Amkari Georgian Bistro — Restaurant in London

This establishment has subtly become one of our go-tos, and the place we'll invariably visit when in the vicinity of southern Peckham and keen for gustatory indulgence. Gazing into the other Rye eateries after departing 80-20, one is struck by how much of a better time one has almost certainly had. Better service from the endlessly charming gentleman who runs the place, better food from the magnificent lady whose khachapuri, khinkali and tapas deserve to be famous among the suburbanites of central South London, better atmosphere and certainly better wine, with no menu bottle exceeding £40 and many not exceeding £30, all of utterly exceptional quality and with staggering variety to boot (more adventurous options from the shelves are also available). Our host will freely recommend something delicious and even, as we're regulars, offer complimentary tastes of amber or semi-sweet wine; one of the latter has become our ever-reliable friend, but tonight's amber was of such quality that I've pledged to get it next time. We were also this time (our fifth visit I think) treated to a free double-scoop of their excellent gelato, although I don't see myself betraying their kada quite yet. Would kada work with ice cream? One for next time, probably. Tonight's khinkali were utterly superb, and there is an array of both traditional and somewhat adventurous tapas (heavily featuring ajika sauce) that I'd certainly urge the explorative diner towards, but no greater pleasure, no purer treat perhaps on this earth exists than the khachapuri adjaruli one can obtain here, and I'd include the khachapuri at every other Georgian restaurant in London in that (we've been to a few!) - I mean, we've never had a bad experience at a Georgian restaurant, and it must be stressed that this nation's astounding cuisine and viticulture is responsible for 80% of the joy of coming here. But the 20%? That crucial edge? That's the hospitality, knowledge and skill of the two people who run the show. We'll inevitably return soon, and hopefully a few other Londoners vacillating on how to spend their hard-earned disposable income will read this and make the...

Went there on a Friday for dinner, a group of four with prior reservations (which I would recommend on the weekends). They have a really good selection of Georgian wine, and the people there very friendly and knowledgeable. Before getting into details, my biggest complaint was the speed and the other of the service: our food arrived slowly (and they had told us that we could order as we go if the food wasn't enough, which would have taken ages), and in the "wrong" order. That said, it could have been because they were busy, but I would gladly go there again to see whether they've ironed these issues out.

I'm not completely sure about names of the plates, so apologies for any mistakes here. We ordered the Georgian Cheese bread (Khachapuri), which they suggested the salad as an excellent accompaniment, as well as the Khinkalies (dumplings), and the tapas.

They came with the salad first, but nothing else. We sat there waiting for a while, and they noticed that and asked us if all is ok. The salad is meant as a side salad, which isn't really a dish in and of itself, and they had recommended it for the bread. Eventually, we got hungry and had the salad. Then after a while the dumplings came, which were good but could have been better filled (I've had really good Khinkalies in London before). Then came the bread after a long wait: very cheesy, but the bread could have risen a bit more. Finally after having waiting even more, we finally got the tapas. The meat in the tapas was a bit dry, and the halloumi cheese, while good, isn't really Georgian.

The wine they suggested to go with the food was good. Like I said, all in all we were happy, and hopefully it'll be better...

It was a late Sunday night, late in the sense that pretty much everywhere one could go to eat was shut, when a friend and I happened across a warm glow below the words 'Georgian Food and Wine'. The light was not deceiving. Hand on heart, this was one of the most authentically warmhearted experiences that I've had in London.

To begin with, there are various places to sit. The further in you go the more cosy and wholesome the place feels. The decor has a calming feel and is dotted with interesting Georgian things, giving a cultural education in the softest of ways.

The food was heavenly. I'd never had Georgian food before and had no idea what to expect. The waiter took the time to explain each dish and didn't rush us to make a decision. The portion sizes were generous and well presented. The food was brought to our table by the chef, which made the experience of receiving food so much more personal and nourishing.

All of the staff we met were gentle yet passionate and knowledgeable. Every interaction held genuine warmth, every smile reached the eyes. I felt as if the staff found pleasure in sharing their culture. Perhaps that was the most significant part.

I found the entire experiencing enriching; the place, people and food. I left with a full belly, profound sense of gratitude, and a restored faith in the...