A Roundup of the Key Israel Restaurant Openings in 2023.

I have created this list of Israeli restaurant openings to help tourists keep track of the new places that have opened in the last year around Israel and to remind locals of the new places they need to check out. There may not be as many tourists in Israel right now but more and more are starting to come and show their solidarity.

For those places that I have managed to try, I have included my thoughts but I would love to hear your feedback if you have tried any of the restaurants on this list. Leave a comment below or share a review on Restaurant Club Israel or Restaurant Club Jerusalem.

Here is a list of the most interesting restaurant openings in Israel for 2023:

Kosher Israel Restaurant Openings

• Altamira Rooftop Bar is a restaurant and bar on the roof of the Sofia Hotel overlooking the Kinneret in Tiveria. The menu has local Galilean influences.
• CB 78 is a dairy and fish rooftop bar and restaurant on Herbert Samuel Street in Tel Aviv. The happy hour is available from 6-8 pm and is 30% off the food and drink menu.
• Denver (Mehadrin) is a steak house in Jerusalem in place of Medita on Derech Hevron.
• Dolce Pizza (Tzohar) in Ra’anana is now an Italian trattoria and no longer just a pizza restaurant.

• Eatalia Italian Cuisine & Market is an Italian restaurant and delicatessen in Petach Tikva. It is a kosher take on the Eataly food market.
• Eretz Canaan (Badazt Machpud) is a meat restaurant in Rosh Pina that replaces Meatbalim. The restaurant hosts a farmers market on Friday mornings.

• 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.
• Greco Kosher is the Greco group‘s first kosher restaurant, located next to Greco Taverna in Ezorei Chen in Tel Aviv. This is the group’s eighth restaurant in total.

• Harim is a bakery in Kiryat Anavim from the owners of Derech HaGefen, Naya, Cafe Shalva, and Pop Up Cafe. I have been a few times and everything I tried was delicious!

• Hatzar Ein Karem is a spacious dairy restaurant in Ein Karem, with a private event space.

• Kapao (Mehadrin) is a Thai restaurant in BSR City complex in Petach Tikva. This is the sister restaurant to Kapao in Bet Shemesh.
• Maalya is a meat restaurant in Park Kramim in Kiryat Anavim run by Chef Tal Gazit.
• Marzipan bakery from Jerusalem has officially opened a stall in Shuk HaCarmel selling various products, including their famous rugelach.
• Mojo’s (Mehuderet) is a meat pizza restaurant and bar on Shlomtzion HaMalka in Jerusalem. Here is Mojo’s English menu. I tried a few dishes, some were better than others. It seems to be popular with American tourists and year-off kids.

• Nana is a Bucharian meat restaurant in Cinema City in Jerusalem.
• Noor is a meat Druze restaurant in the Galilean village of Julis owned by IDF widow Basma Henno. The restaurant originally became kosher to provide food for soldiers but has now decided to remain kosher. Noor is the only kosher restaurant in Julis, which is a predominantly Christian village. On Tuesdays, the restaurant will still only be open to provide food to soldiers.
• Nuna (Mehadrin) is a mufleta stand in Shuk Machane Yehuda, serving a selection of savory and sweet mufleta sandwiches. I have tried most of the menu and taken several friends who all loved the food as much as I do.

• Oscar is a meat bistro & bar in Azrieli Center Holon open for lunch and dinner. The varied menu includes scotch eggs, Padron peppers, salmon tempura, and Asado sofrito.

• OsH Pa LaO is a Uzbeki meat restaurant in Bnei Barak by the owners of Samarkand that opened in the summer. The restaurant is due to open a second branch in Rishon.
• Pitmaster (Mehadrin) has opened a branch in Cinema City in Jerusalem.

• Positano is a dairy Italian restaurant in Beit Weiss on Herzl Street in Tel Aviv, where Weiss restaurant used to be. They serve a business lunch for NIS 79 or  NIS 95.
• Pizza Badash is a pizza restaurant in Nahalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv, near the junction with Rothschild Boulevard. The pizza recipe was developed by Chef Tomer Agay of Santa Katarina and Cena and is said to be a cross between Neopolitan and American-style pizza.
• Rachel 5 (Mehuderet) is Rachel Ben Elul‘s meat sandwich bar on Ben Maimon Boulevard in Jerusalem. The meat restaurant is close to her dairy sandwich restaurant, Rachel BeSdera. The sandwiches are flavorful and the roasted potatoes are addictive.
• Regina Pizza is a pizza restaurant in a gas station on Route 40, from the creators of Aberto in the Lear Hotel in Gedera. The menu includes pizza, pasta, salad, and other Italian dishes.
• Restart is a deli and restaurant in Bustan HaGalil, near Akko.

• Rubis is a meat grill restaurant in Shuk HaCarmel offering a selection of dishes in pitot or on a plate with salads and side dishes.
• Salon Yevani is a Greek dairy restaurant by Chef Guy Peretz in the Daniel Hotel in Herzliya Pituach, in place of 4 Sea. This is the sister restaurant of Salon Yevani Ashdod in the West Boutique Ashdod.
• Shirat HaBasar is a smoked meat restaurant that recently moved from Kibbutz Kvutza Kinneret to the Mul HaKinneret (Opposite the Kinneret) complex.
• Slow & Bro Smokehouse is a Texas BBQ restaurant in Raanana. I went with a group of friends and some dishes were better than others, but we all loved the BBQ chicken and it is a very cute local restaurant.

• SPICE by Spicehaus is a cocktail bar in the InterContinental David Tel Aviv hotel by the Spicehaus cocktail company.  The bar serves a meat bar menu to compliment the cocktails (Spice English menu).
• Studio Arcadia by Chef Ezra Kedem in Ein Kerem is now under Tzohar’s supervision.

• Super Hamizrach by Jacko’s Son is an Asian restaurant on Derech Bet Lechem in Baka from the owners of Jacko’s Street. The restaurant serves a selection of sushi, bao buns, stir fry, and other Asian meat dishes. The restaurant serves a business lunch. I have tried most of the menu and it was all delicious, and the service was attentive.

• The Grill Bar (Badazt Machpud) steakiah from Jerusalem has opened a branch in Mevaseret Zion.
• The Grill Room is a New York steakhouse in the King David Jerusalem Hotel, by the Imperial Group, which is known for its cocktails.

• The View Kitchen & Bar is a chef’s restaurant in Netanya overlooking the sea.
• Umino Sushi is an Asian bar on Rishon Lezion beach with a focus on Japanese food and cocktails. The restaurant is open in the evening and there is a happy hour from 5-8 pm.

• Wine Garden is a wine bar in Tel Aviv serving kosher Israeli wine, cocktails, and fish dishes.
• Wingz is a fried chicken fast-food restaurant in Givat Shmuel owned by new olim from LA. The restaurant serves chicken sandwiches, wings, tenders & burgers, with homemade sauces.
• Yama (Badatz Rubin) is a fish restaurant in Har Hotzvim in Jerusalem.

Non-Kosher Israel Restaurant Openings

• AB – CD is a cocktail bar and restaurant in Tel Aviv by Chef Loy Halabi from the last season of Game of Chefs. The menu focuses on Mediterranean Druze food.
• AV Room is a rooftop bar and restaurant in the Ashdod Marina, overlooking the sea. It is not kosher but there is no seafood on the menu and the restaurant is closed on Friday night.

• Beina is a bistro bar in Tel Aviv.
• Blend Rooftop is a restaurant on the rooftop of The Blend Hotel in Nazareth, serving contemporary Galilean cuisine by chef Rami Salam (Rasif, Tishreen) and cocktails. 
• Brasserie 22 is a French restaurant in Petach Tikva from the owners of Meyer House Hotel, Bordeaux Wine Bar, and Robina in Tel Aviv.
• Café Bajjali & Ko is a Korean cafe in the Old City, near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

• Cafe Cantina is a new cafe next to Cantina on Sderot Rothschild in central Tel Aviv.
• Café Coco is a cafe and brasserie in Downtown Haifa with an incredible selection of pastries.
• Cafe Ivri is a cafe in Tel Aviv designed like a kibbutz dining room with traditional dishes such as herring, omelet pita, pastrami pretzel sandwich, and semolina porridge.
• Caffe Martini is a traditional Italian bistro bar in Tel Aviv, by Chef Idan Peretz of Caphe Hanoi.

• Cafe Napo is an Italian restaurant in Kiryat Ono by Chef Shahar Barnea, a sister restaurant to Bar Italia and Pomo.
• Cassata is an Italian gelato and wine bar in Park Hamesila in Tel Aviv (next to Beit Romano) by Chef Eyal Shani. The gelato is made freshly every day so flavors vary. Dairy flavors include campfire marshmallow, sage butter, and Earl Grey, and vegan flavors include cinnamon almond, blood orange, and toasted rice.
• Chacho’s Cafe specialty coffee shop has opened a second branch on Rehov Gordon in Tel Aviv.
• 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.

• Colorato is an Italian restaurant in Beer Sheva from the owners of Oh La La.
• 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.
• Dash is a boutique cafe inside a gallery in Haifa, with a selection of pastries, cakes, and sandwiches.
• De Côté is a French bistro in the Zichron Yaakov Mall by Chef Yaron Vider.

• The Machneyuda Group has taken over the Gatsby speakeasy cocktail bar in the Jerusalem city center, with a new menu where the food is designed to complement the cocktails. I was a bit disappointed by the food selection but the cocktails were great.
• Greco Taverna is a new branch of the Greco group in Kiryat Uno and Greco Pizza is the group’s pizza restaurant on the Frishman Beach promenade.
• Helena is a Spanish-influenced wine and pintxos bar in Tel Aviv,  by Chef Guy Gamzo of Nununu.
• Jango is a new meat brasserie in the Carmel Market area of Tel Aviv, from the owners of Fat Cow and Triger. The brasserie replaces Coco Bambino.
• 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.

• Jonz Pizza Bar is a pizza restaurant in Kiryat Ono by Chef Moti Titman of Milgo Milbar and  Jonz restaurants in Tel Aviv.
• Knafe Kaak from Agamon Market has opened a branch in the Namal Market serving knafe in a kaak (similar to a Jerusalem bagel).
• Krihiya is a sandwich restaurant on Kibbutz Eilon in the Upper Galil, housed in a former bookbinding workshop.
• Kululu is a cocktail bar in Petach Tikva with a bar food menu. A happy hour with 30% off the menu applies on weeknights from 5 to 7 pm.

• L’Epoque by Robuchon in the  Elkonin Tel Aviv Hotel in Neve Tzedek, is  Chef Joel Robuchon’s first restaurant. The menu includes some of the Michelin-starred chef’s signature dishes, such as foie gras hamburger, buttery mashed potatoes, and crispy poached egg with local caviar.
• Lunel is a French bistro in Florentine in Tel Aviv.
• Madame is a cafe by day and a wine bar by night, off Shenkin in Tel Aviv.
• Mala Sichuan is a Szechuan/Sichuan-style Chinese restaurant in Neve Tzedek.
• Marina Bay is a restaurant with a varied menu of salads, pizza, pasta, burgers, and more, in the Herzliya Marina, overlooking the boats.

• Naifa is a restaurant in Tel Aviv by Chef Naifa Mulla, featuring traditional Druze dishes with a modern twist.
• Nay-lon is an Asian restaurant in Hod HaSharon from the owners of Fu Sushi. It is hidden inside a shopping mall but once you enter, you could be in New York or London. We loved the decor and service and the sushi was creative, well-executed, and well-presented.

• Nitsahon Shel Hani (Hani’s Victory) is the reincarnation of the Romanian Nistahon restaurant in Ashkelon featuring some dishes from the original menu, including stuffed cabbage, eggplant salad, pickled pepper, fried brain, and Romanian kebab.
• 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.
• Paris Texas is a burger restaurant with the tagline, farm to table, nose to tail. The first branch is off Rothschild in Tel Aviv and the second is in G Cinema City Mall in Rishon LeZion. Make sure to try the cheesy fries as they are amazing!

• PizzaPizzaPizza (PPP) is a Neapolitan pizza restaurant in South Tel Aviv. It is possible to eat at the store but the pizza is also designed to be reheated at home.
• R48 Chef’s Table is a small chef restaurant in the lobby of the R48 hotel on Rothschild Boulevard, led by Chef Ohad Solomon, the former head chef at Coffee Bar. The restaurant is run by Ruti Broudo and R2M has only nine tables and exclusively offers an 11-course tasting menu for NIS 500 per person. Rothschild 48 Brasserie is another restaurant inside the hotel, with a terrace on Rothschild Boulevard. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, here is the English lunch menu.

• Rouge 21 is a  bar serving wine, cocktails, and bar food, from the owners of Triger, Fat Cow, and Jango.
• Santi is a new trendy restaurant in Tel Aviv from Baraka House Group with a menu inspired by Japanese Izakas. The kitchen is run by Chef Guy Arish from Mashya.
• Schnitt – Craft Pizza & Beer is a pizza restaurant from the Schnitt Brewing Company in the Ruth Daniel Residence Hotel in Jaffa.

• Siesta is a cafe and bistro in Downtown Haifa with a French influence, open from 7 am to 6 pm.
• Taizu Town is an Asian street food restaurant by Chef Yuval Ben Neriah, that has replaced Cafe Taizu in Givon Square in Tel Aviv.
• Tandoori has moved from Dizengoff Square to the beachfront and is now called Tandoori Lands End.
• Tel A Vin is a wine bar and bistro on Ben Gurion Boulevard in Tel Aviv. The bar has a happy hour with 30% off the menu from 5-7 pm.
• Thaistory Eilat is a Thai restaurant in Eilat serving authentic Thai curries, noodles, and rice dishes.

• Trattoria Mekomit is a trattoria in Moshav Shomera, near the Lebanese border, serving local Galilean food. For now, it is open from Thursday to Saturday.
• Treysar is a Mediterranean restaurant above Shuk HaNamal (in place of Kitchen Market) by Chef Aner ben Raphael Furman.  The seasonal menu is divided into, cold vegetables, hot vegetables, fish and seafood,  and meat.

• Vermuteria is a Spanish tapas bar on Nahalat Binyamin in Tel Aviv.
• Venus is an Italian restaurant in Jaffa from the owners of Casino San Remo.
• Wat Sang is a Japanese restaurant in the Levontin area of Tel Aviv by chef Wat Sang who previously worked at Moon.
• Zeit fur Brot German bakery has opened its first branch in Tel Aviv, which is its first branch outside of Germany.

If you try any of these restaurants, please share your feedback on Restaurant Club Israel or Restaurant Club Jerusalem. Follow Debbest on Facebook, and Instagram and subscribe to this newsletter to receive regular updates on the Foodie Israel scene.

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