Kutaisi Agricultural Market: the Green Bazar of everyday Georgian life

There are places in the world that need no monuments to be memorable. The Kutaisi Agricultural Market — popularly known as the Green Bazar — is one of those places. There is nothing touristy about it: just Imeretians buying and selling what their land produces, with the hustle and generosity that characterise everyday life in the Caucasus.

mercado tradicional georgiano — puestos frutas verduras especias colores
Kutaisi's Green Bazar, a feast of colours, aromas and the real Georgia

What you'll find at the Green Bazar

The market has clearly defined sections:

  • Fruit and vegetables: giant tomatoes, aubergines, peppers of every colour, indigenous grape varieties and tropical fruits that thrive in Imereti's humid climate
  • Spices and condiments: tkemali (plum sauce), adzhika (spicy paste), dried herbs and Georgian spice blends
  • Cheeses: sulguni (the quintessential Georgian cheese), imeruli and other fresh cow's or buffalo's milk cheeses
  • Churchkhela: the Georgian sweet of walnuts threaded on grape must, which looks like a candle and tastes like so much more
  • Meat and charcuterie: fresh cuts of pork, beef and locally farmed chicken
churchkhela georgiana — dulce nueces uva mercado Kutaisi
Churchkhela, one of the most characteristic sweets of Georgian cuisine

Why the market is special for travellers

Unlike the tourist markets of Tbilisi, Kutaisi's Green Bazar is not designed for tourists: prices are for locals, the language spoken is Georgian, and the atmosphere is that of a genuine neighbourhood market. For the traveller who wants to see the real Georgia, this market is worth more than many museums.

It is the perfect place to try the mtsvadi (shashlik) grilled on the charcoal outside, buy churchkhela as a gift and observe Georgian life at its most natural rhythm.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Kutaisi Market open?

The Green Bazar opens every day from around 7:00. The busiest time is the morning (8:00–12:00), when producers arrive from the countryside. It gets quieter in the afternoon. Sundays see the largest crowds.

Can you bargain at the Kutaisi market?

Bargaining is not common in Georgia as in other Mediterranean or Eastern markets. Prices are fixed or have little flexibility. However, buying several items from the same vendor often results in a small discount or an extra gift.

What should I buy at the Kutaisi market?

Churchkhela (walnuts in grape must) is the best edible souvenir. Also packaged tkemali (plum sauce), Georgian spices (khmeli suneli, utskho suneli) and fresh sulguni to eat on the day.