Adjarian Khachapuri (Small) 🛶🧀🥚

For centuries, Adjara was a maritime and trading region along the Black Sea coast.

Local fishermen and sailors are believed to have baked bread shaped like a boat, reflecting their seafaring lifestyle. They filled the center with cheese, and later added egg and butter.

The boat shape is said to symbolize a vessel sailing on the Black Sea. The egg yolk is often associated with the sun, while the melting butter represents the waves of the sea.

Today, Adjarian Khachapuri is one of Georgia’s most famous national dishes and is especially popular in Batumi. It is traditionally served hot: the egg and butter are mixed into the melted cheese, and pieces of the crust are torn off and dipped into the rich filling.

Interestingly, in 2019, TasteAtlas recognized Adjarian Khachapuri as one of the world’s best cheese dishes.