News and reviews on the Israel Foodie scene.

The Israel foodie scene is busier than ever with new restaurants opening all over the country. With more Israelis staycationing this summer than ever before, the lack of tourists is barely noticeable and many restaurants are fully booked far in advance.

Headline news this month includes a new restaurant by the Dead Sea with the creative name of Ein Bokek Restaurant, a street food restaurant serving kosher Wagyu by the owners of Valero and Loullie, a Beach Club bar and restaurant on Gordon Beach.

Kosher Restaurant News

Alena BePita is a pita bar in Rishon LeZion. Each pita is served with charred eggplant, mashwaya salad, caramelized onion and a choice of tahina.

Arcaffe has opened its first branch in Jerusalem on Mamilla Avenue.

Beit Melchett is an event complex and cafe in Tel Mond. The cafe is open from 8 am to 4 pm Sunday to Thursday and until 1 pm on Friday. The cafe is dairy, and the event space is meaty.

Berlin Burger is a burger restaurant in Mamilla, Jerusalem serving burgers with various toppings and sides dishes.

Boulangerie is a dairy cafe in the City Center building in Tzfat. The cafe serves breakfast all day, as well as sandwiches, pizza and pasta. The cafe has a private dining room for up to 22 people.

Darya Restaurant is a new restaurant in the Hilton Tel Aviv by Chef Hillel Tavakuli of Animar restaurant. The menu is described as modern silk road cuisine, a fusion of the Far East and Mediterranean food. The restaurant includes a private room for up to 30 people.

Efendi is a Turkish restaurant next to the large white statue on the main road in French Hill. The restaurant serves a parev breakfast menu from 8 to 11 am, before switching to the main meat menu for lunch and dinner. Turkish specialties include Meat Lachma Bajin, Turkish Kebab and Meat Perde (pastry boat).

Gofna is a meat restaurant in Shilo with Chef Yehoyada Nizri, a finalist of MasterChef.

Golda has opened a new branch in Malha Mall in Jerusalem, with a large outside seating area.

HaMalka Burger is the reincarnation of Cafe Yaffo, one of the only kosher restaurants in Yaffo. Here is the HaMalka Burger English menu.

HaMesila is a Mediterranean dairy restaurant in The First Station in Jerusalem.

HaSuccah (Dairy not supervised) is a cafe and delicatessen in Yaffo with a selection of organic dairy food, wines, fruit and vegetable from local kibbutzim.

Imperial Palms is the new poolside Thai restaurant of the Dan Caesarea Hotel by chefs Nadav and Daniel of MKR fame, with a cocktail menu designed by Imperial Tel Aviv.

Jorno Bakery (Dairy Not Supervised) has opened a new branch in the Vert Lagoon Hotel in Netanya.

Jucha (Mehadrin) is a cafe and garden nursery in Har Gilo in a picturesque setting.

KumKum is a tea house on Derech Bet Lechem in Jerusalem with a garden area. There is also a small store selling gifts and tea-related items. They serve traditional English afternoon tea with sandwiches and petit fours.

Machne Asada is the new Wagyu street-food restaurant by Valero near Shuk Machne Yehuda, featuring a range of street food dishes made with wagyu beef.

Matfuna Etzel Boya (Tzohar) is a meat restaurant in Moshav Ahisamakh near Lod. Matfuna is a special traditional way of slow-cooking meat in a fire pit. Meat cuts include Asado, chorizo, lamb shoulder, lamb neck, and more,  all of which are served with a selection of salads, side dishes and soft drinks. The restaurant is only open on selected dates.

Naya Jerusalem is the Jerusalem branch of Asian restaurant Naya in Beit Nekofa. The Jerusalem branch is for take–away and delivery, with a few tables to eat at the location. Order take away or delivery via Tabit.

Rebecca Soul Pizza (Badatz Beit Yosef) is a pizza parlor in Namal Tel Aviv. They also serve vegan pizza, pasta, salads and sandwiches.

Shapo is the new sushi restaurant and bar in the garden in the Alma Hotel in Tel Aviv.

Veranda is a meat restaurant in the David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem, on the terrace overlooking the Old City. The menu was created by Chef Aviram Hayouka from the TV show Game of Chefs but as far as I know, he will not be based at the restaurant. Menu items include Kurdish Siska Kada pastry, Veal Sweetbreads with eggplant and black tahina, and Mushroom Arancini.

Zuza Patisserie (Dairy not supervised) in Kibbutz Kinneret is a cafe and bakery serving sweet and savory baked goods and sandwiches.

Not Kosher Restaurant News

Allenby 75 Coffeeshop is a cafe in Prima’s Hotel 75 in Tel Aviv. The cafe serves breakfast for the hotel guests and is also open to the public.

Balool is a French bakery on a farm in Beer Yaakov by Oz Yohanan Taub, a pastry chef who previously worked in a number of restaurants in Tel Aviv. As well as a variety of cakes and sweet pastries, the bakery also sells savory pastries, quiches and artisanal bread.

Duda Meatbox is a smokehouse in Kiryat Haim in Haifa serving a selection of smoked meats and taboon pastries. Here is the Duda Meatbox English menu.

Ein Bokek Restaurant is a brasserie in the new Sonol Gas Station in Ein Bokek in the Dead Sea, behind the David Hotel. The menu has an emphasis on steaks but also includes a selection of salads,

El Asador is a restaurant in Yarka in the Galil serving traditional Arabic Galilean dishes such as Arais, Fatteh (pita, yogurt and chickpeas), and Calamari Shawarma. The restaurant is run by Chef Shadi Bishara.

Greco Beach is the largest beach restaurant in Israel located on Frishman beach, in front of the Sheraton Hotel. The complex includes a bar, a Greek deli, a bakery, an ice cream parlor, a cafe and a takeaway kiosk serving gyros, Souvlaki and more.

Hagoren Sushi is a new sushi delivery restaurant in Mazkeret Batya.

Hudson Lilienblum is the little sister of Hudson Brasserie. Many consider Hudson in Ramat Hachayal to be one of the best steakhouses in Israel and it has taken them 12 years to open a second branch. This branch is less formal, and orders are made via an app or ordering screens in the restaurants. The menu includes some Hudson classics like the burger, roasted mushrooms and Caesar salad.

La Tigre is a Neapolitan pizza restaurant in Florentine in Tel Aviv. Many of the ingredients are imported from Italy to ensure an authentic experience. As well as the traditional pizza options, they also have unique flavors such as pistachio pizza with spicy honey sauce, cream fungi pizza with a limoncello dip and vegan options such as Beyond Meat Pizza with almond mozzarella and Turnip greens pizza with sweet potato and arugula.

Loullie is a new Beach Club bar and restaurant on Gordon Beach in Tel Aviv, in place of Gordo’s.

Mifgash Asi is a cafe in Nahalat Binyamin in Tel Aviv in memory of Israeli film director Asi Dayan. The food is provided by Nili Cohen Mintz from Lorenz and Mintz in Neve Tzedek. The menu includes various dishes such as Romanian bagel with herring, watermelon and Bulgarian cheese salad, Croque Monsieur and Croque Florentine. There is also a bar near the cafe called Mr. Baum which includes a menu of bar snacks from the cafe kitchen.

Moriah is a vegetarian and vegan cafe in Haifa with a focus on Asian and Indian food.

Pipa Foodtruck is a simple food truck on Neve Yam beach, south of Atlit. Snacks available include Malabi, brownies, salads, sandwiches, acai bowls, fruit shakes and iced drinks.

Sail Fish is a fast-food fish and seafood restaurant on Allenby Street in Tel Aviv. The restaurant serves a variety of fish burgers, fish and chips, salads and grilled fish.

Sun Young is an Asian restaurant in the new Ink Hotel on Brenner Street in Tel Aviv both of which are owned by the Kisu group (Fu Sushi, Kisu and Ni Shi). The restaurant features a full sushi menu and an Asian fish, seafood and meat menu.

The popular Ziona Cafe from Ness Ziona has opened a branch in Sarona Market Tel Aviv. As well as the option to eat inside the market, Ziona also sells picnic packages to eat in the grounds of the Sarona complex.

Other Israel Foodie News

Batzir 66 in the Tavor Winery has become kosher. The meat bistro is open all week for lunch only.

Gaston Steakhouse steak restaurant in Airport City is now kosher.

Ha’Achim has moved location into ZOA House on Ibn Gvirol. The new location has more tables overall and a large courtyard.

Hamotzi has opened a new private event space for up to 50 people next to the main restaurant. The event room has a professional sound system and TV, and there is the option to host private workshops led by Chef Avi Levy.

Messa restaurant in Tel Aviv has re-opened with Chef Asaf Shtern replacing Chef Aviv Moshe. Among the new menu items is seared watermelon which seems to be the latest foodie trend.

Park Kramim is a new complex in Kiryat Anavim which includes an adventure playground, shops and an indoor food market. The complex is opening in stages but for now, the food options include Leggenda Ice Cream, Savta’s Bread and Saida Pub. Due to open in the near future are Miznon by Eyal Shani, Annette Pizza, Raffaello Italian restaurant, Annette Deli, Ima Restaurant (Kosher) and Noa Restaurant and Bakery. The complex is only open at the weekend, including Shabbat.

Drink & Foodie Israel Events

• AutoOchel, Amphi Bagai Jerusalem, until 2 September 2021 – weekly menu can be found here.
• Magnum Bar is taking place in Sarona Market until the end of August.
• White Wine by the Sea, Herzliya Marina, 4 – 5 August 2021 – NIS 90 in advance, NIS 115 on the door.
• Cocktail Festival, Herzliya Marina, 18 – 19 August 2021 – NIS 105 in advance, NIS 35 on the door. Tickets include three full cocktails.
• Tel Aviv Cocktail Week, 22 – 28 August 2021, early bird tickets NIS 30.
• Paprika Festival at Derech HaTavlinim, Beit Lechem Hagalilit, 20-27 September 2021.
• Red Sea Beer Festival, Eilat, 20-27 September 2021 – free entry.

Recent Israel Foodie Posts

• Israel Beach Restaurants – Tel Aviv Area
• Israel Beach Restaurants – Southern Cities
• Top 10 Outdoor Bars in Jerusalem

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