Discover which fast food restaurants are open on Shabbat in Jerusalem.

I am often asked where to eat in Jerusalem on Saturday/Shabbat, especially by first-time visitors.  Most of Jerusalem closes down on Friday afternoon, however, there are still plenty of cafes open on Shabbat, you just have to know where to find them.  I have decided to split the recommendations into three categories: fast food/takeaway, nighttime and daytime, as the recommendations for these categories are very different.  

Here is a list of fast-food restaurants open on Shabbat in Jerusalem:

• Aroma

The Hillel branch of Aromais open 24/7, with a large seating area and free WiFi. The menu is similar to the kosher branches and they do not serve any meat at the Hillel Branch, see the full Aroma menu in English. There is also a small branch of Aroma in Yes Planet Cinema Jerusalem, which is open on Shabbat.

Aroma, 18 Hillel Street, 02 625 5365; 4 Naomi Street, Yes Planet, 02 656 7787

• Burger Room JLM 

Popular with students living in Rehavia, I was not overly impressed by the taste or texture of the burger patty but it is a good local option. They have a choice of seven burgers, including a Beyond Burger and interesting toppings such as fig jam, jalepeno and brisket.

Burger Room JLM,  18 Azza Street, 02 540 8484,  order online.

• Chili Pizza

Chili Pizza has been around for several years. The restaurant serves a traditional range of toppings to satisfy non-kosher consumers, such as ham and pineapple, pepperoni and cheese, bacon and eggs, and spicy beef and sweetcorn. They serve ready-made pizzas by the slice and the freshly made individual pizzas are even better.

The menu also includes some pasta dishes and desserts. The website includes the Chili Pizza menu in English and you can order deliveries by phone, 11 am to 5 am, 7 days a week.

Chili Pizza, 28 Hillel Street, 02 625 4040

• Domino’s Pizza

The regular pizzas are very average but  Domino’s Pizzachef pizzas by Asaf Granit are pretty good. However, their customer service is appalling and they frequently make mistakes with the deliveries so I cannot recommend ordering from them. Online ordering is only in Hebrew.

Domino’s Pizza, 122 Herzl Boulevard; 1 Etsel Street; 25 Rivka Street, 1700 70 70 70

• Iwo’s Burger

Iwo’s Burger is a typical burger restaurant with American diner-style booths.  The choice of burgers includes beef, veal, lamb or bacon, and among the more gourmet toppings are Emmental, Roquefort and Parmesan Cheese, Bacon, Goose Liver and Truffle Butter.  They also serve a selection of sandwiches and salads, as well as, sticky chicken wings and tater tops with cheese. 

You can find the Iwo’s Burger English menu on their website and you can also order an Iwo burger delivery in English. Iwo Burger is open until 3 am, 7 days a week.

Iwo’s Burger, 24 Hillel Street, 02 622 2513

• Jachnun Bar

For those who are not familiar with Yemenite food, Jachnun is a roll of Malawach pastry (fried flaky bread). Jachnun is traditionally cooked on a low heat and eaten on Shabbat morning by Yemenite Jews, with fresh tomato sauce, hard-boiled eggs and schug (spicy pepper and coriander paste).

Jachnun Bar also serves a variety of Malawach options filled with salads and dips.  Stand out items include the Shakshukalawach, Pizzalawach, Malawach filled with shakshuka and chocolate-filled Malawach.

All the food in the restaurant is vegetarian, with vegan options and it is open 24/7, including Shabbat. Here is the full Jachnun Bar menu in English (page 2), they do not deliver.

Jachnun Bar, 28 Hillel Street, 02 566 1919

• Junior Pizza 

A pizza parlor in Rehavia from the owner of Burger Room, Talbieh and Wine Bar. The pizzas are extra-large (2-3 people for a meal), with some interesting toppings including brie cheese, Tartufo, maple-glazed pumpkin, spicy Indian butter chicken, Bolognese and calamari. They also serve spicy wings, Caesar salad and sausages.

Junior Pizza, 1 HaRav Berlin Street (corner of Azza), 02 540 8480. Hebrew menu and order delivery online.

• McDonald’s

Some people like to stick with what they know. McDonald’s has a number of branches around Jerusalem, some are kosher and closed on Shabbat,. The branches in the City Center on Shamai Street and in Yes Planet are both open on Shabbat but they do not deliver.

McDonald’s, 4 Shamai Street

• Mian Noodles

A simple, authentic Asian noodle restaurant near the Old City. Mian Noodles offers five kinds of noodles: ramen, egg, spinach, carrot and rice noodles, with different types of meat and vegetarian toppings.

Mian Noodles, 22 King Solomon Street, 02 994 4333

• P²

P² serves real Italian thin-crust pizza in the heart of Jerusalem and they also serve gluten-free pizza. Other interesting dishes include Panzanella Salad, Calzone and Gnocchi. They do not have a menu online and do not deliver. You can pre-order by phone for collection, if you know what you want.

P², 36 Keren Hayesod, 02 563 5555