Georgian STREET FOOD at Telavi Bazaar - Market Tour + Cheese Factory | Telavi, Georgia

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As my adventures in the Republic of Georgia continued, I hit up the town of Telavi to explore its culture and local sites. Come with me as I take you on a tour of the traditional market and cheese factory in Telavi, Georgia!

My boy Tim from Friendly GE and I kicked off our morning in Telavi, the capital of the Kakheti Wine Region. We started at Batonis Tsikhe, an 18th-century fortress whose name translates to The Lord’s Fortress. It was the residence of the kings of Kakheti when it was an independent kingdom.

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From the top of one of the watchtowers, we had great views of the area. We got to see the southern and west gates, as well as an old, restored palace that now serves as a museum.

On the grounds is a 900-year-old Giant Plane Tree, which is one of the oldest in the region and stands in front of the statue of the king. There used to be a theater next to it! The tree has a massive hole in the trunk that you can go inside!

From there, we drove through town to the market. I could see colorful buildings and commercial spaces. There was a mix of mid- and low-rises. After we got out, we saw vendors selling clothing, fruit, farming tools, hats, and more.

Finally, we arrived at Telavi Bazaar, a huge covered bazaar where you can buy fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, and more. I could see apricots, peaches, and nectarines. I tried a juicy apricot, walnuts, and sour plums!

Next, we saw some vats of pickled joljoni, which were delicious. We also saw some fresh cheeses, including goat cheese and sulgini, as well as vendors selling churchkhela, which is nuts on a string covered in a hardened paste made from fruit syrup. It’s like a Georgian Snickers bar!

Churchkhela is the perfect snack to take into the mountains. They can be made with walnuts, hazelnuts and pomegranate juice, kiwi juice, and more! Then, we saw some dried persimmons and tried some plum and apple fruit leather. I loved them with the walnut!

Next, I tried honeycomb and walnuts covered in kiwi juice. The vendor was so nice and let me try everything! Further on were vendors selling tomatoes, garlic, cucumbers, peppers, and some incredible cheeses, smoked ham, and meat jelly.

Then, I sampled some Rkatsiteli amber wine, peach chacha, and an amazing honey chacha.

After that, we drove 5 minutes to Tsivis Kveli. “Kveli” means “cheese.” This cheese factory makes over 200 varieties! You can buy several, including gift packs!

Inside, I met George and Nick. We had to put on gowns and hairnets and go through a sanitation station to go through to the facility. They have vats of milk that are cultured and become cheese!

In the cellar, we saw where the cheese is aged on shelves. They have cheese aged in white and black wines, cheese with spices and herbs, and more! They have some with pepper, basil, mint, and many others!

I loved the smell in the cellar. They experiment with flavors and ingredients down there! Next, we saw how they check the acidity of the milk to make sure it’s good. Next, we saw the packaging center, where there was lots of string cheese and others waiting to be packaged.

They vacuum-seal the cheeses and then it was time to try some cheese! They gave me a cheese hat, and then we headed out into their beautiful garden. Scattered around it are clay pots and cannons.

Our cheese tasting menu included seven cheeses, bread, cucumbers, and wine. I loved the smoked roulette, which contained barberries and bacon, the smoked string cheese, and the incredible cheesecake balls the best! What an amazing lunch!

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About Me:

My name is David Hoffmann. For the last 13 years, I have traveled the world in search of unique culture, food, and history! Since starting David’s Been Here in 2008, I have explored over 1,200 destinations in 84 countries, which I welcome you to check out on my YouTube channel, travel blog, and social media.

I focus a great deal on food and historical sites, as you probably have seen! I love to experience the different flavors that each destination has to offer, from casual street food to gourmet restaurant dining. I’m also passionate about learning about the local culture.

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