Israel Restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 Awards.

The 2024 ranking of the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants was announced on 13th February 2024 including the announcement of the Best Restaurant in Israel. Due to the war in Gaza, the organization decided to cancel the award ceremony and associated events which are normally hosted in the UAE and attended by Israeli chefs.

The list was created by an influential group of 250 leaders in the restaurant industry across the region, each selected for their expert opinion of the Middle East and North Africa’s restaurant scene. The Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants takes in six voting regions: the Gulf; Saudi Arabia; Levant-plus; Israel; North Africa (East) and North Africa (West).

The World’s 50 Best includes rankings of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, and Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants.

OCD Restaurant in Tel Aviv was voted the Best Restaurant in Israel and ranked number 10 in the MENA 50 Best Restaurants 2024 awards.

First place was once again awarded to Dubai restaurant Orfali Bros Bistro, a contemporary bistro in the  Wasl 51 neighborhood founded by three brothers from Syria, serving Aleppo food with a modern twist.

Trèsind Studio fine dining Indian restaurant in The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, headed by chef Himanshu Saini, won second place for the second year in a row.

Here is a list of the six restaurants in Israel that were ranked:

• OCD Restaurant, Tel Aviv – Ranked 10  for  MENA (up from 14) and Best Restaurant in Israel

Chef Raz Rahav serves a 19-course tasting menu to 19 diners at a time, who sit at a bar surrounding the kitchen. OCD previously won the Best Restaurant in Israel award in 2022.

• George & John, Tel Aviv – Ranked 20 for MENA  (down from 6 and Best Restaurant in Israel 2023)

A formal chef restaurant in The Drisco hotel serving eastern Mediterranean dishes inspired by Tel Aviv’s local produce with an emphasis on charcoal dishes and surf and turf.

• Nomi, Kfar Monash – Ranked 25 – new entry

A farm-to-table restaurant in the countryside outside Netanya. The menu is based on ingredients from Nomi’s garden and adjacent farmers’ fields. This is the only Israeli restaurant outside Tel Aviv to be ranked this year. The chefs who founded this restaurant have since left and the restaurant is currently only open during the day as a cafe and not as a restaurant at night.

• Animar, Tel Aviv – Ranked 26 (up from 32)

A casual fine-dining restaurant in the Dan Tel Aviv,  overlooking the beach, serving a combination of Turkish, Persian, and Libyan dishes. Chef Hillel Tavakuli is also the chef of Darya, an excellent kosher restaurant in the Hilton Tel Aviv.

• Milgo & Milbar, Tel Aviv – Ranked 34 (up from 40)

A casual fine dining restaurant with European influences with original dishes, located on Rothschild Boulevard.

• Opa, Tel Aviv – Ranked 43 as a new entry

Chef Shirel Berger‘s vegan restaurant won the One To Watch Award 2023. The restaurant serves an 11-course vegan seasonal tasting menu using local ingredients.

‘a’ by Yuval Ben Neriah and HaBasta both dropped off the rankings this year.

More information can be found in the full list of MENA 50 Best Restaurants 2024. Here is a summary of the Israel rankings from last year, Best Restaurant in Israel Awarded to George and John.

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