Israel Restaurant Openings and Foodie News for January.

It would be wrong to start this post without mentioning the return of seven hostages and our hopes and prayers that all the remaining hostages return to Israel safely! The resilience of the Israeli people continues to amaze and impress me, with the ability to pick ourselves up and try to continue with our lives. And so to this month’s Israel Restaurant News.

Israel’s obsession with Japanese food continues with the opening of HaYapani in Mishmar HaSharon, Nobo (Badatz Beit Yosef) in Herzliya Pituach, and Koko Neko, Saka-Ba, and Zo in Tel Aviv. I love Japanese food, but when a trend explodes to this extent, the bubble typically bursts pretty quickly! In other news, Bar 22 has opened in the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem, and Craft Pizza (Mehadrin) has opened in Kikar Atarim in Tel Aviv.

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

We keep in our hearts the brave soldiers fighting to protect our homeland and pray that all remaining hostages are returned to their families!

Kosher Israel Restaurant Openings

• Bar 22 is a new bar in the Inbal Hotel. It offers a range of cocktails and a meat bar menu.
• Bar Yam is a fish restaurant in Ashdod owned by Shirat Hayam Fishmonger.
• BeerBazaar has opened a bar in Kfar Daniel near Modiin, located inside the brewery.
• Craft Pizza (Mehadrin) is a restaurant in Kikar Atarim in Tel Aviv. This is the 4th branch of Craft Pizza. The original stall in the shuk serves NY-style pizza slices, and the three restaurants serve Neopolitan-style sourdough pizza.

• Les Jumelles is a cafe in Rehavia on the corner of Arlozorov and Ben Maimon. The inside is small but cozy, and the products are brought in from the main branch in Beit Nekofa.
• Moshke (Mehadrin) is a bar near Shuk Machane Yehudah, serving traditional Ashkenazi food (they call it Jewish food, which I find offensive) such as pickled fish, cholent, kugel, yapchik, chopped liver, and schnitzel.
• Nobo (Badatz Beit Yosef) is an Asian restaurant in Herzliya Pituach. The menu includes sushi, meat and tofu noodles, and rice dishes.
• Orin Levi is a pink-themed bakery in the Matam Complex in Haifa.
• Pan Lunar is a  French bakery and bar in Ashdod by Daniela Nahum of Chef Games.
• Placer is a dairy fish restaurant on the beach promenade in Ashdod, run by Chef Aviv Moshe.

Not Kosher Israel Restaurant Openings

• Admati is a bistro on Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv.
• HaYapani is a Japanese restaurant by Chef Guy Toledo in Alonit Complex in Mishmar HaSharon.

• Jon Mattaeng is a Korean soul food restaurant in Tel Aviv serving classic dishes such as spicy chicken wings, Korean corn dogs, kimchi pancakes, Tteok-bokki, ramen, kimchi fried rice, and bibimbap.

• Koko Neko is a Japanese restaurant in Florentine that serves gyoza, ramen, pickles, and fluffy pancakes.
• KunTai is a Thai restaurant in Tel Aviv by Chefs Yossi Shitrit and Tomas Zohar.
• L’amore is an Italian restaurant in Rishon LeZion that serves oven-baked Neapolitan-style pizzas, pasta, salad, and sandwiches.
• Omnia Brasserie is a Galilean steak restaurant in place of Angus in Givon Square, Tel Aviv. The restaurant has the same owners, but the concept has been changed to be similar to Omnia in Karmiel. I recently had a lovely business lunch, and sitting at the back of the restaurant on the square enjoying the winter sun was especially lovely!
• Saka-Ba is an Izakaya bar in the Levinsky area of  Tel Aviv owned by the owners of Men Tenten. It can seat ten people, does not take reservations, and offers dishes for less than NIS 70. 

• Sorsetto is a wine bar on Haarbaa Street in Tel Aviv. During the day, it is open as a cafe and workspace, including outdoor seating on Givon Square.
• Wild Thing Bar is a cafe in Tel Aviv serving coffee from Naima in Haifa, homemade pastries, jams, nut butter, and ceramic cups. The signature drink is a black sesame latte.
• Zo is a large, high-end Asian restaurant on the corner of Nahalat Binyamin Street and Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv. Its premium dishes include beef fillet, foie gras uramaki, and miso black cod.

Other Israel Foodie News

• Chef Asaf Gabay is the new head chef at Chef Vivie. He was previously the chef at Sheine.
• Dolphin Yam restaurant in Jerusalem has become kosher with a meat and fish menu.
• Fat Vinny in the Village Mall in Hadera has become kosher. It is the only kosher branch of the Italian restaurant chain.
• Malka (Kosher) has moved from Beit Asia to a beautiful new space in the Midtown complex on  Derech Menachem Begin in Tel Aviv. The restaurant includes a private room for up to 36 people and a large outdoor area.
• Shana wine bar in Paris by the Machneyuda Group appeared on the list of the Le Figaro newspaper’s 20 best restaurants, bistros, and wine bars in Paris for 2024.
• Shila by Sharon Cohen has relocated to the lobby of Gymnasia Hotel on Montefiore Street in Tel Aviv. Starting in February, the restaurant will also serve breakfast.

Debbest Dishes from Recent Meals

• Dinner at Darya restaurant in the Hilton Tel Aviv for a work event was as good as always. Here are some photos from the meal.
• ImerSion (Kosher) is located in a secret building in Old Jaffa and lives up to the name of an immersive experience. It is a multi-sensory journey worldwide with a tasting menu and stunning immersive visuals that take you from New York to Kyoto, Rio to Paris, Venice to Vegas, before heading home. Read more here.

• I hadn’t eaten at Jacko’s Street for a few months, and the meal did not disappoint. The details of the dishes and more photos are here.
• Janjariya (Kosher) is the meat restaurant at the Ramban Hotel, owned by the Machneyuda Group; details on dishes and more photos are here.

Israel Food & Wine Events 

• Sommelier 2025, Hechal HaTarbut Tel Aviv, 4-5 February 2025, NIS 165
• Terravino, Tel Av, 13 February 2025, NIS 135-249
• Cheers Wine Festival & Sunset Party, 15 February 2025
• Farm to Table Arava, 20-22 February 2025 – culinary festival in the Arava Desert
• The Alchemist TLV Wine Festival, East Tel Aviv, 27-28 February 2025
• ReWine Purim, Park Ariel Sharon, Tel Aviv, 7 March 2025 – NIS 165-249

Israel Restaurant Closings

The following restaurants have closed in recent months:

• Ahavat Hayam
• Gia Japanese restaurant

Recent Posts

• Debbest Israeli Restaurant Meals 2024
• Israel Restaurant Openings 2024
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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.