Georgian food · · 2 min read
Supra: the Georgian feast and the art of the toast
In Georgia, dinner with friends isn't just dinner. It's a supra — a feast with a table full of dishes, a toastmaster, and toasts that can turn an ordinary evening into something people talk about for years. Here's how it works.
What is a supra?
Supra literally means "tablecloth" in Georgian. It's the traditional Georgian feast: a long table covered with dishes, shared by everyone, with toasts between the courses. Georgians say a guest is a gift from God, and the supra is where that hospitality comes to life.
The tamada: the leader of the table
Every supra has a tamada — a toastmaster chosen at the start of the feast. The tamada sets the rhythm of the evening, proposes the toasts and decides who speaks next. A good tamada is part host, part poet and part conductor, and keeps the whole table together.
How the toasts work
At a supra, people don't just drink whenever they like: drinking follows the toasts. The tamada proposes a toast on a theme, gives a short speech, and then others at the table add their own words on the same theme. Toasts are often dedicated to peace, to Georgia, to family, to friends, to guests and to the people no longer with us. Every person at the table can expect to be toasted.
Words to know
- Gaumarjos! — the Georgian "Cheers!", literally "victory to you". The answer to almost every toast.
- Tamada — the toastmaster.
- Alaverdi — when the tamada passes the toast to someone else, who continues on the same theme.
- Sadghegrdzelo — the Georgian word for a toast, meaning something like "for long life".
Table manners at a supra
- Eating during toasts is fine, but talking over the speaker isn't.
- Wait for the toast before you drink.
- If someone toasts you, listen, thank them and raise your glass.
- Try a little of everything — the table is meant to be shared.
What's on a supra table?
Everything at once: cheese breads, walnut spreads, salads with fresh herbs, stews, and meat from the fire. Dishes keep coming, and the table is rarely empty. Georgian food for beginners
Fun facts
- A traditional supra can last for hours — the toasts are the reason nobody leaves early.
- At festive supras, the tamada sometimes drinks from a horn called a kantsi.
- "Alaverdi" is also the name of a famous monastery in eastern Georgia.
Your own supra in Uluwatu
You don't need a tamada to enjoy a Georgian table — just good company and an appetite.
At Tarragon, order a few dishes for the middle of the table: khachapuri, khinkali and shashlik from the open-fire grill. Share everything, raise a glass and say it like a Georgian: gaumarjos!
FAQ
What is a supra?
A traditional Georgian feast with many shared dishes and a series of toasts led by a toastmaster.
What does "gaumarjos" mean?
It's the Georgian "Cheers!", literally "victory to you".
Who is the tamada?
The toastmaster who leads the supra, proposes the toasts and decides who speaks next.
Do I need to know the rules to enjoy Georgian food?
Not at all. Just share the dishes — that's the spirit of the supra.
