Welcome to this month’s roundup of Israeli foodie news and my newly designed blog. It has now been a year since I started monthly roundups. I pull the information from various sources so I hope you find them useful and would love to receive feedback in the comments below.
Wishing everyone Shana Tova and a delicious year ahead.
KOSHER
Taco Luis – for anyone who has been hiding under a rock for the past few weeks and hasn’t heard the news, Jerusalem finally has an authentic Mexican restaurant and it is kosher. Taco Luis is run by Mexican Luis Angel and his family and the tortillas are freshly made in-house every day. They have been smart to start with a small menu and to expand as time goes on. I am excited to try the Mexican cocktails!
Azumami is a new small Asian dining bar in Haifa which serves sushi, pani puri, bao buns and more. The menu includes gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options. Azumami is from the owners of Tatami, a popular kosher Asian restaurant in the Carmel Center in Haifa.
EatBar Kitchen has opened in Rosh Ha’ayin serving meat bar food such as burgers, fried chicken, snacks and salads.
SkyLounge & Bar has opened on the rooftop of the Prima Link hotel in Petach Tikva. As well as cocktails, the bar serves dairy snacks like edamame, nachos, pizza, Haloumi and watermelon with Bulgarian cheese.
Mr Donuts has opened its first permanent store on Ibn Gvirol in Tel Aviv. I find them too sickly sweet but if you like American style glazed donuts then this is the place for you. The products are kosher and vegan friendly.
NOT KOSHER
Bushwick is a new cocktail bar in the Fabric Hotel in Tel Aviv. The food is by chef Avivit Priel of Ouzeria and includes dishes like spinach and kale bread pudding with goat cheese, beer batter nuggets and hamburger with truffle and Parmesan chips. The cocktail menu is from the owners of the Imperial Bar and coffee lovers will be pleased to hear that they serve nitro coffee as well as cold brew. For now Bushwick is only open in the evenings but it will soon open for both breakfast and lunch.
Hilton Bay has opened on Hilton Beach under the Hilton Hotel Tel Aviv, in place of the previous beach restaurant. It is owned by the same people who run the restaurant on Mezizim Beach. The restaurant is in partnership with Absolut and will feature a daily sunset event with a DJ and a Mediterranean fish and seafood menu.
Cafe Napoli is a new Italian café in Sarona Market, where Fauchon and Fish & Chips both failed. The menu includes Italian pizza, pasta, salads and sandwiches.
The Old City of Yafo is home to another new boutique hotel, The Jaffa, which is part of the Marriot Hotel group and includes three dining options. Don Camillo is a New York style Italian restaurant with a local twist and Golda’s Delicatessen is a New York style café serving bagels, lox and schmear, Reuben hot dogs, double cheese burgers and grilled cheese. Both restaurants are part of the New York based Major Food Group with chef Roi Antebi running them.
The hotel bar, The Chapel is in the restored chapel of the French Hospital which previously occupied the complex where the hotel now stands.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmbEi5ug4Tn/?taken-by=thejaffahotel
Rosenberg restaurant has opened in Herzliya Pituach with food by chef Benny Drexler, from David & Yosef and Yaffo Tel Aviv. The menu filled with traditional Israeli and Arab dishes like freekeh with yoghurt, fish tartar with labaneh and pistachios and chicken thighs with hummus masabacha.
Chef Moshe Segev has added a Japanese restaurant to his collection. Nihon Nou-Bah in the Sharonim Mall, Hod Hasharon combines traditional sushi with Japanese style cocktails.
Pundak de Luxe in Yafo has closed after over four years of business and The Bun in Tel Aviv is closing in September instead of December as originally planned.
NEWS & EVENTS
Agamon Market next to Hotel Galilion in the Hula Valley has finally opened. It was built over a year ago but the opening of the stores was delayed, with a few coffee shops opening at the end of last year. The indoor food market includes chains like the Golan Brewhouse, La Farina, La Goffre, and Café Nimrod, as well as boutique stalls with local produce including cheese, wine and chocolate.
The most exciting stall is Basta Yerushalmi (Kosher) by Chef Aviv Moshe and includes food from his home in Jerusalem, including Jerusalem mix, meatballs and great bread.
The street food trend has taken Israel by storm in the last few years but food trucks are still very limited. A new food complex called Containers has just opened in Ramat Gan next to the Diamond Exchange. The food stalls are inside converted containers, hence the name! For now, it is only open weekday lunches and Thursday nights as the stalls test out the menus but it will soon open for evenings and weekends as well.
One of the stalls already in place is Soi by Nithan Thai by Chef Shachaf Shabtai. His Asian fusion menu includes curry burekas and Asian stuffed vegetables. Other stalls include Fiori pasta, Paris Texas and Twenty Feet Coffee
The complex will also feature events with guest chefs and dishes will cost NIS 37-55.
RECENT POSTS
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Categories: Monthly Roundup
