It was supposed to be ‘the new sushi’. But nothing happened, until now

Oslo’s restaurant scene has embraced cuisines from across the world, but Georgian food had remained absent. That changed in autumn 2026 with the opening of Marani in Bjørvika, the first Georgian restaurant in Norway. Rustaveli is due to open in Stavanger later this year.

Giorgi Kvatchadze, Marani’s general manager, said the absence of Georgian restaurants helped inspire the project. He described it as an effort to share Georgian culture through its food, wine, traditions and hospitality, not simply as another restaurant opening.

The restaurant is backed by a Finnish chain. Georgian cuisine has already become popular in Helsinki, which has nine Georgian restaurants, compared with one in Copenhagen and two in Stockholm.

Dishes highlighted in the article include khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread often shaped like a boat and topped with an egg yolk, and the large dumplings known as khinkali. The cuisine also features grilled mtsvadi, spicy lobio, and vegetarian dishes such as pkhali and badrijani, made with vegetables, herbs, walnuts and pomegranate. Georgian Orthodox fasting traditions help explain the prominence of vegetarian food.

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The fact that there was no Georgian restaurant in Norway motivated us. It is not just about opening a restaurant. It is about sharing Georgian culture and introducing people to the flavors, traditions, wines and hospitality that make Georgia so special.