Half-Day Food Tour of Dezerter Bazaar

The Half-Day Food Tour of Dezerter Bazaar is a market-focused food experience of about four hours in central Tbilisi, Georgia, run by byFood experiences. The meeting point is the Shota Rustaveli monument at Rustaveli Metro, on Mikheil Zandukeli Street, according to the byFood listing. From there the tour heads to Dezerter Bazaar, the city's best-known covered food market, where stalls sell cheese, dried fruit, pickles, spices, bread and fresh produce. The listed tastings include artisanal Georgian cheese served with Khvanchkara wine, churchkhela (a string of walnuts coated in thickened grape juice) and plum leather, as well as kharcho, the spiced beef and walnut soup, and walnut-stuffed aubergine rolls. The mix is mainly savoury, with churchkhela and plum leather supplying the sweet element, and the wine pairing adds a drink to the cheese course. Khvanchkara is a semi-sweet red wine from Racha in western Georgia, and it is a popular choice for first-time visitors. The package covers the market walk and the listed tastings; additional shopping at the market, extra drinks and gratuities are not included, and transport to the meeting point is the visitor's responsibility. Group size, language and pricing are set on the byFood booking page, which should be checked at the time of booking, and dietary substitutions such as vegetarian options are best requested in advance because meat and cheese feature on the menu. The market is busy, loud and full of local shoppers, so the tour gives a real view of everyday food shopping rather than a staged tourist experience. The walk is mostly flat inside the market halls, though floors can be wet and crowded. The tour suits food-curious travellers who want to learn about Georgian ingredients and buy edible souvenirs such as churchkhela, spices and dried fruit afterwards. Morning departures are usual for markets, when stalls are fully stocked and produce is freshest.