Israel Foodie News from around Israel for August.

It has been a hot summer so far in Israel and the tourists are back in full force!  Kosher Israel Foodie News this month includes the opening of Ivry Dairy in Park Ariel Sharon and Flame steak restaurant in The Carlton Tel Aviv Hotel. In the non-kosher news, the exciting openings are Chez Vivie by Chef Guy Gamzo and Jeno’s Fusion in Downtown Haifa.

The Israel Museum Wine Festival is over, but there are still plenty of fun food and drink festivals to come this summer, see a list of events below.

For those who have been asking about my Shuk Tasting Tours, I have added a page with information on the various tours on offer.

If you visit any of these new restaurants, please share photos and a review in the Facebook group Restaurant Club Israel.

Kosher Israel Foodie News

• Aroma (Mehadrin)  has opened a branch inside the Jerusalem Archeological Park next to the Kotel.
• Biscotti (Mehadrin) has opened two new branches, in Karmei Gat and Rosh Ha’Ayin.
• Flame is a steak restaurant in The Carlton Tel Aviv Hotel by the owners of Kamakura in Ramat Gan.
• Frame Urban is the first kosher branch of the Frame sushi chain on HaMasger Street in Tel Aviv.
• Gino & Co. is a dairy cafe in the Science Park in Rehovot.
• Kitchen by Greg (Badatz) has opened a new branch in Azrieli Mall in Modiin.
• Ithielas Truck (Tzohar) on Moshav Mata in the Judean Hills is now under Tzohar’s supervision. The food truck is run by Ithiela Hayat, winner of Master Chef season 9.
• Ivry in the Park is a cafe by Ivry Dairy in Park Ariel Sharon in Tel Aviv serving salads, pizza, cheeses, and desserts. The original Ivry Dairy is still open as a shop.

• Meat Time (Mehuderet) is a meat grill restaurant in Shuk Machane Yehuda serving meat sandwiches, Jerusalem grill burekas, and Asado-filled croissants. Meat Time has been running private events for a number of years.

• Nana is a Bucharian meat restaurant in Cinema City in Jerusalem.
• nōmı in the  InterContinenal David Tel Aviv has reopened for the first time since Covid.
• Orgado (Badatz Beit Yosef) is the reincarnation of Shapeduni on Yafo Street in Jerusalem, opposite the Shuk.
• Pane Bakery is an Italian bakery and cafe in Rishon Le Zion.
• Slow & Bro Smokehouse is a Texas BBQ restaurant in Raanana.

• Aharonis is a fried chicken restaurant in Sarona Market by Chef Israel Aharoni.
• Botanica Gastro Bar is a cocktail bar and restaurant in the Russian Compound in Jerusalem. The menu includes a variety of seafood and meat dishes.

• Buti & Co. cafe on Dizengoff in Tel Aviv has opened a second branch in Sarona.
• Chez Vivie is a French brasserie by Chef Guy Gamzo on the corner of Dizengoff and Ben Gurion streets in Tel Aviv. The menu focuses on seafood, including fresh oysters.

• Danul is a cafe and bakery in the Kfar Kama, next to The Circassian Heritage Center. The pastries on sale include classic French and Italian pastries, combined with traditional Circassian cheeses.
• De Côté is a French bistro in the Zichron Yaakov Mall by Chef Yaron Vider.

• Elka Bar is a food truck overlooking Syria at Mizpe Ronen in the Golan. The truck serves a selection of filled bagels, coffee, beer, and wine.
• Jeno’s Fusion is a Downtown Haifa restaurant by Chef Janan Suleiman. The menu includes a mixture of Italian, American, and Latin American foods such as veal tartare croissant, dynamite shrimp, and fish tacos.

• Liav Mizrahi is a patisserie and cafe in Kiryat Yam.
• Mezzo (Dairy, open on Shabbat) is an Italian restaurant in Holon.
• Minna Tomei Asian restaurant has opened a branch in Big Center in Yehud.

• Moshytz is a coffee roastery on Kibbutz Mahanayim.  The coffee is available for sale on the website but the new cafe also sells pastries.
• Noa Local Bakery is a cafe and bakery in Park Cramim in Kiryat Anavim by Chef Eldad Shmueli of Elchanan Bread in Pardes Hanna. The cafe served salads and dips as well as bread and pastries.

• Norden is a gastropub in Merom Golan which has recently moved from a food truck to a permanent location.

• Rosemary is a cafe in the All Seasons Boutique Hotel in East Jerusalem with a spacious outdoor seating area in the hotel courtyard.

• The X by Crispy burger chain has opened new branches in Dalyat al Carmel and Baqa al-Gharbiyye. Chef Bachar Kabaha, of Crispy B&C, an American-style diner in Bartea near Umm al-Fahm owns the chain.

Restaurant Closings

• Argento, the Argentinian empanadas restaurant in the Iraqi Market of Shuk Machane Yehuda, has closed.
• Eran Shvartzbard in Sarona Market has closed due to a dispute between the owners.

Other Israel Foodie News

• Chef Eyal Shani has opened a branch of  Port Sa’id in New York City on Hudson Square. Earlier in the summer, he opened North by Eyal Shani in the Six Senses resort in Ibiza.
• World-famous Pastry Chef Philippe Conticini has announced he will be opening a store in Tel Aviv. I have tried a few of his pastries in London and they were worth the hype.

• The George is a new hotel due to open soon in the Alpha Tower in South Tel Aviv. The hotel will include a branch of Meshek Ofaimme cafe and a shop at the entrance to the hotel. Pardes Restaurant by Chef Barak Aharoni (previously at The Norman Hotel) will be open to the public for lunch and dinner, including tables in the hotel garden.  In addition, the Loft, a casual all-day restaurant, and the Deck Bar at the pool will be open for hotel guests and private members of the “Friends of George”.

Israeli Foodie Events & Wine Festivals

• AutoOchel, Amphi Bagai Jerusalem,  4 July  – 28 August 2023
• Bein HaCramim Festival (Among the Vineyards), Merom HaGalil, 3 – 14 August 2023
• 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

Recent Posts

• Shuk Tasting Tours by Debbest Israel
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