Last summer, when we first saw handmade posters on the street written in English and Georgian announcing the opening of a Japanese bakery, we were both bewildered and excited. On top of many local tone (traditional ovens), Tbilisi had French, German, Turkish and Lithuanian bakeries – but Japanese bread and pastries were unheard of.
We finally visited the new spot in question, Pancholi-na, around 10:30 a.m. one winter morning. Ayako Matsumoto, one of the owners, had already baked a dozen triangular old-fashioned doughnuts, some plain and some with cacao baked in. She moved from one task to another, stretching a vegan dough to make four pear pies (also triangular) and filling the dough with a chunky pear sauce, then melting white chocolate pellets in a bain-marie to make a velvety frosting for the freshly baked doughnuts.
In the meantime, her husband had arrived after dropping their three kids at a local kindergarten where they learn Georgian. While Ayako was preparing the pastries, Nao Matsumoto assumed his customary role as Pancholi-na’s bread artisan. After putting on some light music and smoking a cigarette, he took the bread dough out from the fridge and started cutting it into portions of 110 grams each to be turned into small round loaves.
The couple initially visited Georgia two years ago on a trip and instantly fell in love with the country. Upon returning, they decided to settle in Tbilisi and establish their business, despite their preference for living in the countryside, surrounded by nature.
They inaugurated a bakery named Pancholi-na last summer, repurposing a former grocery store for their venture. “It doesn’t mean anything; we just liked the sound of this expression, and it’s easy to remember,” Ayako tells us. In their native Japan, the duo had previously worked in their small family bakery situated in the town of Fujino, within the Kanagawa district near Tokyo. Reflecting on their decision to move, Ayako shares: “In Japan, our relatives and friends think we are crazy. But we love being here because Georgians are welcoming and open-minded.”
In Tbilisi, they reside and work in the Chugureti neighborhood on the left bank, an area that gained popularity after the opening of Fabrika in 2016 – a former factory transformed into a youth hostel and food court featuring trendy cafés. Explaining their choice, Ayako says, “We chose this district because most of our customers are foreigners, and this is one of the neighborhoods where expats are living.” Their bakery is located along the bustling Chikobava street, which sees a flurry of cars during peak hours.
In the vicinity, there’s a Georgian bakery specializing in just two products: the traditional elongated shoti bread, crafted with wheat flour in a round brick-lined oven, and shoti lobiani, a version of bean-filled bread using the same dough as the shoti. The contrast is pronounced when compared to Pancholi-na, which offers a myriad of sweet and savory options, all crafted in small quantities.
“I don’t follow a precise plan. I bake sweets according to my inspiration,” Ayako says. “I try, I taste and I make improvements because the ingredients here are different from Japan.” This difference is primarily centered on the limited variety of flour options available in Tbilisi compared to Japan, she explains.
Another characteristic of Pancholi-na is the meticulous attention to detail. This is evident in the charming decoration of their space with small pieces of art, some ingeniously made with bread. Nao is also using geometric frames to delicately stencil the small breads he crafts.
The visual feast presented on the counter is nothing short of delightful, featuring an array of shapes and colors. Pancholi-na, while not a traditional Japanese bakery per se, bears an international flair with a distinct Japanese twist. The offerings include a diverse selection ranging from muffins, quiches and focaccia to matcha balls and scones. What pleasantly surprised us was the intriguing interplay of flavors; some bread had a subtly sweet taste, while certain pastries leaned towards the savory side. One standout example was a petite bread called anpan, generously filled with sweet red bean paste. Sweet bean, a staple in Japanese gastronomy – and the international title of an acclaimed movie whose narrative revolves around a dessert called dorayaki, made of pancake and bean paste – is a flavor profile unfamiliar in the context of Georgia.
Other examples include two types of cheesecakes, each boasting a distinctive taste – one crafted with miso and the other with matcha powder imported from Kyoto. Both showcase the fifth taste known as umami in Japanese. Umami is challenging to articulate in words, but as described by New Yorker food reporter Hannah Goldfield, it embodies a “deep, dark, meaty intensity” that “hits the back of your throat and leaves you craving more.”
This definition easily applies to Pancholi-na’s cheesecakes, and the notion of “craving more” resonates with many of their offerings. While we still haven’t tried every item, another delightful treat worth mentioning is the matcha doughnut. This delectable creation is covered with matcha frosting, cut in two and generously filled with cream cheese. The dough is soft and airy, and the subtle taste of matcha seamlessly blends in with the cheese. Notably, it doesn’t weigh heavily on the stomach, distinguishing it from the doughnuts sold by a prominent U.S.-based chain that has gained popularity in Georgia as well, establishing branches in every district of Tbilisi.
We also treated ourselves to a few pear pies, and this time, there was no doubt about their sweetness. However, it was not overwhelming, allowing the delicacy of the pear to take center stage.
Ayako’s favorite is the “cheese shortbread.” These are rectangular, tiny snacks crafted from a blend of butter, flour, cane sugar and cheese. “They are perfect for when your stomach feels empty and you need a nutritious boost,” she says.
We couldn’t leave Pancholi-na without indulging in a drink. The beverage menu is equally enticing and unique, featuring Japanese green tea sourced directly from a family producer in the Kanagawa district, as well as an iced matcha latte, homemade cola, a soy milkshake with blueberry, strawberry or banana, and even homemade sake.
We opted for the “Paradise Apple Juice,” and it turned out to be the perfect way to conclude our time at Pancholi-na. The house-made juice, made with kobo (Japanese yeast), had a subtly acidic taste reminiscent of cider. For anyone visiting the Pancholi-na bakery, a culinary escape is assured, no matter what you choose to order.
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