”Sini! We have to open our own Georgian restaurant!”
The year was 2016. Sini, who had worked happily for years as a sales manager, had never considered becoming an entrepreneur, let alone entering the demanding restaurant industry. Especially since her own sister had made a long career in the field and kept warning her (she might have even used the word “CRAZY!”). Nika didn’t give up and brought up the idea repeatedly over the course of the year.
At the turn of 2016–2017, Sini got her first taste of Georgian food when New Year’s was celebrated in Georgia on a large scale. Tables were full at both family homes and restaurants. At that time, Sini still didn’t speak Georgian, but she was amazed not only by the delicious food but also by the Georgian way of truly enjoying the meal together with traditional toasts.
Thus, in the summer of 2017, real planning began. The first Rioni restaurant opened in February 2018 in a small 1960s shopping center in Haukilahti, Espoo. Customers quickly found Espoo's first Georgian restaurant, and soon the "hidden gem" was discovered by the media, from Iltalehti to Helsingin Sanomat. Regular guests included the late Kirsti Paakkanen as well as our current president, Alexander Stubb. Since then, Espoo's Rioni has moved to the new and shiny Lippulaiva shopping center, but Sini, Nika and the employees who still work there have many fond memories of the Haukilahti days.
In the beginning, there were only two employees, aside from the entrepreneurs, but more were hired during the first months. Today, there are nearly 50 employees – even Sini’s sister, who once called her crazy, is now the restaurant manager. The first employees hired for Haukilahti, from chefs to waiters, still work at Rioni today. And the heart of our kitchen? It’s Nika’s own mother!
In the first year, the entrepreneurs hardly took any salary, and all the extra money was invested in 2019 for Turku's Rioni. In the middle of the worst of the pandemic, in January 2021, a large location was opened on Kasarmikatu in Helsinki, with covered inner courtyards, and in July 2021, a location in Tampere opened as well. The original purpose of Tampere’s Rioni was to keep Georgian chefs employed during COVID.
They survived the pandemic as best they could, and since then, Rioni has received the Asiakastieto Finland's Strongest certificate for the second year in a row. We import our own wines directly from Georgia, still prepare all our dishes from scratch, and the warm, familiar service concept that began with the entrepreneurs in Haukilahti is now number one in every waiter’s handbook.
Our mission!
Our main task is to embody and honor Georgian tradition and hospitality. Our kitchen is like the heart of a Georgian mother, our service is as warm as our home, and the spirit of the company is like of a family. With warmth, authenticity, and genuine care, we create unforgettable dining experiences.
