Gastronomia Italiana - Italian food and wine store - 43 Chavchavadze Av. Tbilisi Georgia

Yesterday i have been in charge to bring a diplomatic friend, working for an european embassy, since few monthes arrived in Tbilisi, to Gastronomia Italiana, an italian food and wine store opened last winter.

Already one month ago we have been there and we wanted to see if new products was arrived.

As everybody knows, who's workins as diplomatic for a foreign country, has the privilege to deduct the VAT. 
The shop has just to record his/her details and will have deduct the Vat as well...but in Tbilisi a lot of shops, expecially new opened, do not know this easy procedure and a lot of times, if the balance is not very high, to avoid discussions, the diplomatic person payed full price....

First time we have been in Gastronomia Italiana happened exactely this, a lot of stories " i do not know" , "i have to check" , " I will take your details for the next time"...and so on...

First of all for everybody, i write my general opinion about this shop: it is small, located at the end of Vake or we can say at the beginning if you come from Saburtalo district. Do not think to find thousand goods, just some prosciutto (parma ham) and other similar items like mortadella, pancetta (smoked pig ham), salami. About Cheese they have Pecorino, Asiago and the famous Parmigiano reggiano, Mozzarella and even the greeck cheese Feta, even Greeck and Italy are not the same country. 
About wine, without any sort of order, you find the french and the italian wine togheter, they do not know about the competition of these countries about wines...anyway the selection is reduced to some bottle where one of Brunello di Montalcino was smiling at  200 gel price..double price than italy....but even showed and placed in front of a window where the light is generous and close to the strong smell of salami and cheese.... the first 2 things you do not have to do it to store a wine like that......light and smells....it needs a dedicate freedge with the temperature around 16-18°......anyway....they are poor of sparkling wine, poor variety of pasta Voiello that you find everywhere and Baronia quite good product...all the other condiment and sauce (some Barilla pesto and sauce) can be easily found cheaper at the local Carrefour.

My friend took some ham and some cheese and at the moment to pay, we realize unfortunally the cashier was changed from the last time....we show the diplomatic card and she did not wanted to accept.... we explain there is a fiscal law about the v.a.t, "you must accept and deduct the V.A.T.", we said "we already spoke about this with the other cashier one month ago."...nothing , she starts to be harassing, sayng "what do you think, I have the german passport" (that was not our business for sure and even not interested at all), than they got a lot of clients so if we was coming again or not, it was not important for their business...and finally after this silly comedy, she took the diplomat card, she fill up in 10 seconds the details, she deduct automactly the vat and we went away....

 I want to say that nobody else was in the shop ( and now you can understand why), she was able to do everything without to reply to the clients, to do her job and to be kind...difficult?
This is one of the most difficult problem in the tourist devenlopment of Georgia...and not only Georgia!

Food was good so if you are not diplomatic, you can try this shop without problem, if you are...i adviced you!

Final Opinion 
 









Please note: Gastronomia Italiana has been closed on 2014