Aragvi (restaurant)

Aragvi
Aragvi interior in 2016
Restaurant information
Established	1938
Closed	February 11, 2019 (2019-02-11)
Head chef	Nugzar Nebieridze
Food type	Georgian
Street address	Tverskaya St, 6/2
City	Moscow
Postal/ZIP Code	125009
Country	Russia
Coordinates	55°45′42″N 37°36′39″E / 55.76167°N 37.61083°E / 55.76167; 37.61083
Seating capacity	240

Aragvi was a

Soon after its opening, the restaurant quickly gained a reputation for its quality and became popular among the Soviet elite. Due to high prices and strict face control, Aragvi was largely considered inaccessible for the average citizen.^[2] After the fall of the Soviet Union, it became increasingly associated with organized crime. The restaurant was closed for renovations in the early 2000s, but its reopening was delayed due to changes in management as well as due to the discovery of archeological remains from the 17th century.^[3] The Government of Moscow has assumed responsibility over the building's future. In 2016, the restaurant was reopened by Armenian businessmen Samvel Karpetyan and Gor Nakhapetyan after a $20 million renovation.^[4] The new menu was expanded to include non-Georgian Caucasian dishes.^[5]

Aragvi was permanently closed on February 11, 2019.^[6] Though its owners and investors blamed low revenues, rumors in the local press suggested a conflict had happened between the owner of the building and the company managing the restaurant.^[7] In August 2019, the site of the restaurant was put up for rent.^[8]

References