D.C.’s First Georgian Restaurant Debuts Next Week

Supra will give D.C. a full-fledged taste of Eurasian nation Georgia when it opens on Tuesday, November 7.

Co-owners Jonathan and Laura Nelms tapped arguably the most qualified chef for the gig: Malkhaz Maisashvili, the former chef of the Embassy of Georgia in Washington.

The spacious 4,000-square-foot restaurant at 1205 11th Street NW welcomes guests with a floor-to-ceiling glass wall that’s filled with a couple hundred wines from Georgia, which is thought to be one of the first wine producers in the world. Labels include Orgo and Pheasant’s Tears as well as smaller, family-owned operations like Naotari.

One cocktail that’ll be crafted behind the bar around the corner of the winding space is the Chacha Sour with Georgian brandy, lemon juice, egg whites, and Angostura bitters.

The Mediterranean-influenced menu kicks off with a lineup of small plates, from vegetable paté-like pkhali made of spinach, green beans, or beets minced with walnuts and Georgian spices, to a variety of khinkali soup dumplings. Bigger portions designed for sharing include whole grilled branzino with pomegranate sauce to chanakhi lamb with seasonal vegetables.

Interior accents across the 136-seat restaurant, designed by 2Scale Interiors, include nods to traditional culture, like wooly Georgian “papakhi” hats and “supra” tablecloths alongside modern art. Georgian street artist Gagosh will fly to D.C. in the coming months to create a mural on the brick wall of the bar.

For a crash course on the foreign cuisine, check out this glossary of Georgian food terms.

Dinner will be the only meal out of the gate, with brunch and lunch to follow.