Shavi Lomi

The first restaurant in Yekaterinburg specializing in Pan-Caucasian cuisine, featuring dishes from Georgian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani traditions.

The "Shavi Lomi" restaurant is located in a historic building dating back to 1830, which originally housed the first shops in Yekaterinburg selling vegetables and fruits, spices, and wine. This was a period of increasing interaction between Russia and the Caucasian kingdoms, leading to a surge in trade and cultural exchange. In addition to its culinary influence, the Caucasus also inspired the works of Pushkin and Lermontov, whose publications were sold in the first bookstore in Yekaterinburg, which was also located here. From the historical floor of "Shavi Lomi," with its 8-meter high ceilings, you can ascend to a panoramic greenhouse filled with live plants and date palms. From here, you can enjoy views of Lenin Avenue and the city's central square. The interior design, furniture, and stained-glass chandelier were created by designer Yulia Ionova-Logua. The decor features works by the contemporary Georgian artist Rusudan Khizanashvili. All the furniture was made in private workshops in Yekaterinburg, and the first set of plush teddy bear armchairs became part of the collection at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art. The head chef of "Shavi Lomi," Mikhail Arakelov, was born in Baku, spent his childhood in Armenia, and received his education and professional experience in Yekaterinburg. Together with his team, he prepares light and airy pita bread and offers a selection of mezes to accompany it, as well as a green salad called "Zeiton," the thinnest kutabs, cheese-filled khachapuri, a variety of eggplant dishes, different types of kebabs – from sturgeon, Dagestani lamb, and spiced pork ribs – and personally serves a large "Napoleon" cake. The restaurant sources fresh cheeses and dairy products from local farmers, lamb from Dagestan, spices from Georgia and Armenia, and tomatoes from Baku. Specially made, hand-painted ceramic tableware was created for the restaurant in Tbilisi. The bar features a collection of Armenian cognacs, fruit brandies, and chacha, as well as coffee brewed in the sand according to the head chef's family recipe, homemade lemonades and infusions. A large wine cabinet at the entrance contains wines from small estates in Georgia and Armenia. "Shavi Lomi" means "black lion." The lion is a symbol of strength and nobility in all Caucasian cultures. The black lion is the rarest. It is unknown whether black lions still exist in the wild, but they are certainly depicted in paintings by Georgian artists and can be found in the restaurant.