News and updates on the Israel foodie scene.
Welcome to the Israel Foodie Roundup, a summary of restaurant openings, closings and other Israel foodie news. This is the first time I have put together a newsletter since October, so it is a long one. I am so excited to discover that despite an incredibly challenging year for the restaurant industry, there are still plenty of restaurants opening around Israel and hopefully more will follow.
Kosher Restaurant News
Amit Barkat is a gluten-free patisserie in Talpiot in Jerusalem by the daughter of Nir Barkat. Having trained in Paris, she decided to specialize in gluten-free desserts for her mother who is Celiac. As well as the usual flourless treats like chocolate mousse cake and macaroon, she also has a selection of chocolate and caramel eclair and lemon tart.
Anthony’s Pizza (Mehadrin) is a pizza restaurant on Shoshan Street in Jerusalem (near the Iriah). Anthony’s Pizza English menu and delivery online via 10bis.
Brown JLM hotel has opened on the corner of Hillel and Ben Sira Streets in central Jerusalem. The hotel features a lobby bar and a rooftop bar where breakfast is served.
Cafe Oranim is a new dairy restaurant that has replaced Luigi in Katamon in Jerusalem. Here is the full Cafe Oranim Hebrew menu.
Craft Restaurant (Mehadrin) is a new pizza restaurant on Shlomtzion in Jerusalem from the owner of Craft Pizza. They currently have a soft opening with the official opening in a few weeks. The restaurant will offer three sizes of pizza and will not serve slices. There will also be a selection of side dishes and a cocktail menu. The center of the restaurant features a custom-made coal-fired pizza oven.
David Laor (Tzohar) French bakery in Mevasseret Ziyyon has opened a small kiosk in Gidon Park in Baka. Photos and directions here.
Donis Fish & Wine is a fish restaurant in Givat Shmuel, Hebrew menu and online orders.
Furman’s is a Haifa-based pizza restaurant with a new branch in Ne’ot Afeka in North Tel Aviv. Order online and full Hebrew menu.
J-DELI by 1868 is the deli from 1868 in Jerusalem and includes a variety of spreads, pickles, cold cuts, smoked fish, baked goods and drinks, as well as a pre-cooked Shabbat menu, order online.
Joseph is a new butcher, deli and bakery in Kfar Vitkin. The meat deli serves a variety of meat sandwiches in freshly made French baguettes and the dairy counter has cream cheese and smoked salmon bagels. The deli stocks gourmet foods such as Italian parmesan and tuna, French butter biscuits, Mexican habanero sauce, and lamb bacon.
Kazze (Tzohar), Jerusalem – gluten-free Italian restaurant and deli serving pizza, pasta, pasta sauces, salads, bread, pastries, and cakes. Order delivery online and collection (Bezalel 7).
Le Charolais is a new French butcher and deli in Baka, Jerusalem which also sells rotisserie chicken and other deli food.
Marioso Pizza Meat is a meat pizza delivery and takeaway restaurant in the Ashdod area, 08 657 1111 Hebrew menu.
Mexicali – delivery only Tex Mex vegetarian and vegan food based in Tekoa, delivery to Jerusalem, Modi’in and Tel Aviv. English order form.
Pakino (Mehadrin) is a Roman-style takeaway pizza restaurant on Shamai in Jerusalem, from one of the former owners of Partigiano Pizza which recently closed on Ben Yehuda.
Pasta della Casa is a fresh pasta delivery service that has moved to a new larger location in Kfar Saba. While they still offer delivery all over Israel, the new location also has a takeaway menu, an outdoor seating area, and a private dining room for events and cookery workshops. As well as a large variety of fresh pasta, gnocchi, ravioli, tortellini and sauces for people to cook at home, they also sell lasagna, quiches, and desserts. The takeaway menu also includes freshly baked focaccia, Panzerotti, tiramisu and strudel. Order takeaway and delivery online (in Hebrew).
Private Kitchen is Shabbat catering delivered to the Merkaz area by Chef Avi Levi of HaMotzi.
Rachel Basdera opened a branch in Sarona Market in Tel Aviv and is available for delivery on Wolt and 10Bis.
Ray Bar Salads is a new sandwich and salad bar in the city center of Jerusalem.
Talbiye Patisserie is the new cafe inside the Jerusalem Theater, from the owner of Talbiye. I am surprised they are allowed to use the same name for a kosher and non-kosher restaurant that are next to each other. I can imagine it will cause a lot of confusion, (fFeature picture above).
Shapedoni (Mehadrin) is a new meat grill bar on Yafo in Jerusalem, opposite the entrance to the closed shuk. Full English menu and online delivery.
Ze Vezehoo is a new restaurant in the Feingold Courtyard in the Jerusalem city center, from the same owners as Eldad Vezehoo which was in the same location over 10 years ago. The meat menu focuses on Middle Eastern street food dishes such as roasted cauliflower, Lachmajin (meat focaccia), meat and vegan burgers, pargit and rice, pita sandwich fillings which include lamb kebab, Moroccan merguez sausages, and Turkish mincemeat.
Not Kosher Restaurant News
300 Burger is a new burger restaurant by Nechama Vahetzi in front of Habima in Tel Aviv. The fast-food menu launched for delivery only during lockdown and they have decided to open a kiosk next to the cafe. Other items on the menu include a shredded pork sandwich with bacon and cheddar, wild mushroom vegan shawarma and chicken wings with bacon and parmesan. Delivery is available via 10Bis.
Amita Bakery is a new bakery in Yafo by two experienced pastry chefs Michal Botton and Anna Shapiro. The two have been preparing desserts for restaurants for years, such as TYO, Taizu, Habasta and Fitzroy. They have now opened their own store serving classic desserts, pastries and sweets.
Assemblage Cafe is a new coffee shop inside Assemblage Boutique Hotel on Allenby in Tel Aviv. The menu includes a variety of sandwiches (cheese, chicken and shrimps), salads and other snacks. Full menu in Hebrew available here.
Bistro Kayser is the first restaurant in the world by Maison Kayser. The French bakery has been so successful with its two branches in the Namal and on Rothschild in Tel Aviv, that it is now opening its first bistro next to the Rothschild branch and a third branch in MidTown. The menu includes classic French dishes with a local twist. Book online.
Buonasera Pizza in Rishon LeZion is the new sister restaurant to Fabrica Pizza in Rehovot. Delivery and Hebrew menu.
Machneyuda’s street food restaurant GG Kubala has opened a branch in Sarona Market in Tel Aviv. This is the group’s first restaurant in Tel Aviv. Kubala is a combination of Yemenite Kubaneh bread and Challa. The Jerusalem branch serves the best corned beef sandwich I have had in Israel and the schnitzel Caesar salad and Wagyu burger are also delicious. They also serve the Machneyuda signature polenta. The GG Kubala Jerusalem English menu is on the website.
Gelato Variegato is a new ice cream store on Azza in Jerusalem by the owner of Talbiye and Flora. Creative flavors include lemon tart, beetroot & sumac and yogurt & zaatar ice cream, and carrot & ginger sorbet. Open all week from midday to 11 pm, Friday until 7 pm and Shabbat from 8 am to 11 pm.
Grinberg San is the new Asian bistro and food market that has replaced Grinberg Bistro in the Azorei Hen neighborhood of Tel Aviv. The bistro joins Zviki Eshet’s group of restaurants which includes Greco, Pizza and Gelateria Grinberg, all in the same complex. The deli offers raw ingredients and pre-cooked fresh and frozen dishes (order here), while the restaurant serves a selection of buns, sushi, dim sum, noodles and salads. The full bistro menu and order delivery and takeaway online (in Hebrew).
Haupt Deli is a new foodie haven in Even Yehuda selling freshly baked sweet and savory goods, sandwiches and ready-made food. For now, they are making picnic baskets for people to enjoy in the surrounding area but eventually, there will also be a cafe. Haupt is a family-run business whose owners were previously caterers. The deli is not supervised but is closed on Shabbat.
Kiosk.and.co is a new street food kiosk on the corner of Herzl and Rothschild in Tel Aviv, in place of Susu & Sons. Owned by Yarden & Oshry, participants in the TV show MKR, the menu includes fish & chips, Caesar salad, fish sandwiches and sfinj with spicy fish cakes.
Chef Eyal Shani has opened the first Israeli branch of Miznon outside of Tel Aviv. The new branch is in Moshav Bnei Dror near Netanya. Shani also has branches in New York, Paris, Vienna, Singapore and Melbourne.
Patisserie Abu Seir is a small bakery inside the New Gate in the Old City. Ibrahim Abu Seir is originally from Syria and has worked as a pastry chef for a number of years before opening his own shop.
Papa Johns has opened a branch in Jerusalem on the corner of Keren Hayesod and Jabotinsky.
Paradiso del Gelato is a new Artisanal Italian ice-cream parlor off Allenby in Tel Aviv. As well as ice cream, the store also sells milkshakes, crepes. Authentic flavors include Stracciatella, Gorgonzola cheese, pine nuts, hazelnut and honey and salted caramel. Sorbet flavors include fig, lemon, mango and strawberry.
Pop & Pope Bakery has opened in the lobby of the Ha’arbaa Towers in Tel Aviv. The European-style cafe serves a selection of sweet and savory pastries, as well as sandwiches by Chef Shahaf Shabtai. The specialty is a range of filled croissants with flavors that include raspberry cream and rose water, salted caramel coated in white chocolate, and Ferrero Rocher.
Sama is a new rooftop restaurant in the Old City of Akko by Chef Hmodi Okala . Okala was a participant in Game of Chefs and was previously the head chef of Eataliano dalla Costa in Haifa. The menu focuses on traditional Arab fish and seafood dishes and if the food is anything like Eataliano, it is worth checking out, full review here.
Street Chef is a new cafe on Ibn Gavirol in Tel Aviv, by Chef Liroy Kapuza serving sandwiches, pastries and desserts inspired by street food from around the world. There is an entire grilled cheese section of the menu which includes Monte Cristo with smoked beef shoulder, Ruben with corned beef and sauerkraut and Napolitana Garlic with kalamata olives and garlic confit. Order via Wolt or 10Bis.
Timna is a restaurant in Neve Zedek by Chef Nir Mesika. Mesika recently returned to Israel after 8 years in New York where he ran TimnaNYC until it closed. While TimnaNYC served Israeli food to New Yorkers, Timna Tel Aviv includes New York influences in the menu, including Asian and Mexican flavors.
Other Israel Foodie News
Abba Sandwich (Kosher) has invented the latest foodie gimmick. Instead of schnitzel in pita, they now serve a schnitzeld pita, where the breading is on the pita and the chicken is inside.
Chef Barak Aharoni has left working at Alena (Not Kosher) in The Norman hotel. He has not yet announced what he will do next. The hotel’s rooftop Japanese restaurant Dinings is currently closed for renovations.
Bruno Sandwich (Kosher) has moved from Baka to Emek Refaim in Jerusalem.
Cafe Castel has moved to a larger location on Ibn Gvirol in Tel Aviv.
Cafe Mersand (Not Kosher) on the corner of Frishman and Ben Yehuda in Tel Aviv has closed after 65 years. The owners have opened a joint project called Mini & Mersand, which offers breakfast and lunch at Minibar TLV.
Etz Cafe (Not Kosher) on Yanai has closed down and they now offer delivery service of fresh pasta, pasta sauces and shakshuka sauce.
Glen Whisky Bar in Jerusalem has moved from Shlomtzion to Agron.
Golda Ice Cream has launched a subsidiary called Pink Golda which sells ice cream related patisserie products including lychee, mango, passion fruit and marmalade (fruit jelly), salty pretzel sauce, coated popcorn, caramelized nuts and cookies. The first branch is next to the Petach Tikva branch of Golda.
HaKosem falafel and hummus restaurant will soon be opening in Sarona Market.
Meatos Street Food (Kosher) is opening a new branch in the City Design complex on the Ma’ale Adumim.
MG Burger JLM (Kosher) pop-up burger restaurant by Angelica Chef Marcos Gershowitz has closed since the restaurant reopened. They are making plans to reopen in some form.
Naya Asian (Kosher) is opening a new street food branch in the shopping mall under Ahuzat Beit Hakerem, opposite Shaare Zedek.
The Machneyuda Group won its first Michelin star for Shabour (Not Kosher) in Paris in January (read more here). The group is opening a delicatessen next to Shabour and plans to open a vegetarian restaurant similar to Tzemah in Jerusalem. The group is also opening their first restaurant outside Jerusalem. The restaurant will be in the newly renovated Galei Kinneret Hotel in Tiberius due to open in May.
Chef Avi Bitton has replaced Chef Aviv Moshe as the head chef at the Yassou (Not Kosher) Greek restaurant in Tel Aviv.
Recently Updated Israel Foodie Posts
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