What is Khachapuri? Khachapuri is the iconic national cheese bread of Georgia, traditionally prepared using a yeasted dough filled with molten Sulguni and Imeruli cheeses. While it comes in various regional styles, the famous boat-shaped Adjarian Khachapuri (topped with an egg yolk and butter) remains a top-rated dining staple across all three Saperavi NYC restaurant locations.
What is khachapuri?
Khachapuri (pronounced kha-cha-poo-ree) is Georgia’s national dish — a leavened bread baked with cheese, often eggs, and butter. The word itself comes from khacho (curd cheese) and puri (bread). It’s been baked in some form for over a thousand years and remains the dish Georgians most often mention when asked what visitors should try first.
The bread is yeasted and slightly chewy, the cheese is salty and pulls into long strings, and the centerpiece — depending on which regional style you order — is either a raw egg yolk dropped into a hot well at the table or a layered, butter-laminated interior. It is meant to be torn by hand, not cut.
Regional types of khachapuri
Adjaruli (the boat)
The most recognizable version internationally. The dough is shaped into an open boat, filled with cheese, and baked. A raw egg is broken into the molten center just before service, and a knob of butter is added on top. The diner stirs the egg and butter into the cheese, then tears off bread from the rim and dips it. Adjaruli khachapuri comes from the Black Sea coastal region of Adjara, where the open-boat shape is said to evoke a fishing vessel and the cheesy yolk the sun setting over the water.
Imeruli (the round)
The everyday Georgian khachapuri — a closed round pie of dough stuffed with cheese, baked until the surface is golden. Imeruli is the version most often found on Georgian family tables. It is sliced like a pizza and shares well across a group.
Megruli (the layered)
A close cousin of Imeruli, also round and stuffed with cheese, but with an additional layer of cheese baked into the top crust. Megruli is richer than Imeruli, with a deeper cheese-to-bread ratio, and is the style most associated with the Samegrelo region in western Georgia.
Other regional styles
Less common varieties include the diamond-shaped Penovani (made with puff pastry rather than yeasted dough), the cornbread-based Achma from Abkhazia (layered like a savory lasagna), and the bean-filled Lobiani (technically a sibling rather than a true khachapuri, but often grouped with it on Georgian menus).
How khachapuri is made at Saperavi
Saperavi’s khachapuri is made from dough mixed and proofed in-house each morning, then shaped to order. The cheese filling is a blend of sulguni — a brined, semi-firm Georgian cheese with a pliable, mozzarella-like pull — and imeruli, a fresher, slightly sourer cheese that adds tang and salt. Both are sourced to match the flavor profile of cheeses used in Georgia itself rather than substituting straight mozzarella, which is a common shortcut in NYC.
The breads are baked in a hot clay-lined oven, which produces the slight char on the rim and the steam-puffed interior that defines a properly made khachapuri. Adjaruli arrives at the table with the egg and butter on top, where the server cracks the egg and stirs everything together in front of you.
Where to find khachapuri in NYC
Saperavi serves khachapuri at all three of its Manhattan locations:
- East Village — 245 E 14th St, near Union Square and Stuyvesant Town.
- Upper East Side — close to the Madison Avenue museums.
- Upper West Side — near Lincoln Center and Central Park.
Pair it with a glass of Georgian wine — the brand is named after the Saperavi grape, and the wine list is built around qvevri-fermented bottles you won’t see at most NYC restaurants.
FAQs
Is Kachiauri vegetarian?
Yes, our traditional khachapuri variations are naturally vegetarian. For guests with gluten sensitivities, please speak to your server regarding our specific allergen-friendly options at each venue.”
How do you eat Adjaruli khachapuri?
Stir the raw egg yolk and butter into the molten cheese in the boat, then tear off pieces of bread from the rim and dip them into the cheese-and-egg mixture. The rim is meant to be eaten last, after the filling has cooled enough to spread on the bread like a paste.
Is khachapuri vegetarian?
Yes — all classic varieties of khachapuri are vegetarian. Adjaruli, Imeruli, Megruli, and Penovani contain dough, cheese, butter, and (in the case of Adjaruli) eggs, but no meat.
What does khachapuri taste like?
The cheese is salty and slightly tangy with a pulling, stringy texture. The bread is chewy and slightly puffed, with a thin crisp crust where the dough meets the oven. The Adjaruli version, once stirred with butter and egg, takes on a richer, almost custardy quality.
Which khachapuri should I order if it’s my first time?
Adjaruli is the most visually striking and the most fun to share — the open boat with the egg cracked at the table is part of the experience. Imeruli is the better choice if you want to taste the dough and cheese without the egg-and-butter richness.
Key takeaways
- Khachapuri is Georgia’s national cheese bread, baked in regional varieties for over a thousand years.
- Adjaruli is the open boat with the egg; Imeruli is the round, closed pie; Megruli is layered with cheese on top.
- Saperavi serves all major styles at its three NYC locations (East Village, Upper East Side, Upper West Side), made with sulguni and imeruli cheeses baked in a clay oven.
- Pair khachapuri with a glass of Georgian qvevri wine for the full traditional pairing.
Related: About Saperavi — Georgian restaurant in NYC · Georgian wine guide · All three locations