If you want to understand Georgian craft beer quickly, do not spend the evening crossing the whole city.
Pick the place that matches what you actually want.
← Back to the Tbilisi Travel Guide
Where to go
| If you want | Go here | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Try several Georgian breweries | SMA Craft Beer Bar | Multiple local producers and different styles in one place |
| Go deeper on one Georgian brewery | Tsota Tsota / Megobrebi | Brewery taproom with regular, seasonal and experimental beers |
| Beer + a proper dinner | 2 Tona | Brewpub / restaurant format |
| Beer + dinner in Vake | Number 8 | Own beer + full food menu |
| A beer-first stop in Vake | Submarine | Specialist craft bar |
| Buy cans and bottles to take away | Beer & Craft Georgia | Broad local and imported retail selection |
If this is your first craft-beer evening
Start around Sololaki / Freedom Square.
It is the easiest area for combining genuinely different beer stops without spending the evening in taxis.
A simple route: Tsota Tsota → SMA → Abragi if you want a third stop.
Stop 1 — Tsota Tsota
Go here if you want to start with one brewery.
It is the taproom of Megobrebi, so the point is to try a few different beers from the same producer rather than compare the whole market at once.
Order two or three different styles, or a tasting tray if available.
Stop 2 — SMA
Then move to SMA Craft Beer Bar.
Here you can compare several Georgian producers and styles in one place.
Current taps include things like IPA, APA, stout, wheat, sour and experimental gose.
If you only have one evening and want to understand how varied Georgian craft has become, this is one of the most useful stops.
Stop 3 — Abragi
The third stop is optional.
But if you still want more local-focused beer and bottles or cans, Abragi makes sense as the final stop.
If you want beer + food
Then a small specialist bar may not be the best fit.
2 Tona
Choose it if you want local beer, proper food and a longer sit-down stop.
It is more brewpub/restaurant than tasting destination.
Number 8
A similar idea in Vake.
A good choice if you are already in the area and want brewery beer with dinner.
If you are staying in Vake
You do not need to cross the city just for one beer stop.
Submarine is a strong beer-first option in Vake for Georgian craft, regional craft, takeaway and a later evening stop.
What to order
Do not chase one “best Georgian beer”.
Build contrast instead:
- IPA or APA;
- stout;
- sour or gose;
- something experimental.
You will understand the scene faster that way. Three similar lagers will tell you much less.
What it costs
Useful current anchors:
- typical craft pour: around 8–13 GEL;
- local craft 0.5 L: around 10–12 GEL;
- brewery beer 1 L: roughly 18–25 GEL;
- local cans/bottles in retail: often around 9–12 GEL.
Treat these as practical reference points, not a citywide average.
Where to buy cans and bottles
If you want something to take home, go straight to Beer & Craft Georgia.
It carries both local and imported craft and is more reliable than hoping a particular bar fridge has what you want that day.
What I would not prioritise
Black Dog — a good bar, but I would not cross town just for the beer.
Drunk Owl — good for an evening out, but beer is only one part of the offer.
Old NaturAle on Lado Asatiani — no longer a current stop.
Bottom line
If you want to understand Georgian craft quickly — go to SMA.
If you want a brewery experience — choose Tsota Tsota / Megobrebi.
If you want beer + dinner — go for 2 Tona or Number 8.
If you want a beer-first stop in Vake — choose Submarine.
If you want cans and bottles to take away — use Beer & Craft Georgia.
If you only have one evening, stay around Sololaki / Freedom Square and do 2–3 good stops on foot.
