Georgian Cuisine: Exploring the Cheeses of Georgia

Cheese in Georgia is more than a food — it is a living tradition, a reflection of the country’s deep pastoral roots, and a daily expression of hospitality. In Georgia, they say that if your house has no kveli — the Georgian word for cheese — then your home is lifeless. With more than 250 known cheese varieties crafted across the country, Georgia’s cheesemaking heritage is as rich and varied as its landscapes. From the damp, fertile lowlands of Imereti to the misty peaks of Tusheti and the breezy Black Sea hills of Adjara, each region has its own way of turning milk into magic.

The diversity of Georgian cheese is born from its geography. The land stretches from subtropical coasts to alpine meadows and arid plains, offering an extraordinary range of microclimates. Cows, sheep, and goats graze on herbs and wildflowers unique to their altitude, and those flavors translate directly into the milk and then into the cheese. Traveling across Georgia, you can taste the country’s geography itself — soft and milky in the west, robust and tangy in the east, aromatic and smoky by the sea, and sharp and aged in the mountains.

At the heart of western Georgia lies Imereti, where the beloved Imeruli cheese reigns. Mild, brined, and slightly sour, it is made from cow’s milk and enjoyed both fresh and aged. It’s the cheese most Georgians grew up with, used daily in salads, sandwiches, and of course, in khachapuri — Georgia’s iconic cheese-filled bread. The Imeretian version of khachapuri is simple: round, flat, and filled with fresh Imeruli, its gentle acidity perfectly balanced by the dough’s softness. Imeruli cheese is the essence of home, of everyday Georgian simplicity and comfort.

Further west, in the lush subtropical lowlands of Samegrelo and Svaneti, we find Sulguni, the undisputed star of Georgian cheesemaking. Sulguni is a brined, semi-soft cheese made by stretching and kneading the curd, a process that gives it a layered, elastic texture. The result is tangy, salty, and delightfully chewy, a cheese that squeaks slightly when bitten. In its fresh form, it is bright and moist; when smoked, it becomes golden and aromatic, with deep earthy notes. Sulguni is essential to many dishes, from Megruli khachapuri to grilled cheese platters and even soups. In the mountains of Svaneti, people still make their own versions — Svanuri Sulguni — using milk from high-altitude cattle grazing on herbs and flowers, giving it a faintly floral aroma. Sulguni’s versatility has made it a true ambassador of Georgian cuisine, found on nearly every table from Tbilisi to Batumi.

If you follow the winding roads up to the high pastures of Tusheti, the cheese changes character entirely. Here, the most famous is Guda cheese, named not for its flavor but for the vessel in which it is aged — a "guda", or sheepskin sack. Traditionally made from sheep’s milk, Guda cheese is aged inside the inverted skin, allowing the wool to touch the cheese. This gives it an earthy, lanolin-rich aroma and a taste that is sharp, nutty, and slightly spicy. The texture is firm and crumbly, perfect for slicing and serving with bread and wine. True Tushetian Guda is still made by mountain shepherds following centuries-old techniques. It embodies the rugged, untamed spirit of the Caucasus — strong, proud, and unforgettable.

Just south of Tusheti, in Pshavi and Khevsureti, another treasure hides: Dambalkhacho. This unique cheese begins with curds made from buttermilk, which are salted, dried, and then placed in clay pots for several months. During this aging process, natural blue-green mold develops, creating a powerful, pungent flavor. Dambalkhacho is often grated or crumbled into soups and stews, lending them a deep, savory tang. It is recognized as part of Georgia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage and represents one of the oldest cheese-making traditions in the Caucasus. Eating Dambalkhacho is like tasting ancient Georgia itself — complex, bold, and enduring.

Heading south, the high plateaus of Samtskhe-Javakheti are home to Tenili cheese, one of the most extraordinary products of Georgian culinary art. Made from cow’s or sometimes sheep’s milk, Tenili cheese is a masterpiece of patience and skill. The curd is pulled and stretched into thin, delicate threads, which are then rolled or layered and stored in clay pots to mature. The result is a creamy, buttery cheese with long silky strands and a sweet, delicate aroma. Tenili cheese is often served coiled into small nests, sometimes soaked in cream or butter to preserve its tenderness. Its production is so intricate that only a few masters in Javakheti and neighboring Kvemo Kartli still make it the traditional way. Tenili’s soft, stringy texture and rich flavor make it an unparalleled delicacy, a true gem of southern Georgia.

In Adjara, the seaside region along the Black Sea, cheese takes on a completely different personality. The best known here is Chechili, a cheese made from skimmed cow’s milk that is stretched into thin strands and braided into ropes. The braiding process is a kind of art — a rhythmic twisting and folding of the warm curds that turns cheese into sculpture. Chechili is often smoked, giving it a golden color and a deep, savory flavor. It’s chewy, salty, and aromatic, the perfect snack with a glass of Georgian wine or a cold beer. In the villages of Adjara, locals serve Chechili alongside borano, a traditional dish of melted cheese and butter that exemplifies the region’s love for simple yet indulgent flavors. The smokiness of Chechili reflects the maritime climate and the centuries-old tradition of preserving dairy for long journeys and humid coastal weather.

Traveling east again, to Kakheti — Georgia’s most famous wine region — we discover a different approach to cheese. The warm, dry plains of Kakheti favor cow’s milk cheeses with slightly firmer textures and richer flavors. Here, families produce cheeses similar to Imeruli but aged longer, developing nutty, buttery tones that pair beautifully with the region’s amber wines made in qvevri clay vessels. In some Kakhetian villages, farmers make a semi-hard cheese known simply as Kakhetian cheese, brined and aged for several months in cool cellars. It has a compact texture, a mild sharpness, and a gentle aroma of meadow grass and hay. Kakheti’s wines and cheeses are a natural harmony — a reflection of the Georgian saying, “Where there is wine, there must be cheese.”

While some regions are famous for specific names like Sulguni or Guda, others have countless local variations that remain unknown beyond their valleys. In Svaneti, for example, people make narchvi, a soft cheese used in soups and pies, and in mountainous Guria and Racha, small dairies produce hard, aged cheeses for winter storage. Every region, every village, and often every household has its own recipe, passed down like a family secret. The cheeses differ in texture, saltiness, and aroma, but they all share one trait: they are handmade with love, from the milk of free-grazing animals that feed on the wild herbs of Georgia’s mountains and meadows.

Cheese is inseparable from Georgian culture and daily life. It is served at every supra — the traditional feast — beside fresh herbs, olives, and bread. It is offered to guests as a symbol of generosity and friendship. It fills pastries, accompanies wine, and anchors the table. Georgian cheese tells stories: of mountain shepherds and sea-bound traders, of women braiding curds and men aging cheeses in earthen pots, of families gathered by the fire tasting the first curd of the season.

The famous khachapuri — Georgia’s national dish — is the purest celebration of this dairy heritage. Each region adapts it to its local cheese: Imeruli khachapuri from Imereti with mild curds, Megruli khachapuri from Samegrelo overflowing with Sulguni, and Adjaruli khachapuri from Adjara shaped like a boat, filled with bubbling cheese, butter, and a raw egg in the center. This diversity shows how cheese defines regional identity in Georgian cuisine, transforming a simple combination of dough and dairy into something deeply local and soulful.

For travelers exploring Georgia with Orient O Travel, tasting cheese is a journey in itself. In the markets of Kutaisi, you’ll find baskets of fresh Imeruli; in Svaneti’s mountain villages, you might be offered homemade Sulguni still warm from the whey; in Tusheti, a shepherd may slice you a piece of aged Guda straight from the sheepskin. In Javakheti, you’ll see women stretching Tenili into golden threads under the mountain sun; and in Kakheti, farmers will invite you to taste their firm, aromatic cheese alongside a sip of wine drawn straight from the qvevri. Each encounter reveals another side of Georgia’s personality — generous, authentic, and proud of its traditions.

Modern Georgia is experiencing a quiet revival in artisan cheesemaking. Small producers are returning to ancient methods, focusing on natural fermentation, local milk, and regional identity. The result is a renaissance of flavor, texture, and pride. Today, Georgia stands among the world’s most diverse cheese cultures, recognized for its authenticity and craftsmanship.

Cheese in Georgia is not merely food; it is a living story — of land, people, and continuity. To taste Georgian cheese is to understand the country itself: bold like Guda, soft like Imeruli, delicate like Tenili, and adventurous like Damba

lkhacho. So when you sit at a Georgian table, take a slice, sip some wine, and remember that in this ancient land, even a humble piece of cheese carries the soul of a nation.