Austin Gets Its First Authentic Georgian Restaurant, Bread Boat

Prepare to be enveloped by wafts of tantalizing aromas hinting of coriander, dill, and basil the minute you arrive at the newly opened Bread Boat, Austin’s first Georgian restaurant. The whiffs may be mysterious and tough to pin down, but nonetheless, they lure you in because they smell homey—like family and friendship.

Ready or not, Bread Boat’s Georgian fare offers a cacophony of exotic flavors and adds to the texture of Austin’s vibrant food scene. Straddling Europe and Asia, the country sits along the Black Sea in the Caucasus region, sharing borders with Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey. The restaurant name itself is a nod to its beloved national dish, khachapuri (pronounced hah-chah-POO-ree), which anchors the menu. Cradling a savory blend of cheeses, topped with butter and an egg, the cylindrical bread “boat” delivers serious comfort-food vibes.

Opened in July, the new East Austin cafe has an airy and casual ambiance, with a bustling open kitchen concept and self-ordering kiosk. Decor from Georgia fills the walls with ceramic plates featuring old proverbs encircling depictions of regional folk dress, and a painted Georgian phrase which translates, “Hello, friend!” Especially when the sun softens, the lively twinkling patio brims with merriment.

With few fellow Georgians in town, opening Bread Boat was a leap of faith. Co-founders Giorgi Sharabidze and Saba Shonia, longtime friends from university relocated to the U.S., initially settling in different cities. In Seattle, Giorgi befriended a Georgian chef, Khatuna Kopaliani, at his favorite Georgian restaurant. In Austin, Saba pined for real fare from his homeland and finally convinced Giorgi and his chef pal Khatuna to move to Austin and bring Bread Boat to life.

Leveraging their finance and business backgrounds, Saba and Giorgi run operations while Khatuna, a native of Adjara—the Georgian region that birthed khachapuri—helms the kitchen. More than a business for the trio, it’s about sharing their little-known heritage and rich culture with Austin that motivates them.

To more easily connect with Austinites, the menu is intentionally small and straightforward, bursting with the traditional flavors and spices coming straight from Georgia. Each dish is made to order with about a 15-minute wait, and diners are invited to watch the various stages unfold in the open kitchen.

Though the selection includes inventive khachapuri variations like bacon-and-bean and herb chicken, the classic Adjaruli is the star of the show—an eye-catching canoe-shaped bread and mouthwatering cheese concoction. Since the Georgian cheese imeruli isn’t available, the restaurant uses various blends of Mexican and Italian cheese to express the original flavor. On the other hand, the exotic seasoning profile you’ll encounter is imported from Georgia: svanuri marili (Svanetian salt), uckho suneli (blue fenugreek) and khmeli suneli (Georgian spice blend)

Historically, the simple yet filling dish was an affordable staple for Georgian families and a classic meal for fishermen returning home. Served on a wood platter, the oblong bread dish is an interactive experience: Diners tear off the ends, using pieces to swirl the egg and cheese together before diving in, sans utensils. (Tip: This hearty dish is great for two.)

Favorites from other regions of Georgia are also offered, including megruli, a cheese pie from the Black Sea coast. Saba explains it uses a totally different cheese ratio from the bread boat and describes it as “pizza on steroids.” There’s also traditional spiced beef stew and an absolutely dreamy honey and walnut cake.

Since an authentic meal would be incomplete without Georgian wine, naturally Bread Boat carries the country’s traditional “qvevri” wine, an ancient 8,000-year winemaking process still practiced today using clay pots. “We wanted to share the full Georgian hospitality experience,” Saba said, noting that food is essential to warmly welcoming guests.

The restaurant is quickly garnering stellar reviews—a reflection of Austinites’ arms-wide-open embrace of new food experiences. Saba promises that once you taste Georgian cuisine, you’ll “get it” and fully appreciate his insatiable craving for the homeland flavors that drove him to corral Giorgi and Khatuna and turn a dream into reality with Bread Boat.