News & Wine Festivals from the Israel Foodie scene for July.

The summer holidays have started in Israel and with them comes an increase in fun activities, including food and wine festivals.  AutoOchel, the food truck festival in Jerusalem has started, and the dates for the Jerusalem Wine Festival have been announced.

Exciting kosher news includes the opening of Eatalia Italian Cuisine & Market in Petach Tikva, a new branch of Pitmaster in Jerusalem, and Studio Arcadia by Chef Ezra Kedem in Ein Kerem is now under Tzohar supervision. The big news in the non-kosher world is that the Gatsby speakeasy cocktail bar in Jerusalem is now part of the Machneyuda Group and Chef Erez Komarovsky has opened a shwarma restaurant inside Azrieli Sarona.

If you visit any of these new restaurants, please share photos and a review in the Facebook group Restaurant Club Israel, and don’t forget to book your tickets for the Jerusalem Wine Festival!

Kosher Restaurant News

• Contento is a cocktail bar and restaurant by Masterchef graduate Chef Lior Ohayon in Carlton on the Beach opposite the Carlton Hotel. The bar has a 1+1 happy hour on drinks from 6-8 pm.
• Eatalia Italian Cuisine & Market is an Italian restaurant and delicatessen in Petach Tikva. It is a kosher take on the Eataly food market.
• Fish Point (Mehadrin) is a poke bowl restaurant in Shuk Machane Yehuda, from the owners of Fishenchips.
• HaGrusha (Mehuderet) is a restaurant on Yafo Street (near Davidka) in Jerusalem, serving home-cooked Moroccan food, run by a recently divorced woman celebrating reclaiming her life.
• HaLev HaRahav, a veteran restaurant in Tel Aviv, has reopened in a new location close to the previous one. The December 2022 Israel Foodie Roundup announced the restaurant’s closure but instead, it has reopened a few streets away.
• Landwer Cafe on Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv is now kosher.
• Machne Asada is opening a new branch in Modiin.
• Pitmaster (Mehadrin) is opening a branch in Cinema City in Jerusalem on July 31.

• Regina Pizza is a pizza restaurant in a gas station on Route 40, from the creators of Aberto in the Lear Hotel in Gedera. The menu includes pizza, pasta, salad, and other Italian dishes.
• Rubis is a meat grill restaurant in Shuk HaCarmel offering a selection of dishes in pitot or on a plate with salads and side dishes.
• Studio Arcadia by Chef Ezra Kedem in Ein Kerem is now under Tzohar’s supervision.

• The View Kitchen & Bar is a chef’s restaurant in Netanya overlooking the sea.

Not Kosher Restaurant News

• Berger By Zorik is a burger restaurant in Schuster Center in Ramat Aviv, from the owners of Cafe Zorik.

• Colorato is an Italian restaurant in Beer Sheva from the owners of Oh La La.
• The Machneyuda Group has taken over the Gatsby speakeasy cocktail bar in the Jerusalem city center, with a new menu where the food is designed to complement the cocktails.
• Jonz Pizza Bar is a pizza restaurant in Kiryat Ono by Chef Moti Titman of Milgo Milbar and  Jonz restaurants in Tel Aviv.
• Jorno Bakery is opening a new branch in the Herzliya Marina.
• Kiko wine bar in Eilat, is the little sister of Mamo restaurant by Chef Ohad Levy.
• Mala Sichuan is a Szechuan/Sichuan-style Chinese restaurant in Neve Tzedek.
• Nitsahon Shel Hani (Hani’s Victory) is the reincarnation of the Romanian Nistahon restaurant in Ashkelon featuring some dishes from the original menu, including stuffed cabbage, eggplant salad, pickled pepper, fried brain, and Romanian kebab.
• Tandoori has moved from Dizengoff Square to the beachfront and is now called Tandoori Lands End.
• Shawarma Weissberg is a shawarma restaurant from Baladichic by Chef Erez Komarovsky inside Azrieli Sarona.

• The American Colony in Jerusalem has collaborated with Chef Sami Tamimi on a new restaurant menu.

Restaurant Closings

• Cafe BeHoresh in Kiryat Motzkin has closed after 20 years.
• Coco Bambino in Tel Aviv has closed.
• Sharak fish restaurant in Tel Aviv has closed.

Israeli Foodie Events & Wine Festivals

• Golan Wine Festival, 2 – 7 July  2023
• AutoOchel, Amphi Bagai Jerusalem,  4 July  – 28 August 2023
• Jerusalem Wine Festival, Israel Museum, 31 July – 3 August 2023
• Bein HaCramim Festival (Among the Vineyards), Merom HaGalil, 3 – 14 August 2023
• Cocktail Festival, Herzliya Marina, 16 – 17 August 2023 – NIS 93 in advance, NIS 105 on the door. Tickets include three full cocktails
• Jerusalem Cocktail Festival, Sergei Palace Hotel Jerusalem, 30 – 31 August 2023 – Advance tickets, NIS 78.30 for 3 regular cocktails, NIS 105.30 for 3 premium cocktails
• Coffee Fest, Tel Aviv, 5 – 7 September 2023
• Whisky Live, Expo Tel Aviv, 6 – 7 September 2023
• The Biblical Feast 2023, The Biblical Museum of Natural History, 28 September 2023 – $360 ticket
• Terravino, 7 December 2023
• Sommelier, Hechal HaTarbut Tel Aviv, 19 – 20 February 2024

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