Dezertirebi Market — best prices on spices, churchkhela, cheese, and honey. Haggling is expected.
Dry Bridge Market — antiques, wine horns, kindjals, vinyl records. Haggle actively.
8000 Vintages (Leselidze St) — the best wine selection under one roof. Knowledgeable staff will guide you.
Avoid Shardeni Street — mark-up of 50–100%. The same things are cheaper at Dezertirebi or Dry Bridge.
What can and can't you take out of Georgia in 2026?
Georgia imposes no restrictions on exporting food products for personal use. Your destination country may, however. Here are the current rules for 2026:
Wine and alcohol. No limits leaving Georgia. EU: up to 4 litres of wine, 1 litre of spirits. Turkey: up to 1 litre.
Food products. Spices, churchkhela, fruit leather, honey — no problems. Cheese and meat products depend on the destination. The EU bans most meat and dairy. Most other destinations allow them with no issues.
Antiques. Items over 100 years old require a permit from Georgia's Ministry of Culture. Kindjals at Dry Bridge are usually new-made replicas — no issue. If you buy something genuinely old, ask the seller for a certificate.
Currency. Taking out more than ₾30,000 in cash (or the equivalent in another currency) requires a customs declaration.
How to pack and transport souvenirs from Georgia?
In checked luggage: Wine — wrap each bottle in a towel or socks and place in the centre of the suitcase surrounded by soft items. Spices — transfer to zip-lock bags (paper packets tear). Honey — seal the lid tightly and wrap in cling film. Churchkhela — in a separate bag, it stains.
In hand luggage: Cheese (if flying direct), churchkhela, spices, souvenirs, books. Cheese is better in hand luggage — it can get too warm in the hold.
Not allowed in hand luggage: Kindjals (checked only), tkemali and adjika (liquids over 100ml), honey in jars over 100ml.
Tip: Buy a cheap sports bag at Dezertirebi for ₾10–15, specifically for souvenirs. Check it as a second bag (usually €25–40 on low-cost carriers). It pays off if you're taking more than 3 bottles of wine.
What mistakes to avoid when shopping for souvenirs in Georgia?
After 500+ tours I've seen every possible mistake. Here are the most common:
- Buying everything on Leselidze. Tourist street, tourist prices. The same spices at Dezertirebi cost 2–3 times less. Churchkhela on Leselidze: ₾5–7. At the market: ₾3.
- Buying "homemade wine" from strangers. Along the highway and in tourist spots you'll see "homemade wine" for ₾5. It's often watered down or fake. Buy from verified winemakers in Kakheti or from a proper shop.
- Forgetting about luggage weight. Six bottles of wine = 9 kg. Add spices, cheese, churchkhela — overweight is easy to hit. Weigh your bag at the hotel before you leave.
- Shopping on your last day. Dezertirebi closes at 16:00, Dry Bridge at 17:00. If you have an early morning flight, buy the day before. Night-time options are thinner and more expensive.
- Not haggling. At Dry Bridge and Dezertirebi, bargaining is expected. The opening price is the "tourist price" — the real one is 20–40% lower. In shops on Leselidze, prices are fixed.
- Ignoring packaging. Honey leaks, tkemali spills, spices scatter. Bring zip-lock bags and cling film, or ask the market seller to wrap jars — they're used to it.
- Transporting sulguni without cooling. Smoked sulguni keeps for 2–3 days at room temperature. The plane hold is cold, which helps. But if you have a layover of 6+ hours, the cheese may not survive.
Want to explore Georgia with a guide?
Timur — private English-speaking guide. Kazbegi, Kakheti, Tbilisi. Book via WhatsApp.