Georgian restaurant brand Shvili has opened its first licensed UAE venue in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), adding a sixth UAE location as the brand continues its international expansion.
Located at Gate District Precinct Building 03, Level 2, the new restaurant is designed around Georgian dining traditions, with large shared tables, traditional dishes and Georgian wines. The DIFC opening follows Shvili’s expansion across Dubai and Abu Dhabi and gives the brand a presence in one of Dubai’s major business and dining districts.
The menu focuses on Georgian favourites including khinkali, handmade dumplings filled with seasoned meat and broth, and khachapuri, freshly baked Georgian cheese bread. It also features Georgian appetisers, dishes prepared and served in traditional ketsi clay pans, grilled meats, vegetarian dishes and a selection of Georgian wines.
“For us, Georgian hospitality begins with making every guest feel welcome and putting good food at the centre of the table,” said Henrik Winther, Founder of Tigrus Restaurant Holding. “With Shvili in DIFC, we want to create a place people return to, whether for lunch with colleagues, dinner with friends or a family meal at the weekend.”
Founded in 2016, Shvili has grown to 33 locations across five countries, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, the UAE and Turkey. Its existing UAE portfolio includes restaurants at Dubai Hills Mall, Dubai Festival City Mall, Palm Jumeirah Mall, Circle Mall and Galleria Mall Abu Dhabi. Shvili is part of Tigrus Restaurant Holding, which operates nearly 80 restaurants worldwide, according to the group’s latest announcement.
The DIFC opening is particularly relevant from a franchising perspective. Tigrus has been developing its franchising programme since 2017 and currently offers franchise opportunities for both Shvili and its Italian restaurant brand Osteria Mario.
Tigrus was founded by Danish restaurateur Henrik Winther in 2005 and has developed a portfolio spanning the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The group says sustainability is a central part of its operating philosophy, including efforts to reduce food waste and single-use plastics and its One Million Tigrus Trees reforestation initiative in the UAE. It has also introduced locally produced Tigrus Water to reduce the environmental impact associated with transporting bottled water.
At the new DIFC location, Shvili is also introducing programming designed to build customer engagement beyond traditional restaurant dining. Offerings include Wednesday unlimited khinkali evenings, Georgian cooking masterclasses, weekend brunches and after-work drinks.
With its latest opening, Shvili is continuing to build its UAE footprint while extending a Georgian restaurant concept that is already operating across five international markets. The brand’s established franchising programme also positions its wider expansion as an opportunity for franchise partners seeking to bring Georgian cuisine and hospitality to new markets.
