According to Shota Burjanadze, Vice President of the Restaurant Association and owner of Steakhouse No. 1, Georgia’s restaurant sector is still in a developing phase and must constantly adapt to shifts in tourism and global trends. He notes that European tourists are already familiar with Georgian cuisine, while visitors from Asia are still in an exploratory stage.
Burjanadze stresses the importance of preserving authenticity in Georgian gastronomy. He says attempts to adapt Georgian dishes abroad often fail because customers primarily seek the original, traditional taste.
He adds that the restaurant business is highly sensitive to changing consumer behavior, and many operators struggle to keep up with new expectations. Those who fail to adapt, he argues, often blame external factors rather than internal mistakes.
Burjanadze also points out that in the digital age, online reviews and visual content strongly influence customer decisions. Well-developed restaurant spaces, he says, are increasingly becoming new attraction hubs within cities.
