Must-see restaurants in Jerusalem

  • Anna

    Jerusalem

    On the upper floor of elegant Ticho House, Anna is a stylish spot for a coffee or an Italian meal. Nibble pastries, pizza bianca, linguine with mushrooms…

  • First Station

    Jerusalem

    This dining and entertainment complex, housed in a handsome 19th-century railway station, is an atmospheric place for a sit-down meal or a few beers…

  • Machneyuda

    Jerusalem

    Is it New York comfort food, Italian fine dining or haute cuisine? This superb restaurant owned by three of Israel's most acclaimed chefs near Mahane…

  • Modern

    Jerusalem

    The main restaurant at the Israel Museum is as swanky as its setting demands, with a refined array of dishes: artichoke sofrito, stuffed ravioli and…

  • Pinati

    Jerusalem

    While locals swear by the hummus, served with pita and piquant garlic-chilli paste, this hole-in-the-wall's well-seasoned mains are also worth sampling:…

  • Azura

    Jerusalem

    With slow-cooked comfort food, on kerosene burners no less, and efficient service, this Turkish-influenced kosher restaurant off Rehov HaEshkol St near…

  • Lev Smadar

    Jerusalem

    Carved out of a British hanger, this space was saved by the community and renovated into an intimate and sophisticated restaurant with a one-screen cinema…

  • Abu Shukri

    Jerusalem

    Abu Shukri is so popular that it's spawned imitators around Jerusalem. The standard platter includes a bowl of rich, smooth hummus – topped with chickpeas…

  • Abu Kamel

    Jerusalem

    Tucked into a cave-like corner of the Muslim Quarter, just off the Mouristan Market, Abu Kamel serves some of the city's best hummus, topped with pine…

  • Sarwa Street Kitchen

    East Jerusalem

    Sarwa Street Kitchen is a chill place to loiter with a quiet coffee, juice, meal or beer. The kitchen offers a range of freshly prepared dishes, from…

  • Restaurant Fish

    East Jerusalem

    With uniformed waitstaff and white tablecloths, the Restaurant Fish is refined for a bus-station-adjacent spot. Tasty calamari and shrimp (fried, grilled…

  • Al Ayed

    East Jerusalem

    Hands down, the best lamb kebab sandwich for the money in Jerusalem. The falafel and hummus and other specialities like barbecue chicken with salads and…

  • T’mol Shilshom

    Jerusalem

    Whether you settle into the book-lined interior or the shaded courtyard, T'mol Shilshom is one of Jerusalem's most relaxing brunch spots. This friendly…

  • Ishtabach

    Jerusalem

    Ishtabach, like other places on this bustling street on Mahane Yehuda's outskirts, is a crowded, hip and lively nighttime spot, but nowhere else offers…

  • Angelica

    Jerusalem

    Sandstone arches and stone-framed windows establish a worldly tone at Angelica, but the menu is sheer invention. Appetisers marry a medley of cuisines:…

  • Morduch

    Jerusalem

    Kibbeh, kibbeh and more kibbeh. Traditionally this Iraqi-Kurdidsh soup is made from beets, tomatoes, carrots and doughy balls stuffed with ground beef,…

  • Azzahra Restaurant

    East Jerusalem

    In a quiet corner close to the Old City, Azzahra is an ideal place for a group or family looking for something familiar – fresh and satisfying pizza. The…

  • Marzipan Bakery & Coffee Shop

    Jerusalem

    This bakery is so synonymous with its speciality chocolate rugelach (rolled-up pastries with variety of fillings) that some refer to them as 'marzipan'…

  • Yudale

    Jerusalem

    The precocious sibling of Machneyuda looks like a Hawaiian beach shack and serves the same exciting modern fusion cuisine as its big bro – Thai-style beef…

  • Hachapuria

    Jerusalem

    Hachapuria serves up sizzlingly delicious Georgian food, the most famous being its namesake hachapuri, a triangle of dough filled with egg and cheese (and…

  • View Cafe Bar

    East Jerusalem

    The View Cafe Bar, East Jerusalem’s only rooftop restaurant, serves up Palestinian cuisine alongside a spectacular Old City view. Go for a sundowner to…

  • Diwiny Pita Bar

    Jerusalem

    Good luck finding a seat at this cool little spot just outside Mahane Yehuda Market. It specialises in stuffing pitas with seasonal unconventional fare…

  • Rachmo

    Jerusalem

    Rachmo is a beloved staple of Mahane Yehuda Market that specialises in no-frills Kurdish Jewish cooking. Located on a corner off the market’s main street,…

  • Tacos Luis

    Jerusalem

    Jerusalem’s newest, most popular and possibly first kosher taqueria is constantly bustling with customers coming for homemade corn tortillas brimming with…

  • Rossini's Restaurant

    Jerusalem

    Various factors place this rather average steak and pasta place directly in the sights of tourists: it's open on Shabbat, it serves alcohol, and it's…

  • Hamarakia

    Jerusalem

    Somewhere between homey and ramshackle, this Jerusalem institution specialises in nourishing soups, which change daily. Leek, lentil and tomato are in…

  • Armenian Tavern

    Jerusalem

    The atmosphere is enough to lure you to the Armenian Tavern. Step down into the Crusader-era building, and pearl-embossed mirrors glitter, iron…

  • Notre Dame Cheese & Wine Restaurant

    East Jerusalem

    The scent of ripe brie and pungent gruyère tickles your nostrils the moment you step out of the elevator to this 4th-floor rooftop restaurant. The view is…

  • Focaccia Bar

    Jerusalem

    Hauled from a taboun (clay oven), crisp focaccia, laden with goat cheese, aubergine, smoked goose and more, are top of the menu at this popular place. You…

  • Mousseline

    Jerusalem

    This grab-and-go ice-cream spot is ideally positioned on the edge of Mahane Yehuda Market, for a refresh after a morning dodging shopping trolleys and…

  • Zalatimo

    Jerusalem

    Hidden in a vault underneath the Ethiopian Monastery, Zalatimo is famous for its mutabbaq (also called zaltomeeh), created using a family recipe finessed…

  • R&R Diner

    Jerusalem

    If you're craving high-calorie comfort food, head to R&R for a sophisticated version of classics like Philly cheesesteaks, reubens and pork chops,…

  • Adom

    Jerusalem

    Decked out like a glamorous train station waiting room, this fashionable bistro spills into the First Station courtyard. The sophisticated pan-European…

  • Lekach

    Jerusalem

    In the ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood of Mea She'arim, Lekach is a kosher vegetarian cafe popular with young Haredi men but still a comfortable place for…

  • Angel Bakery

    Jerusalem

    Angel Bakery is one of Israel’s leading bakeries and a go-to source for chocolate rugelach (croissants) and spinach, cheese or potato bourekas (flaky…

  • Jaafar Sweets

    Jerusalem

    It's a hypnotic sight, watching pieces of bright-orange, syrup-soaked kunafeh (soft cheese topped with shredded pastry) carved from a huge tray. Kunafeh…

  • Fresh Kitchen

    Jerusalem

    Craving a protein hit, vegan brunch or juice stop? This stylish but casual kosher restaurant on the pedestrianised mall has you covered. Healthy recipes…

  • Berlina

    Jerusalem

    Jerusalem is a haven for kosher eaters, who often can't eat the meat in less kosher-friendly cities around the world. Luckily Mahane Yehuda's newest meat…

  • Nordic Café

    East Jerusalem

    The relatively chic and cosy Scandinavian-themed Nordic Café is a perfect place to stop for a coffee, fresh juice cocktail, pretty pastries or freshly…

  • Dire

    Jerusalem

    Just off bustling Jaffa Rd, Dire is always a treat. Delicious vegetarian and meaty Ethiopian dishes are served on platters of injera (spongy teff-based…

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