Vegetarian Food in Georgia, Armenia & Turkey: My Meals

Finding vegetarian food in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey was easier than I feared, but not always in the way I planned. I am vegetarian and I eat eggs. Over 18 days I ate cheese, bean stews, buffets and a lot of bread, and I still ended up with one stomach upset that needed ORS.

This is a list of what I actually ate, country by country, with the lessons that came with it. It is part of my 18-day itinerary through the Caucasus and Turkey. Prices are from September and October 2026.

Azerbaijan: Baku vegetarian food

What I ate

Veg fried rice at Desi Dine, near Fountain Square, run by a Keralite owner. It was my only Indian meal of the trip.
A veg doner, made carefully by a doner shop after I explained I wanted no meat
Kutab with greens, pumpkin and soya at Manipura Ethic Local Food, a vegan restaurant
A plate of three dolmas with soya, walnut and spices at the same restaurant
Ayran, a mint buttermilk drink
Aloo parathas at a Pakistani restaurant
Breads, Cheese, Fruits from supermarkets and repeat of above.

Vegetarian kutab with sumac in Baku, vegetarian food in Azerbaijan — Kutab with greens and pumpkin in Baku.

Plate of stuffed eggplant, pepper and tomato dolma at a vegan restaurant in Baku — Three dolmas at Manipura in Baku.

At the airport

The airport lounge had pulao, a capsicum curry, greens, olives, pickles, cheese, rajma and corn. It was one of the easier vegetarian meals of the trip.

Georgia: vegetarian food in Georgia and Tbilisi

The dishes that worked

Cheese khachapuri
Adjaruli khachapuri, the boat shape, with an egg on top
Lobio, a rajma stew served in a clay pot
Shavi Lomi, an eggplant dish in walnut sauce
Khankali
Kefir, matsun, breads, cheese and fruits

Eggplant in walnut sauce, a vegetarian dish in Tbilisi Georgia — Eggplant with walnut sauce in Tbilisi.

Lobio bean stew in a clay pot, vegetarian food in Georgia — Lobio served in a clay pot.

Khinkali takes some luck

Khinkali dumplings are normally filled with meat. I found a cheese filling on my third try. One place had a mushroom version and another had no vegetarian one at all.

At a tour lunch I tried to pre-order vegetarian khinkali. The kitchen needed two hours, and it did not work out. If you are on a group tour, ask for a vegetarian option the day before, not on the day.

Airport

The Tbilisi airport lounge had an eggplant roll and spinach-walnut balls.

Armenia: vegetarian food in Yerevan and Tatev

Zhingyalov hats, a flat bread stuffed with about 20 herbs
Tan, a buttermilk drink and Kompot (drink with fruit chunks)
A buffet lunch at Art Lunch with lobio and rice, fried rice, and a mushroom, zucchini and tomato salad
A boiled egg rolled in lavash, a quick breakfast
Walnut candy dipped in pomegranate juice, dried mulberries and fruit leather at the Tatev ropeway

Turkey: vegetarian food in Istanbul and beyond

Turkish breakfast with olives, cheese, jam, honey and bread
A lokanta meal where I pointed at what I wanted: rice, chickpeas and cheese macaroni
Cold stuffed grape leaves, which are vegetarian, while the hot ones usually have meat
Kuru fasulye, bulgur pilaf, acuka and tulumba in a domestic airport lounge

A lokanta is a simple restaurant where the dishes sit on display. Pointing works well, and you can see what is in each tray before you order.

Vegetarian Turkish breakfast plate with cheese, olives, jam and honey — A Turkish breakfast of cheese, olives, jam and honey.

Lokanta tray with rice, chickpeas, stuffed grape leaves and a pistachio dessert in Turkey — A lokanta tray: rice, chickpeas, stuffed grape leaves and dessert.

Bulgur pilaf, pasta and tulumba on a vegetarian plate in a Turkish airport lounge — Bulgur pilaf, pasta and tulumba from a domestic lounge.

What upset my stomach, and what helped

Dairy-heavy or Zhingyalov hats had upset my stomach for about three days. I drank ORS, and I had matsun, a Georgian yogurt, and kefir to settle it. If you are vegetarian in this region, cheese will be a large part of your diet, so build in a lighter meal every day.

Practical tips for Indian vegetarians

Carry premix tea bags. I carried Lipton premix tea from India, so a hot cup was always possible.
Do not pack restaurant food for overnight. Mine turned to mush by the time I opened it.
Tell your tour guide about your diet when you book, not at the lunch stop
Look for vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Baku and Tbilisi, since they take your diet seriously
Pack lunch for long tour days, as I explain in my post on the Tatev trip
Ask for cheese, egg or bean dishes by name, since many menus use only local names

FAQ

Is it easy to find vegetarian food in Georgia?

Mostly yes. Khachapuri, lobio and eggplant with walnut sauce are all vegetarian. Khinkali and set tour menus need more care.

Are there Indian restaurants in Baku?

I found few, Desi Dine near Fountain Square, which has a Keralite owner. A Pakistani restaurant also served aloo parathas.

Can vegetarians eat stuffed grape leaves in Turkey?

Cold stuffed grape leaves are usually vegetarian. The hot ones usually contain meat, so ask before you order.

What should an Indian vegetarian carry on this trip?

Tea bags, ORS and a few snacks. I carried premix tea bags and needed ORS for about three days. It is better to carry medicines like Digene and others.

Indian Vegetarian in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey: What I Actually Ate

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