Kitchen conversations: Café Mziuri

Nestled in one of Tbilisi’s most beautiful parks, Café Mziuri has been bringing people together over great food for a decade. Celebrating its 10th birthday today, the much-loved café has spent nine of those years championing Meat Free Monday. We caught up with founder Anna Goguadze to talk about the café’s strong community spirit, the distinctive flavours of traditional Georgian cuisine and how the meat free message has spread.

1. What inspired you to start Meat Free Monday at Café Mziuri?

I have been a devoted Beatles fan and an enthusiastic listener of Paul McCartney since I was four years old. When I opened Café Mziuri as a social enterprise in 2016, I soon came across Meat Free Monday and decided that our café should join the campaign. Caring for the environment has always been part of our daily life and values, and we regularly organise educational events around sustainability and environmental awareness.  

2. What’s your favourite ingredient in the kitchen? 

My favourite ingredients are the fresh herbs that are so characteristic of Georgian cuisine. I particularly love coriander and basil, as well as rocket and tarragon. 

3. What’s your best kitchen hack or tip? 

I am not a chef but, as a devoted food lover, I believe that a generous amount of fresh coriander improves an astonishing number of dishes. 

4. How do you attract people to meat free dishes?  

To help promote the idea, we periodically organise Vegan Barbecue Days and collaborate with different chefs to introduce our guests to entirely new flavours beyond our regular menu. We believe that plant-based eating does not mean giving up delicious food, and we find that curiosity and good food are often the best ambassadors for it. 

5. What’s your most popular meat free dish? 

Our most popular vegetarian dish is bruschetta with Gurian adjika and sulguni cheese which has become one of the signature items on our menu. Pea soup and baked aubergine with crème fraîche sauce are also firm favourites but, thanks to the unique flavour of Gurian adjika, the bruschetta remains the undisputed leader.

6. How have you noticed cultural attitudes towards meat free change over the last few years?

We joined the Meat Free Monday campaign in 2017. In the beginning, it was not always easy to explain the idea to people. I remember guests occasionally leaving when they discovered that we did not serve meat dishes on Mondays. 

Today, however, I can clearly see that we have gained many like-minded supporters. One of the most touching moments happened earlier this spring while I was interviewing candidates for a waiter position. I always ask applicants whether they already know about Café Mziuri, or whether they simply saw the job advertisement. One applicant immediately replied, “This is the café that doesn’t serve meat dishes on Mondays to help protect the environment.” That answer made me smile – it felt like a small sign that the message has truly reached people.

7. What do you think the next trend will be in the plant-based space?

I think the next trend will be simplicity. People are becoming increasingly interested in knowing where their food comes from, supporting local producers, and cooking with seasonal ingredients. Plant-based food does not need to imitate meat to be exciting – sometimes a simple dish made with fresh, local vegetables can be far more memorable. 

8. What’s the one plant-based dish you think everyone should be able to cook? 

In my opinion, one of the simplest and most delicious dishes in the world is Georgian mchadi served with cheese. Mchadi is a traditional Georgian cornbread made from cornmeal, and it pairs beautifully with cheese. 

9. What’s your favourite thing to cook when you’re not at work? 

My favourite meat free dish is lobio, a traditional Georgian bean stew. In Georgia, it is prepared particularly well in the region of Guria. One of my long-standing dreams is to welcome Paul McCartney to Café Mziuri and serve him lobio made using my grandmother’s recipe. 

 10. Which restaurant do you love for a veggie meal?

Honestly, my favourite place for a veggie meal is Café Mziuri itself – not because I founded it, but because it brings together so many things I love: good food, nature, community and conversations about creating a kinder world. When I travel, I also enjoy discovering small, family-run cafés that celebrate local vegetables and traditional recipes. 

 11. What advice would you give to people wanting to try meat free?

I would say: give it a try and have fun with it. Beyond helping the environment – and studies have shown that even reducing meat consumption by just one day a week can make a meaningful difference – it is also a wonderful opportunity to discover new flavours and give your body a little rest. Start with one day and see where it takes you.  

 Café Mziuri is based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Find out more via their website, Facebook and Instagram pages.