Tbilisi Market Tour & Georgian Cooking Class in Local Home

4.80

(15 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

It’s a bit of a squeeze getting through the main entrance of Dezerter Bazaar—especially on a Saturday morning when everyone seems to be out shopping. Tina was already waiting for us by the old iron gates, waving with one hand and balancing a cloth bag in the other. The air smelled like fresh coriander and something sweet I couldn’t quite place. We wandered past stalls stacked high with purple plums, walnuts, and those bright yellow churchkhela candies hanging from strings. Tina stopped to chat with a vendor about which tomatoes were best for salad today—she really seemed to know everyone here.

After picking up a few things (I still remember the weight of that eggplant in my hand), we followed Tina back to her apartment just a short walk away. Her kitchen was cozy, windows open to let in the city sounds—someone playing accordion down the street, kids laughing somewhere nearby. We got right into cooking: rolling khinkali dough isn’t as easy as it looks on YouTube! Tina showed us how to pinch the edges just right so they don’t fall apart in the pot. She shared stories about her grandmother’s recipes and let us taste everything as we went along. By the time we sat down at her table—with homemade wine and our own handiwork steaming on plates—it felt like we’d known her for ages.