Kartuli - Georgian Restaurant in East Dulwich, London

"Kartuli could easily be the home of a bohemian author. One with a vintage gramophone and a panduri—a Georgian string instrument—hanging from the wall, waiting to be strummed after everyone has sunk a few bottles of wine from the heaving shelves. It’s all very cool in a way that makes you want to take a European holiday, day drink, laugh loudly, and talk about art. East Dulwich locals pour in every night of the week, pulling up chairs beneath hanging foliage and settling in for long, lingering meals. The Georgian food is excellent and this combination has never let us down: tashmijabi to start, megruli kharcho for mains, and chvishtari for some extra carbs that aren’t necessary but are delightful. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Food Rundown photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Tashmijabi Potato, milk, and cheese come together here in one beige-carb-comforting trio to create a gooey, fondue-like pot in which you dip shoti bread. It’s as fun and soothing as it sounds. We like the slightly spicy, herby green ajika sauce that’s swirled on top—it does wonders to stop dairy fatigue from setting in. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Megruli Kharcho The beef gets the memo here—dutifully falling apart so that you barely have to chew it. But the stew is the real star. It’s creamy and glossy, with warming spices and a satisfying, thick consistency that coats all the meat. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Mushroom Khinkali These mushroom khinkali are some of the best we’ve had, and we’d choose them over the meat ones. The dumplings themselves are delicately pleated and not too thick. The mushrooms aren’t soggy at all and they’ve been cut so finely that they become more of a compact, meat-like filling. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Chvishtari It’s cornbread with cheese, but in the same way that a puppy is just an animal. Really it’s a close-textured, puck-shaped patty of goodness and comfort. It’s solid enough to dunk into stew without falling apart, and we like the sweet-salty balance. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Honey Cake This honey cake is tasty, in the way that caramel cream and drizzles of dark chocolate are always going to be good. But we do find the sponge layers to be a bit dry." - Sinéad Cranna