Dezerter Bazaar, Tbilisi — detailed guide for visitors

Brief description
Dezerter Bazaar (Georgian: დეზერტირების ბაზარი) is Tbilisi’s liveliest food market. It’s a large cluster of covered halls and outdoor rows next to the Central Railway Station and Station Square. You’ll find fresh produce and greens, meat and fish, cheeses, spices, nuts and dried fruit, plus tkhlapi (fruit leather), churchkhela, homemade pickles and sauces. Many visitors enter from Tsinamdzghvrishvili Street; it’s a short walk west from Station Square metro.

Name origin
The “Dezerter” nickname dates to the 1920s, when deserters, during wartime and political turmoil, came here to sell personal items and gear. The name stuck and became the market’s common designation.

Location and access
North of the Old Town by Station Square (Vagzalis Moedani) metro, beside Tbilisi Central Station and the Dinamo stadium. From the metro it’s only a few minutes on foot to the main rows; Tsinamdzghvrishvili Street is a useful reference point. City buses from Freedom Square also reach the market.

Hours and best time to visit
Trading runs daily from early morning until late afternoon; many sections are busiest roughly 07:00–17:00. For the widest selection and best photo light, come in the morning.

What to taste and buy
• Cheeses: sulguni, Imeretian, and seasonal farm cheeses
• Spices and herbs: khmeli-suneli, utskho-suneli, adjika; walnut-based pastes
• Sweets and preserves: churchkhela, tkhlapi (fruit leather), dried fruits, honey, jams
• Vegetable rows and pickles: tomatoes, cucumbers, greens, cabbage, jondjoli
• Meat, fish and poultry — in separate halls
• Homemade wine and chacha appear at some stalls; buy from trusted sellers and ask about origin

Visiting tips
• Cash is easiest (small notes); not all vendors have card terminals
• Haggling is acceptable, especially for items sold by weight; tasting is common practice
• Ask permission before photographing people and their goods
• It gets busy: watch your belongings, use a zipped bag or backpack
• Bring leak-proof containers or zip bags for liquids and sauces

“60–90 minute” route
Enter via Tsinamdzghvrishvili → start with the spice and cheese hall → walk the fruit-and-vegetable rows with dried-fruit and churchkhela tastings → pick up spices and sweets to go → return to Station Square metro.

Why go
Dezerter Bazaar is the capital’s most colorful, photogenic food market. It offers a snapshot of Tbilisi’s seasons and food culture and is a convenient place to pick up edible souvenirs right next to a major transport hub.