Georgian, natural wine$$$near Freedom SquareFounded 2013 with Pheasant’s Tears winemaker John Wurdeman · Decanter
"Tbilisi's natural-wine landmark, where Pheasant's Tears qvevri pours meet wild Georgian cooking. Book the small room for a first date."
8Food
8Ambience
8Value
About Azarphesha
The azarphesha is a silver ladle Georgian nobles once used to scoop and drink wine, and a wall of them hangs in this small room two streets from Freedom Square. Luarsab Togonidze, a folklorist and author, opened the restaurant in 2013 with John Wurdeman, the American painter and winemaker behind Pheasant's Tears, the cellar that did more than any to revive Georgia's ancient qvevri tradition. The food is wild, seasonal, and strictly local; the wine list is the point. Nettle pilaf and meatballs in sorrel sauce are the plates regulars come back for.
The Kitchen
Azarphesha is owner-driven rather than chef-branded. Luarsab Togonidze and John Wurdeman set the philosophy, and the kitchen lets young cooks run with it, building the menu around whatever the Georgian agricultural calendar offers that week. That means nettle pilaf in spring, meatballs in sorrel sauce, baked fermented pumpkin with figs, sunflower seeds, and pine nuts, and chicken in a buckthorn and rose-hip sauce. Nothing is imported; the logic is wild, foraged, and seasonal first, cooking second. Mains land roughly 30 to 50 GEL.
The wine is why people make the trip. Wurdeman's Pheasant's Tears pours alongside small qvevri producers like Ramaz Nikoladze, amber wines fermented in buried clay, and the staff will walk you through them. Expect to spend around 80 to 120 GEL per person with a bottle. Founded in 2013 and covered by Decanter, it is Tbilisi's natural-wine reference. Read the Tbilisi dining guide and our best Tbilisi restaurants for a first date, and compare Shavi Lomi for a modern Georgian take.
The Room
The room is small, low, and lined with Togonidze's collection of silver ladles and folk objects, candle-bright and intimate. Sound stays at an easy hum; tables are close in the way a tiny restaurant's are, which makes it feel more like a dinner party than a service. Seating is limited to a few dozen, so booking matters. Dress is no-rules Tbilisi, come as you are. The restaurant runs late, roughly 3pm to 2am, and the owner has been known to sing. The mood is warm and unhurried.
Best for First Date
Book Azarphesha for a first date because the room is made for leaning in: candle-light, a few dozen seats, and a wine list that gives you something to talk about from the first amber pour. Let the staff steer the qvevri wines, order the nettle pilaf and the meatballs in sorrel sauce to share, and the evening builds its own rhythm. It works just as well for solo dining, where a seat and a glass of Pheasant's Tears is its own quiet pleasure. The intimacy that makes it romantic also makes it warm for one.
Not for
Not for a large group or a quiet, formal dinner. The room is tiny and runs late and lively, so big parties and anyone wanting hush should look elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Azarphesha worth it?
Yes, especially for wine. Azarphesha is Tbilisi's natural-wine landmark, founded in 2013 with Pheasant's Tears winemaker John Wurdeman, and the qvevri list is among the best in Georgia. The food is wild, seasonal, and genuinely local, plates like nettle pilaf and meatballs in sorrel sauce rather than tourist khachapuri. At roughly 80 to 120 GEL per person with a bottle it is fair value for the quality and the room is one of the city's most charming.
How hard is it to book Azarphesha?
Book ahead, because the room is very small. A few dozen seats fill quickly on weekends, so call +995 598 46 23 89 or message the restaurant a few days out, more in peak travel months. It opens in the afternoon and runs late, around 3pm to 2am, so a later table is often easier to get. Walk-ins can get lucky early on a weeknight, but a reservation is the safe play.
What should I order at Azarphesha?
Start with the nettle pilaf and the meatballs in sorrel sauce, the two dishes regulars return for, then add the baked fermented pumpkin with figs, sunflower seeds, and pine nuts. Let the staff pair Pheasant's Tears and other qvevri wines with the meal; the amber wines are the reason to come. The menu changes with the season, so ask what was foraged or fermented that week.
Is Azarphesha good for a first date?
Yes, it is one of the best first-date rooms in Tbilisi. The space is small and candle-lit, the tables are close enough to lean in, and the natural-wine list gives you an easy conversation from the first glass. It is intimate without being stuffy, and the owner's warmth sets the tone. See our best Tbilisi first-date restaurants for more options.
Diner Reviews
Nina K.October 2025
Occasion: First Date
Tiny, candle-lit, and full of character. We let the staff pour qvevri wines all night and the nettle pilaf was a revelation. Perfect first-date room if you both like wine and do not mind sitting close.
Tom B.September 2025
Occasion: Solo Dining
Sat solo with a glass of Pheasant's Tears and ended up talking to the table next to me about amber wine for an hour. Warm, unpretentious, the kind of place you wish your city had. Book ahead, it is small.
Reserve by phone or message; the room is small and fills fast. Open afternoons until late.
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