Israel Restaurant Openings and Foodie News for October.

The New Year has arrived but didn’t bring the fresh start we hoped for. Life in Israel continues to be a roller-coaster ride of emotions and challenges, yet the Israeli spirit remains strong. Food can offer moments of connection, comfort, and resilience in times of hardship, reminding us of life’s small joys. Despite everything, restaurants in Israel continue to open their doors, bringing culinary creativity to the forefront of our food scene.

Below are the latest updates on Israel restaurant openings, closings, and foodie events. Whether you explore a new local spot or revisit an old favorite, your support for these businesses helps keep our community thriving. Don’t forget to share your experiences and photos with us in Restaurant Club Israel‘s Facebook group —we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

• Arais Mahneyuda has opened a third branch in Big Fashion Bet Shemesh. Other branches include Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Petach Tikva.
• Eliezer is a taboon pizza and wine bar on Ben Yehuda Street in Tel Aviv. It opened a few months ago without kashrut but is now kosher. The restaurant has a happy hour from 5 – 7 pm, offering a 15% discount on the menu.

• HaBasta restaurant has opened a branch in Even Yehuda. Classic dishes include smash burgers, kebab sandwiches, and sabich.

• Kedma is a new meat restaurant in Kikar Hamusica that has replaced Kinor Bakikar. It is the sister branch of Kedma Mamilla.
• Nuna Mufleta (Mehadrin) has opened a branch on Herzl Street in Tel Aviv. The restaurant serves muleta with various savory fillings and the traditional honey and butter. It has also added salads to the menu, a new addition for Tel Aviv crowds. The original branch in Shuk Machane Yehuda is always busy and is one of my favorite places to eat in the Shuk.

• Piedra (Mehadrin) is a new branch of Piedra (formerly La Piedra) pizza in the Shop Time Complex in Petach Tikva. The first two branches are in Jerusalem.
• Stroppy is the first Stroopwafel restaurant in Israel. It is on Ibn Gavirol Street in Tel Aviv and serves traditional Dutch Stroopwafel (caramel cookies) with various fillings.
• Woodies is a cafe and deli in the Mosheva Square shopping center in Hod HaSharon.

Not Kosher Israel Restaurant Openings

• & Moshik is a restaurant in Sarona, Tel Aviv, by Chef Moshik Roth and his wife, Shiran. Roth’s restaurant, with the same name in Amsterdam, gained two Michelin stars six years in a row before closing when he moved back to Israel during the Covid pandemic. The restaurant has six tables for a total of 20 people,  with two dining shifts at 6 & 9 pm. There are three set menus, all costing NIS 800 per person. One menu is not kosher, the second is fish and dairy, and the third is vegetarian.
• Bero is a pizza and beer restaurant in Tel Aviv.
• Cafe Balfour is a neighborhood cafe on Balfour Street in Tel Aviv. It is currently only open for breakfast and lunch during the day.
• Cafe Daisy is a neighborhood cafe in Tel Aviv, part of the Bucke Group, located at the corner of Arlozorov and Ibn Gavirol Streets.
• Doli Bakery is a small bakery in Florentine in Tel Aviv that serves various pastries, including cinnamon buns with different toppings, cheese scones, burekas, and sandwiches.
• Dot is a brasserie in  Neve Zedek in Tel Aviv by Chef Dotan Shalom.

• Eyla is a cafe and delicatessen on Shenkin Street in Tel Aviv owned by Chef Efrat Enzel. It sells sandwiches, salads, and other grab-and-go food.
• Josh is a bar on Azza Street in Jerusalem by the owners of Cafe Yehoshua.
• Jungle Tea, the original Taiwanese bubble tea brand, has opened its first Israeli store in Kiryat Ono. The ingredients and equipment are imported from Taiwan.
• Marianne’s Cafe is a family-run coffee cart in  Yashia Garden in Emek Hefer.
• Mi Cocina is a small restaurant and delicatessen serving home-style food, salads, cold meats, and cheeses. The menu includes shepherd’s pie, spaghetti bolognese, and chicken or beef schnitzel.
• Miss Chu is a Vietnamese restaurant in Binyamina owned by Chef Alon Lipinski, who has had a Vietnamese catering company for several years. To begin with, the restaurant will only be open a few nights a week.

• Sander is a wine bar in Tel Aviv’s Bezalel neighborhood. From 5 to 7.30 pm, it offers happy hour with 20% off the menu.

• The American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem now has Afternoon Tea. This is in addition to the Traditional English Afternoon Tea at the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem and Kumkum Tea House in Baka. I am curious to see how it compares!
• Cinnabon is opening a second branch in Azrieli Mall, Tel Aviv, to serve its famous cinnamon buns. Next to it will be the first branch of American ice cream brand Carvel in Israel.
• Claro by Chef Ran Shmueli has opened a branch in  St James in Central London.
• Chef Eyal Shani has opened another Malka (Kosher) branch in Brooklyn. The first branch is on the Upper West Side. He is due to open another branch in West Palm Beach, Florida.
• Sad news for Mattarello Cafe lovers. Chef Adi Peretz has decided to reopen in Budapest, Hungary, instead of staying in Israel.
• The following restaurants have become kosher:
• • Hummusiya, Kibbutz Ein Zivan, Golan
  • Itzik Hagadol, including the restaurant,  shwarma stall,  and butcher shop in Old Jaffa and Meat Station (meat vending machines) in Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan
  • Patrick’s Beach Bat Yam
  • The Original Pancake House, Rosh Haayin

Israel Restaurant Closings

The following restaurants have closed in recent months:

• Mitzle in Jerusalem by Chef Avi Levy
• Patata in Shuk Machane Yehuda
• Santa Katrina by Chef Tomer Agai in central Tel Aviv

Israel Food & Wine Events 

• Mizpe Ramon Wine Festival, 31 October to 1 November 2024
• Sommelier 2025, Hechal HaTarbut Tel Aviv, 4-5 February 2025
• Terravino, 13 February 2025

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.