Gurmani Cafe Georgian Restaurant

Self-promotion is not Gurmani’s style—the restaurant doesn’t have Architectural Digest-worthy interiors and it hasn’t had a hyped TikTok moment. But it does have plenty of interesting things to say. When you find it that is. It’s tucked down a quiet street near Turnpike Lane, where passing traffic consists mostly of bikes. But overlooking this restaurant would mean missing out on satisfying Georgian food and a meal that feels like an exhale after a long day. 

photo credit: Koray Firat

photo credit: Koray Firat

photo credit: Koray Firat

The only splashes of colour are from a few hanging artworks, but the priority here is to feed and be helpful, not dazzle with flashy decor. On one visit, a waiter with kindly uncle energy changed a lightbulb above our table because it was flickering and gently recommended the best way to eat the acharuli khachapuri. In both instances, resistance is futile and it turns out uncle knows best. So: rip off hunks of fluffy, still warm bread and dunk into the cheese and egg mixture for a creamy scoop. 

photo credit: Koray Firat

photo credit: Koray Firat

photo credit: Koray Firat

Even on a weeknight, families chatter and spread spiced beetroot and garlicky spinach over bread. The atmosphere is very “let's order a bottle of glugable Georgian wine, we only see each other every few months.” Come with your family or for date night that feels relaxed enough that you can rock up in jeans—just not the ripped pair—and share spicy, broth-filled mushroom dumplings. Some mains can be a bit hit and miss, like the slightly dry pork, but this is a good spot for sharing an enjoyable meal with loved ones, even if it’s not a life-changing one.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Koray Firat

Acharuli Khachapuri

Playing with your food is actively encouraged when it comes to acharuli khachapuri. We tore fistfuls off and went for the swirl and scoop method. The warm, fluffy bread holds up against greedy dunks into the creamy mixture of cheese and egg.

photo credit: Koray Firat

Meze

The perfect sharing selection of phakli for two people, or order a couple of portions if you’re with a group. These tangy, lightly spiced vegetable stacks—aubergine, carrot, spinach, and beetroot—are a good pairing for the rich acharuli khachapuri. The creamy, nutty spinach one is our favourite.

photo credit: Koray Firat

Mushroom Khinkali

You might argue that the best present to receive would be a puppy. We would argue it’s a chewy dough parcel holding a spicy mushroom broth. These Georgian dumplings are the size of a coin purse and the treasure they hold is a warming soup and earthy mushrooms. We’re pretty sure they can cure the common cold.

photo credit: Koray Firat

Ojakhuri

An underwhelming dish. The cubes of pork lack flavour and are a little dry when they aren’t fully submerged in the sweet and sour plum sauce.

photo credit: Koray Firat

Honey Cake

The kind of layer cake we want to get lost in, this is a comforting way to end what feels like a family meal. It’s heavy on the roasted walnuts, and sweet, sticky honey balances out the nutty flavour. The caramel cream is also delicious but we did want more of it to keep things from getting too dry.