Cafe Stamba — Restaurant in Tbilisi

Well, well, well... What do we have here?

2 out of 7 from my list "Café Stamba" (Stamba Hotel) Subjectively: Café Stamba is the very first place I worked in starting from 2019. Those times we had a restaurant service level. Now Café Stamba is literally “Café”.

Review: 12/35. Not satisfied...

Objectively:

1. Answering with the introduction of place, employee name, and correct text (0/3 points)
2. Polite and helpful (0/1 point)
3. Confirmation or not confirmation of reservation (0/1 point)
4. Greet and escort to the table (1/1 point)
5. Menu was delivered in 2 minutes (1/1 point)
6. Menu is clean and proper (1/1 point)
7. Ask for the aperitif before the meal (0/1 point)
8. Taking order at a time (1/1 point)
9. Suggestions and upselling (0/2 points)
10. Ask about the consequences of dishes (0/1 point)
11. Double-check the order (0/1 point)
12. Special table set-up depending on the dishes (if needed) (0/1 point)
13. The food was delivered on time, presentable, hot/cold as it has to be (1/3 points)
14. Feedback (0/1 point)
15. If the order was served as per guest request (0/1 point)
16. Paying attention during the whole dinner period (1/2 points)
17. Bill was delivered in 2 minutes (0/1 point)
18. Farewell the guest in a proper manner (1/2 points)
19. Staff grooming (2/3 points)
20. Staff attitude and behavior (1/2 points)
21. Staff professionalism (1/3 points)
22. Overall atmosphere (1/2 points)

Just a few moments I want to mention on top of all:

1. Was trying to reserve a table but couldn’t reach them in 2 days. But when I came – they weren’t busy at all.
2. I was forbidden to use my laptop in the café.
3. Again, inappropriate trey holding (swinging and playing with it on the floor);
4. I lost the attention of the service members after the order was served;
5. Staff gathering in the middle of the restaurant aka birja;
6. I asked to serve first dessert and coffee and then pasta. It took 10 mins to bring my coffee plus was not hot; dessert was in 15 mins; I had no time to even take my cutlery they brought the pasta.
7. Serving the plates “for share” needs to be placed a cutlery to share.

P.S. My "Napoleon" was super dry and I had only a fork as a cutlery to it. Was impossible to...

I decided to upgrade my rating from 4 to 5 stars due to my many visits during my stay in Tiflis:

Cocktails: Cocktails are really excellent, the bar keepers definitely know what they are doing. My Negroni and Old fashioned were excellent, the cocktails of my wife as well.

Food: Georgian and a variety of international foods are being offered. The Menu is not quite big but sufficient. The quality of the food is really good, however, in my and the opinion of my friends, the grill is not used properly on e.g. fish and vegetables. The vegetables which came with the chicken were still uncooked despite they were grilled. The burned areas were really bitter - like burned bread. The fish was well cooked, however - same problem with the bitterness of the grill. I dont know if the temperature of the grill is to high for this kind of food or its just typical georgian. Yet, the waiter was really kind and served a new plate of fish (were the fish hadnt been grilled). The khachapuris, soups, salads etc are great too. The risotto could have needed 3-4 minutes more in the pan (for my taste).

Service: Depending on were you sit the waiters are good - excellent.

Location, interior, coffee & Chocolate: I have to be honest, i fell in love with this location when i visited it for the first time. I wish i would have such a restaurant/cafe in Vienna. They owners paid so much attention to details and quality. When you look around you can see that only high quality kitchen equipment, coffee machines, grinders, champagne glasses (riedel), coffee/tea cups (acme) are being used. They even make bean to bar chocolate and roast their own coffee. The chocolate tastes amazing. We bought a bunch of chocolate and pralines as presents and for us at home. However, the coffee didnt not really meet my expectations. I prefer medium to dark roasts - arabica or with a 15% -50 % high quality robusta amount. The coffee used is not appropriate for a good espresso (in my opinion) - the acidity is simply to high. With milk or as americano...

Café Stamba, Stamba Hotel, Tbilisi, Georgia: The most resplendent, decadent, hip, trendy, indulgent and hedonistic spot in the whole of Tbilisi. The colossal hotel was a former Soviet printing house and the restored warehouse hotel retains some of the brutalist elements. No one can resist sauntering into the hotel – the glasshouse structure is open and beckoning to all passersby. It’s beyond Georgian, welcoming all tourists and gawkers who amble into the lobby defined by the solid concrete beams ahead. Large potted plants soften the brutalist edges. Contemporary lush furniture and clever lightings wrap you in style. There are several spaces – Café Stamba, amphitheatre, outdoor bar, Tbilisi photography museum, a workspace, indoor space farm and gift shops.

Café Stamba is hands-down, our favourite dining spot in the city. Part luxe, part kickback casual. Come in whatever you wish to wear and you fit right in. The resplendent massive chandelier-esque lighting at the entrance sets the style expectations sky-high. Bistro-styled Parisien booths up the posh factor. Feel free to amble around – you’ll discover the blurred-out boundaries that fluidly marries the restaurant with the café, open kitchens, outdoor seating, outdoor bar, amhpi-theatre and even the farm space. We ate light but it was truly filling – almond labneh with naan bread (beautiful and the crunch of chick peas was beautiful) and baked tortellini (simple but delicious in a straight-forward way). Unfortunately all grill dishes were out. I had a berry cocktail which was leaning towards sour but nonetheless eye-pleasing. The parisien dessert with dashes of Christmas green and red was the popular choice. We turned it into a birthday cake for my son.

This is one of the most impressive restored contemporary stylish hotel and restaurant I’ve set foot it. It’s a giant style guide that has no other contenders. The only challenge is to elbow your way through the curious crowds jostling for a well-framed shot....