In partnership with Forbes Kazakhstan and Forbes Georgia, the gastronomic ranking makes its Georgian debut on March 2 at Art Gallery Noblesse.
For the first time, Georgia will host the ABBA Awards. An independent gastronomic ranking will identify the 20 best restaurants and cafes across the country (both in Tbilisi and nationwide).
The awards ceremony will take place on March 2, 2026, hosted at Art Gallery Noblesse, a contemporary cultural institution that combines an art salon experience with an exhibition space. The evening will bring together honorary Forbes Club guests from Kazakhstan and Georgia, as well as leading restaurateurs, investors, entrepreneurs, and media representatives.
ABBA Awards
Founded by journalist and businessman Armanzhan Baitassov and media entrepreneur Beibit Alibekov, the ABBA Awards aims to create a transparent and systematic national gastronomic ranking that will strengthen the hospitality industry through competition and clear evaluation criteria.
The award made its debut in Kazakhstan in 2025. Establishments were assessed by an independent expert panel across three core parameters: cuisine, service, and atmosphere. The project was supported by Forbes Kazakhstan, and the ranking was published in the December 2025 issue of the magazine.
The Georgian edition is the award’s first international step, highlighting both the potential of Georgia’s culinary ecosystem and the deepening partnership between the Forbes Kazakhstan and Forbes Georgia editorial teams.
Event Details
The Forbes Club x ABBA Awards Tbilisi evening will begin with a closed-format VIP reception and networking session, followed by the awards ceremony, where the 20 best Georgian establishments will be announced. The event will close with a dinner aimed at building connections between the Georgian and Kazakhstani business and HoReCa communities.
Date: March 2, 2026
Venue: Art Gallery Noblesse, Tbilisi
Format: Closed, by invitation only
In recent years, Georgia has become one of the most exciting culinary destinations, with Tbilisi drawing growing international attention for its restaurant culture. The Georgian edition of the ABBA Awards aims to create a credible, annual benchmark for the industry — one that will be valuable to guests, investors, and restaurateurs alike.
About Forbes Kazakhstan / Tan Media Group: Forbes Kazakhstan, published by Tan Media Group, is Kazakhstan’s number one business publication. The publisher of Forbes Kazakhstan is Armanzhan Baitassov, who is also a shareholder of Forbes Georgia.
About ABBA Awards: The ABBA Awards is an independent gastronomic ranking founded in Kazakhstan in 2025 by Armanzhan Baitassov and Beibit Alibekov. The award evaluates restaurants based on cuisine, service, and atmosphere. Forbes Kazakhstan’s goal is for the ABBA Awards to become a significant regional benchmark for the HoReCa industry.
