Traditional Georgian cornbread paired with Imeretian cheese, c/o Saperavi
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Saperavi — the downtown Georgian restaurant beloved for its food, wine, and near-perfect reviews — is officially open on the Upper West Side, just a few blocks from fellow Georgian favorite Chama Mama.
The restaurant has taken over the space at 410 Amsterdam Avenue, between West 79th and West 80th streets. While the team quietly soft-opened earlier, Saperavi made its official debut public on Instagram on Sunday. Early feedback has been strong, with the restaurant earning a flawless five-star rating based on sixteen Google reviews as of press time.
Saperavi first made a name for itself at its original location on East 14th Street. The Upper West Side opening follows the restaurant’s recent expansion to the Upper East Side, where it opened earlier this year at 1712 Second Avenue.
Described on its website as “the creation of two passionate and visionary young owners,” Saperavi centers its menu around traditional Georgian cuisine and wine, honoring the country’s culinary heritage through both its dishes and its beverage program.
Menu highlights include classic Georgian staples like Adjaruli khachapuri — the boat-shaped, cheese-filled bread from the Adjara region, topped with egg yolk — as well as khinkali, the oversized Georgian dumplings offered with fillings such as beef or spinach and cheese.
Adjaruli Khachapuri, c/o Saperavi
Other popular offerings include mtsvadi, traditional Georgian grilled pork skewers marinated in herbs and spices and served with house-made plum sauce, along with pkhali, a colorful assortment of vegetable spreads made with walnuts, Georgian spices, and homemade cornbread. The menu also runs deep with dishes like Georgian-style pork ribs served with fries and pickled vegetables, an extensive khachapuri section, and several “Americano” options such as burgers, fried chicken, and salmon with vegetables.
Pork Mtsvadi, c/o Saperavi
Wine plays a central role at Saperavi, named after Georgia’s most famous grape variety. Georgia is widely regarded as one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, with a viticultural history dating back roughly 8,000 years. Saperavi grapes are especially distinctive: unlike most red wine grapes, which have clear flesh, Saperavi is a teinturier grape, meaning both the skin and flesh are deeply pigmented, producing bold, deeply colored wines.
In addition to wine, the restaurant offers espresso and coffee, Georgian hot tea, and homemade desserts such as Napoleon cake and rotating specialty sweets, including traditional treats like gozinaki, made from caramelized walnuts and honey.
The Upper West Side space was previously home to Boka, the Korean beef galbi and chicken wings restaurant that closed in late 2024 after about four years in business.
With its doors now open and early reviews rolling in, Saperavi adds another highly regarded Georgian dining option to the neighborhood — and a new destination for fans of khachapuri, khinkali, and Georgian wine.
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