Ninia's Garden sits in a heritage house at 97 Uznadze Street in the Chughureti district of old Tbilisi, built around a covered, vine-draped courtyard with a cherub fountain and an open kitchen. The room reworks Georgian staples with delicate plating and occasional Middle Eastern accents, and it reads as romantic fine dining rather than a boisterous supra. Here is how to order it.
The Dishes That Define the Kitchen
Start with the chicken-liver pâté with beetroot confit, the dish reviewers reach for first. Then the rabbit in walnut sauce with fried polenta, the kitchen's clearest statement and the plate to take if you take nothing else; the bazhe, a velvety coriander-scented walnut sauce, is Georgian home cooking done with precision. For a heartier main, the veal shank with cheesy mash and the creamy chicken shkmeruli both sit in the ₾20 to ₾35 band that covers most mains, and the grilled trout is the lighter option. A dinner for two runs roughly ₾60 to ₾70 a head with wine.
How to Order for Two
Build a shared arc: the pâté and a fresh tomato salad to open, the rabbit as the centre, and one of the heartier mains alongside it. The plating is delicate and portioned for tasting rather than a group feast, so two or three people get the best of the kitchen. Ask for a garden table when you book, since the courtyard seats fill first and set the mood, which is why the room anchors our best first-date restaurants list for the city.
What to Drink
Drink Georgian, and lean amber: the country makes its whites in buried qvevri clay vessels, and a skin-contact Rkatsiteli or Kisi stands up to the walnut sauce better than any imported white. Ask the floor to steer by grape and region, or take a saperavi red against the veal. This is the refined edge of the natural-wine tables we track, where the qvevri tradition is the whole argument.
What It Costs and How to Sit
Budget roughly ₾60 to ₾70 per person with wine, which is fair for cooking of this precision in old Tbilisi. The covered courtyard is the seat to book, with a charming backyard for the overflow. For a livelier traditional alternative up the hill in Sololaki, Keto and Kote holds the boisterous supra end, while the garden-set Café Littera and the heritage-recipe Barbarestan are the other romantic tables in the city.
Not For
Not for a big group after a loud, spread-the-table supra. Portions are plated for tasting, the courtyard is intimate, and the mood is quiet and romantic; a party of eight looking to feast and toast late is better served up the hill at Keto and Kote.
Before You Go
Garden tables go first, so book well ahead, especially for weekends, and read our how to book Ninia's Garden guide for the reservation strategy. The full Ninia's Garden review and scores and the best restaurants in Tbilisi index cover the room and the neighbourhood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you order at Ninia's Garden in Tbilisi?
Order the rabbit in walnut sauce with fried polenta, the kitchen's clearest statement and the plate to take if you take nothing else. Open with the chicken-liver pâté and beetroot confit, the dish reviewers reach for first, then add the veal shank with cheesy mash or the creamy chicken shkmeruli. The plating is delicate and portioned for tasting, so two or three people get the best of it.
How much does dinner at Ninia's Garden cost?
Budget roughly ₾60 to ₾70 per person with wine, which is fair for cooking of this precision in old Tbilisi. Most mains sit in the ₾20 to ₾35 band, so the bill scales with how many courses and how much wine you take. A skin-contact qvevri white or a saperavi red keeps the drinks Georgian without inflating the tab. It is closer to fine dining than a casual supra.
What is bazhe, the walnut sauce at Ninia's Garden?
Bazhe is a velvety, coriander-scented walnut sauce that is a staple of Georgian home cooking, built from ground walnuts, garlic and spices. At Ninia's Garden it dresses the signature rabbit with fried polenta, and the kitchen makes it with a precision most home versions do not have. Walnut sauces run through Georgian cooking, so ordering the bazhe dish is the clearest read on the kitchen.
What is Ninia's Garden known for?
Ninia's Garden is known as one of the most romantic tables in old Tbilisi: a heritage house on Uznadze Street built around a covered, vine-draped courtyard with a cherub fountain and open kitchen. It takes its name from Ninia Zaridze, a 20th-century merchant who by legend opened her garden to shelter young lovers. The kitchen gives Georgian classics a fine-dining edge and anchors our Tbilisi first-date list.
Do you need to book Ninia's Garden in advance?
Yes, book well ahead, especially for weekends. The covered courtyard is the seat everyone wants and the garden tables fill first, so an early reservation is how you secure one and set the romantic mood. The backyard takes the overflow but lacks the courtyard's atmosphere. Our how to book Ninia's Garden guide has the reservation strategy and the best times to request a garden table.