Israel Restaurant Openings and Foodie News for December.

This month’s Israel foodie edition is packed with updates for food lovers across Israel. From Tel Aviv’s newest high-end kosher dining hotspots to cozy neighborhood bistros, there’s no shortage of fresh flavors and culinary experiences. Check out the growing list of kosher eateries, including Chinzeria meat restaurant by the Machneyuda group, Mula Botani in Jerusalem, and Nei Gong, an Asian fusion restaurant in Hadar Mall. Not to be outdone, Haifa’s Brooklyn 17 is serving up authentic Brooklyn-style pizza, and several new spots, from burgers to sushi, are popping up throughout the country.

For those curious about non-kosher options, we highlight restaurant openings, like Chacoli, a Spanish seafood haven in Tel Aviv, and Sally, a delightful bakery restaurant in Haifa. Plus, get the scoop on upcoming foodie events and a glance at which restaurants have closed their doors recently. Whether planning your next meal or staying in the loop, this newsletter has everything you need to savor Israel’s dynamic dining scene!

Discover the full scoop below and join Restaurant Club Israel‘s Facebook group conversation!

As always, we keep in our hearts the brave soldiers fighting to protect our homeland and pray for the safe return of all hostages.

Kosher Israel Restaurant Openings

• Alali is a meat restaurant/bar/club in Tel Aviv that seats 200 diners and features a DJ every night. It is owned by the same group as Miss & Mr and Agripas 15 restaurants in Jerusalem. The restaurant requires a minimum spend of NIS 350 per diner from Sunday to Tuesday and until 10 p.m. on Thursday, after which the minimum increases to NIS 450 per person. Conveniently, the Alali English menu does not have any prices. 
• Bistro Deli (Mehadrin) is a dairy bistro and delicatessen in Givat Shmuel.
• Burger Box (Mehadrin) is a burger restaurant in Kfar Etzion Commerical Center.
• Brooklyn 17 is a pizza restaurant in Haifa that serves traditional Brooklyn-style pizza.

• Golden Burger has opened a branch in Mevaserret Zion.
• La Barca is a fish street food restaurant in Kikar Rabin in Tel Aviv.
• Mula Botani is a cafe in the garden center next to the Botanical Gardens in Jerusalem. It is run by some of the owners of Adom Restaurant and offers beautiful pastries, sandwiches, salads, pasta, and more.

• Nei Gong (Badatz Beit Yosef) is a meat Asian restaurant inside Hadar Mall in Talpiot, Jerusalem. The menu includes sushi, noodles, bao buns, gyoza, poke bowls and cocktails.
• Power Coffeeworks on Agripas in Jerusalem has opened a cafe opposite the coffee store. The cafe serves all-day breakfast, pastries, sandwiches, and snacks. Above the roastery, there is also a new lounge with couches.
• Ramban Hotel – last month, I reported on the opening of  Cafe Ramban on the ground floor of the hotel by the Machneyuda group. It is now fully open to the public, with reservations via Ontopo. The meat restaurant Janjariya has also fully opened with a daily changing menu of classic Machneyuda dishes.
• Taverna del Mar is a fish street food restaurant in Shuk Hacarmel in Tel Aviv, run by Chef Tom Aviv.

• 122 is a bar restaurant on Allenby Street in Tel Aviv.
• Babka Bakery has opened its 11^th branch in the Kochav Hatzafon neighborhood in North Tel Aviv. This branch has a pizza oven, so it also serves Babka Pizza.
• Chacoli is a vast Spanish fish and seafood restaurant on the beach in Tel Aviv. It is located in the former dolphinarium and is run by Chef Guy Gamzo and his partners.

• Dali is a wine bar in Ramat Hasharon with a patio, deck, and courtyard.
• Druzingoff is a small Druze restaurant on Dizengoff in Tel Aviv that serves traditional Druze food.
• Facility (Dairy, no supervision) is a coffee shop on Dizengoff in Tel Aviv, with a minimalist decor. The pastries are made on-site and include sweet and savory options such as a parmesan and kalamata olive pastry wheel, Alfajores cinnamon buns, carrot cake, and upside-down orange cake.
• Jagger is a butcher’s shop and restaurant in Kiryat Ono serving burgers, steaks, and more.
• Le-house of Asia is an Asian restaurant in Airport City serving various pan-Asian dishes.

• Noyland is a deli and bakery in Pardes Hanna-Karkur.
• Pizza X has opened a third branch on Nahalat Binyamin Street in Tel Aviv.
• Raffaello has opened its 5th branch in the Harim Mall in Nof HaGalil, overlooking Nazareth.
• Sally is a bakery restaurant in Haifa. It serves bread-based dishes, as well as small plates and skillets. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch and will eventually open in the evenings.

• The Asian Club is a fusion restaurant and deli in Kadima Zoran in Central Israel, from the owners of The Asian Deli in Hod Hasharon.

Other Israel Foodie News

• Don Giuseppe wine bar has moved from Givon Square to Florentine in Tel Aviv.
• Chef Eyal Shani has won a Michelin star again for his restaurant Shmoné and opened another Malka (Kosher) branch in West Palm Beach.
• Chef Gil Dahan (Cena Tel Aviv) will replace Chef Guy Arish as the head chef of Mashya.
• North at Noga is a pop-up restaurant by Chefs Erez Komarovsky and Hanan Azran twice weekly at Par Derriere Wine Bar in Tel Aviv.
• Ocean Grill, a restaurant serving grilled meat, fish, and sushi at The Setai Hotel in Jaffa, has reopened.
• Sea Dolphin seafood restaurant in Jerusalem will become kosher next month with a meat and fish menu.
• When it opens in March, Shila by Sharon Cohen will relocated to the lobby of Gymnasia Hotel, Isrotel Design’s newest hotel on Montefiore Street in Tel Aviv.

Israel Food & Wine Events 

• Taste of Galilee Farmer’s Market, Givatayim Theater, 2 January 2025
• Caesarea Wine Festival, Yono Event Hall, Caesaria, 2 January 2025, NIS 135
• Sommelier 2025, Hechal HaTarbut Tel Aviv, 4-5 February 2025, NIS 165
• Terravino, 13 February 2025

Israel Restaurant Closings

The following restaurants have closed in recent months:

• Kilometrage has closed because it is located inside the Brown Brut Hotel which has closed. Chef Idan Bushari (aka Pompia) hopes to reopen in a different location.
• Vicky Cristina in the Old Train Station.

Follow Debbest on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates, and subscribe to our newsletter to discover the latest and greatest in the Israeli food scene. Catch up on previous monthly roundups by clicking here.

We would all love to hear from you if you visit any of the above places! Share your thoughts, photos, and reviews in Restaurant Club Israel‘s Facebook group.

This list was compiled through personal research and should not be copied without permission or full credit for its content ©Debbest Israel.