The Supra — Georgia's Festive Table

★★★ The Supra — More Than a Meal

The Supra (სუფრა) is the heart of Georgian culture — a festive table that is much more than a shared meal. It is a ritual, an art form, and the most important social act in Georgian society. It takes place at weddings, baptisms, funerals, holidays — or simply when someone visits.

The Tamada (Table Master)

Every Supra has a Tamada (თამადა) — the table master who leads the evening. He is not just a drinking leader, but a speaker, philosopher, and entertainer. The Tamada delivers elaborate toasts (Sadegrobo) in a set order:

1. To God — the first toast always belongs to the Highest
2. To Georgia — the homeland, the country, the nation
3. To the Deceased — remembering loved ones (no clinking glasses for this toast)
4. To the Family — parents, children, relatives
5. To Women / Love
6. To Friendship
7. To Peace

After each toast, the glass (or the drinking horn, Kantsi) is emptied. Those who do not wish to drink can politely sip — this is respected, but true drinking endurance is admired. A good Tamada can make an evening unforgettable.

What Comes to the Table

A typical Supra includes 20–30 dishes, all placed on the table at once. There are no courses — you take what you like:

• Pkhali (vegetable patties made from spinach, beetroot, beans with walnut sauce)
• Badrijani (eggplant rolls with walnut filling)
• Various cheeses (Sulguni, Imeruli)
• Lobio (bean stew)
• Khachapuri in various forms
• Mtsvadi (grilled pork skewers)
• Satsivi (chicken in walnut sauce — served cold)
• Mountains of fresh bread, herbs, and salads