Georgian Cuisine Finds Home in Greenville, South Carolina at Keipi | Eater Carolinas

"Located in the Hampton Station development in Greenville, this nonprofit restaurant uses its profits to support its parent organization, First Things Foundation, which was founded by Peace Corps veteran John Heers to remind wealthy Westerners what gives life meaning and to serve the poorest. Inspired by the Georgian keipi and supra Heers encountered in remote Georgian villages—where local women once threw elaborate keipis in his honor—the restaurant centers the communal, toast-led keipi: a tamada (toastmaster) leads a series of toasts (there are traditionally 16 main toasts, with room for additions) that steer conversation away from politics toward shared human connections, and as the toasts unfold there can be laughter, tears, poetry, or song. The food is meant to cover the table and be replenished as it’s consumed: the centerpiece is khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread bowl topped with an egg yolk (the traditional version is offered alongside variations like bacon-and-fig and apricot-and-brie), and the menu also includes khinkali (dumplings), mtsvadi (pork skewers), stuffed grape leaves, beet salad, charcuterie, mushrooms, and more—intentionally not expansive or experimental but focused on abundance and authenticity. Georgian wines accompany the keipis, and the cocktail program features a “Flavors of the Foundation” series highlighting ingredients from FTF’s four locations (Appalachia, Georgia, Guatemala, Sierra Leone). Keipi is open Wednesday and Friday through Sunday, and public and private keipis can be booked through keipirestaurant.org, with guests paying for a seat that includes all food and wine." - Sam Slaughter