I came to Shvili for dinner and a meet-up with a friend. It was my first time trying Georgian food, so I was really looking forward to the experience. The restaurant is located at a nice corner spot in The Galleria Mall and has warm, welcoming decor with a cozy atmosphere. The staff were friendly and attentive, which made the evening even better.
We started with Lobiani, a baked bread filled with red beans. I’m not usually a fan of red beans, but it was interesting to try. The flavor sits somewhere between sweet and savory, so I think it would pair well with something saucy or meaty.
For the main dish, I ordered Chkmeruli based on the staff’s recommendation, but it seems I was served Odzhahuri with chicken instead — I only realized this later while writing the review. Still, it turned out to be quite good. The caramelized onions gave it a nice flavor, and the chicken was tender, though a little on the salty side. Since my main came out a bit late, the staff kindly offered a complimentary Napoleon Shvili dessert, which was a pleasant surprise. It had layers of pastry with creamy filling, similar to a croissant, and tasted lovely even though I could only finish half.
We also ordered Khinkali beef dumplings (minimum three pieces). I love dumplings, so I was excited to try these traditional Georgian ones. The portion was generous — each dumpling was quite large and filled with minced beef and a bit of soup inside. The flavor was clean and comforting, though I found the dough slightly thick, probably to hold the filling. The restaurant even provides a small guide showing how to enjoy Khinkali properly, which was a nice touch.
Overall, it was a great experience. The food was tasty, the staff were very nice, and the complimentary dessert made it even more memorable. I’d recommend Shvili to anyone curious to try authentic Georgian cuisine in a comfortable setting.