News and reviews on the Israel Foodie scene for October.

As Israel prepares to once again welcome tourists after nearly two years of closed borders, the Israel foodie scene is back in full swing. Highlights this month include the opening of  ‘a’ by Chef Yuval Ben Neriah and Taizu group inside Azrieli Sarona Tower and Nihon no-ba, a kosher Japanese restaurant in Petach Tikva by Chef Moshe Segev. The Machneyuda Group‘s first kosher restaurant, Lotte by Assaf Granit in Tiveria, is now fully up and running.

If you try out any of these new places, be sure to share your feedback on Restaurant Club Israel or Restaurant Club Jerusalem.

Kosher Restaurant News

Bobe is a meat sandwich bar in Shuk Tzafon Tel Aviv serving challah rolls with various fillings including Paprika Chirka (Hungarian chicken patties), Chraime, Sofrito, Bolognese, Chamin, and Persian Gondi (chicken dumplings and chickpeas).

Dr. Hummus (Mehadrin) is a hummus bar in the center of Jerusalem.

Edenia is a deli in the Jerusalem Botanical Garden. The kitchen is run by Chef Nadav Malin, one of the leaders of the Slow Food movement in Israel. The menu includes cheeses, wine, spreads, sandwiches, pickled fish, muesli, pastries and other food.

Jonjoli (Mehadrin) is a Georgian dairy and fish restaurant in the business area of Herzliya Pituach with French and Italian influences.

Hilola is a deli in Rishon LeZion from by Chef Rotem Ben Moyal of Rak Kaha.

Menfis toasted meat sandwich bar from Paz gas station opposite Gan Sacher has opened a new branch in Shuk Machane Yehudah where Aldo used to be.

Nihon no-ba is a Japanese bar and restaurant in Petach Tikva by Chef Moshe Segev. The Segev Group has another restaurant by the same name in Hod Hasharon which is not kosher.

Nuti Bakery (Tzohar)is a bakery on Dizengoff in Tel Aviv specializing in sweet baked goods such as giant chocolate chips cookies, scones, babka, and more sweet delights.

Raila is a Mediterranean meat restaurant on Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv, serving home-cooked style food for lunch and small dishes and cocktails in the evening. 1 + 1 happy hour 6 – 8 pm.

Smoke Burger is a burger restaurant near Shuk Machane Yehuda which has opened with a trial menu featuring smoked meats.

Not Kosher Restaurant News

‘a’ is a new concept restaurant by Chef Yuval Ben Neriah and Taizu group inside Azrieli Sarona Tower in Tel Aviv.

Cantina San Remo is a wine bar in the Gesher Theater in Yafo from the San Remo group (Casino San Remo, Italkiya and Ishti). The bar food menu includes bacon brioche, fish crudo, fried red mullet, and kabana sausages, as well as petit fours for dessert.

Cena is an Italian bar and restaurant in the Theodor by Brown Hotels on Herzl Street in Tel Aviv. The menu is by Chef Tomer Agay of Santa Katarina and much of the food is made in an Italian brick oven.

Greco Kitchen & Deli is a new branch of the Greek restaurant in Kfar Saba. Greco has branches in Tel Aviv and Herzliya Pituach.

Iwo’s Rotisserie has opened in Shuk Hanamal next to the Iwo’s butcher shop. Whole rotisserie chickens are sold along with sauces, roasted vegetables, and Wagyu beef sausages.

Maison Kayser French patisserie has opened another branch in Midtown Tel Aviv.

Tirza is a wine bar in Tel Aviv by Chef Raz Rahav of tasting menu restaurant OCD.

Other Israel Foodie News

Both branches of HaKosem in Tel Aviv are now supervised with  Tzohar kashrut

Chef Mike Solomonov will be opening a new branch of Laser Wolf, an Israeli shipudiya, on the rooftop of The Hoxton Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in partnership with the Boka Restaurant Group.

The Machneyuda Group announced that it will be opening a new restaurant in Paris called Tekes. This is the group’s third restaurant in Paris. The group’s first kosher restaurant Lotte by Assaf Granit has fully opened in Tiberias (initial trial opening was reported in the August newsletter).

Chef Meir Adoni announced that he is opening a new kosher mehadrin restaurant in Tel Aviv called Machshi, specializing in stuffed vegetables.

Manou Ba Shouk in Shuk Machane Yehuda is now vegetarian.

Rutenberg Restaurant in Kibbutz Gesher will now only serve a tasting menu with a lighter version at lunch and a more significant menu in the evening.

Chef Meidad Stabinski has taken over as the chef at The Asian Deli in Hod Hasharon. He recently returned to Israel having worked for many years in Thailand.

Tosha Bakery (Kosher) has moved from Kibbutz Rosh Hanikra to Achziv Beach.

Yakimono restaurant on Rothschild in Tel Aviv will close at the end of December. The Yakimono kosher branch in the Hilton Tel Aviv will continue to operate.

Zepra restaurant by Chef Avi Conforti closed at the end of October. Conforti’s other restaurant Topolopompo has not yet reopened since the Covid closures but it has not been announced if it closed for good.

Venice Pizza Bar on Rishon Le Zion beach has closed. It was one of the only kosher restaurants located on a beach in Israel.

Drink & Foodie Israel Events

• Inbal Soup Festival, Jerusalem, starts 1 November 2021.
• Sea of Galilee Wine Festival, The Scots Hotel Tiberias, 5 November 2021.
• Israeli Cuisine Festival & Awards, 11-27 November 2021 – events all over Israel.
• Whisky Live, Tel Aviv, 17-18 November 2021.
• Beaujolais Celebrations, Ofir Farm in Alon HaGalil, 20 November 2021.
• Sommelier 2022, Hechal Hatarbut, Tel Aviv, 1-2 February 2022. 
• Be’shvil Ha’yhain Wine Festival, Tiberias, May 2022.
• Festival Of Tastes In The Valleys, Tiberias, early 2022.

Recent Israel Foodie Posts

• Israel Foodie Roundup September 2021

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