This Georgian Staple is Super Tasty and Helps Track Inflation

You won’t be in Georgia long before you encounter the mouth–watering aroma of khachapuri wafting from restaurants, street–food stalls and bakeries. The best way to eat it? Tear off chunks of the warm bread and dip them in the cheesy centre.

National Treasure

Not only is khachapuri the national dish of Georgia, a country located where Europe meets Asia, it was also granted cultural 
heritage status by the government in 2019.

Local Twists

Regional variations abound: In Imereti, along the Rioni River, khachapuri is filled with a white salted cheese named after the region; in Adjara, on the Black Sea coast, it’s topped with a
n egg and lots of butter. The taste ranges from tangy to garlicky, depending on the recipe.

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The Khachapuri Index

The price of making khachapuri –
 ingredients (flour, cheese, milk, eggs) plus gas and electricity costs – is used as an unofficial benchmark for measuring inflation of goods and services in Georgia.

Doughy Diaspora

Khachapuri is becoming an increasingly popular brunch food in Israel, where it was brought 
over by Georgian Jews, and in areas with large Georgian communities, including New York.

Where to get it

Khachapuri cheeses, like Sulguni, are hard to find in North America but you can use mozzarella or feta. Or, try the dish at a restaurant that serves Georgian cuisine, like Nevski in Montreal, Tiflisi in Toronto and Saperavi in Winnipeg.

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