Bread Boat is set to bring its Georgian good eats to Houston! The Austin-based restaurant will open its first Houston location in Upper Kirby within the Plaza at Greenway shopping center at 3835 Richmond Ave, according to the Houston Business Journal.
“We chose the Richmond location because it sits at a natural crossroads of several central Houston neighborhoods. It’s easily accessible from different parts of the city, which gives us the opportunity to serve a broad mix of customers and become a destination for people across Houston,” co-owner and founder Giorgi Sharabidze said in an interview with What Now Houston.
“As Georgian owners, we want to share not only the flavors we grew up with, but also the traditions behind them—especially the warmth and generosity of Georgian hospitality. At the same time, we want Bread Boat to feel modern and approachable, combining traditional recipes with our own creations and giving people a new way to experience Georgian cuisine.”
The plan is to debut the new Houston Bread Boat this fall, with a soft opening in October.
“One of the biggest challenges has been navigating city regulations and the permitting process. We’ve experienced several delays, and the amount of administrative work required for a small business to open can be significant,” Sharabidze said.
“The other challenge is simply awareness. Georgian food is still relatively unfamiliar to many people in Texas, so part of our job is educating guests on what Georgian cuisine is and encouraging them to give it a try. The good part is that once people do try it, the food tends to speak for itself. We often joke that it’s love at first bite.”
Bread Boat was founded in July 2025 in East Austin, Texas, by Georgian friends Sharabidze, Saba Shonia, and Chef Khatuna Kopaliani. Head chef Kopaliani was born and raised in Batumi, a coastal Georgian city famous for originating Adjaruli khachapuri. The restaurant is named after its core menu item—the traditional canoe-shaped bread “boat” filled with bubbling cheeses, butter, and a raw egg yolk that diners mix together at the table.
“One of the highlights of Bread Boat is that everything is scratch-made; boats are hand-shaped and made to order,” Sharabidze said.
“We also offer a curated selection of natural Georgian wines, giving Houston diners a chance to discover wines from Georgia, a country with the oldest documented winemaking traditions in the world. And coming soon to our Houston location, we plan to introduce khinkali—traditional Georgian soup dumplings from the mountains and one of the country’s most beloved dishes.”
This summer, the owners announced plans to bring their concept to Houston, taking over the former Collina’s Italian Cafe space at 3835 Richmond Ave. This would be the second location for the brand, which already has the new location listed as “coming soon” on its website.
“We hope to bring more than just Georgian food to Houston. For many of our guests, Bread Boat may be their first introduction to Georgia, so we see ourselves as a small gateway to our culture,” Sharabidze said.
“Ultimately, we hope guests leave curious about Georgia, excited about the food, and feeling like they’ve experienced a small piece of our culture.”
Bread Boat is anticipated to open in Upper Kirby within the Plaza at Greenway shopping center at 3835 Richmond Ave this fall.
“We’re incredibly excited to serve Houstonians and share a piece of our culture with the city. We hope Bread Boat becomes a place where people can discover something new, enjoy great food, and experience a little bit of Georgian hospitality,” Sharabidze said.
“Gaumarjos!”
