Restaurants in Israel & The Palestinian Territories
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La Terrasse
Beauty and politics merge in the panoramic view from La Terrasse of Bethlehem and the Jewish settlement of Har Homa. Find a stepped-up Mediterranean-Mexican menu, comfy-chic ambience, a variety of wines and an international clientele. Alfredo comes with mushrooms, unless you decline. The creamy, crunchy almond soup is divine.
reviewed
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B
Sakura
Chef Tzairi learned the art of sushi in Japan and brought his skills back to Jerusalem. He has honed his skills and today Sakura is considered among the best sushi joints in Israel. There are discounts after 10.30pm – you can get a half-platter of sushi with sake for 28NIS. The udon noodles and tempura are also both excellent.
reviewed
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Askadinya
Injecting a cosmopolitan air into East Jerusalem, Askadinya is an upscale Italian restaurant located inside an elegant 120-year-old home. The house speciality is the Askadinya platter (67NIS), an appetiser for two with seafood, roca cheese and vegetables. You can wash your meal down with a wine from South Africa, Spain or Italy.
reviewed
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C
Chocolate Bar
Specialising in chocolate bars, chocolate drinks and even chocolate pizza, this place has the potential to overdose your sweet tooth. All the chocolate and ice-cream is homemade. Besides the obvious attraction of so much chocolate, this is also a very comfortable place to sit and watch stately Rothschild Blvd go about its business.
reviewed
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D
YMCA Three Arches
The Y’s high-quality, non-kosher kitchen serves up excellent Mediterranean dishes, including smoked salmon, fried avocado, aubergine gratin, mixed seafood, grilled chicken and sautéed garlic shrimp, all served in a leafy courtyard amid fountains and flowers. The food is flavourful and filling. The Sunday brunch is highly recommended.
reviewed
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E
Co-op Supermarket
A number of small restaurants, cafés and shwarma stands can be found in the New Tourist Centre, opposite the IMAX theatre, as well as the food court inside the Red Canyon Mall. If a sandwich is sufficient - and it probably will be given Eilat's appetite-busting temperatures - try the Co-op Supermarket, or the one in the Shalom Centre.
reviewed
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F
Shibolim
Shibolim serves up the sort of breakfast you'll dream about for days to come. This rustic bakery makes a variety of interesting breads and pastries, a few of which will turn up on your plate along with home-made jams, tasty salad and dips. Coffee comes with a sample of their biscuits and the service is as sweet as the yummy range of cakes.
reviewed
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Cavalier
Tinkling glasses, wine bottles poking out of the walls and evocative black-and-white photos on cream walls set the mood for this French and Mediterranean restaurant. Among the starters, try the lamb ribs with green beans or the moussa (drum fish). The attached high society bar is a classy place to cap your meal with a drink or two.
reviewed
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H
Agadir Hotel
A fashionable restaurant with fine food offerings, mostly steaks and burgers piled high with a dozen different toppings (options include goat cheese, Portobello mushrooms, guacamole and smoked goose breast, among others). Done up like a Moroccan hotel lobby from the 1920s, there is another, more casual branch, located at 2 Nahalat Binyamin St.
reviewed
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Beneno
An artsy café shuttered in a quiet neighbourhood halfway up the mountain, Beneno serves a simple menu of sandwiches, soups and salads. Its closest landmark is the Shrine of the Bab so it does tend to get a few Baha'i pilgrims. It's also a meeting place for Haifa's gay and lesbian community. It's a short walk from the Masada subway station.
reviewed
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J
Arabesque
Located inside the prestigious American Colony Hotel, the Arabesque attracts both hotel guests and tourists looking for a quality dining experience. The menu is meat based, with tempting lamb chops and steaks. Don’t miss the Saturday buffet, a seafood and meat bonanza with enticing delicacies such as ostrich soup, steamed mussels and Lebanese desserts.
reviewed
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Tree of Life Vegetarian Café
This hole-in-the-wall spot at HaMaginim Sq is the place for cheap, hugely tasty dishes that scream healthy eating. Try the energiser salad with teriyaki tofu or – if you draw the line at the soy bean – pizza, burgers and hearty soups are all on the menu. The service is delightful, the portions huge and the people-watching some of the best in the country.
reviewed
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K
Christ Church Guesthouse Cafe
The cafe inside the Christ Church Guest House offers one of the best meal deals in town. For 35NIS you get an English-style buffet lunch with a main dish and various sides. Try to get there when the meal starts because they sometimes run out of food. Breakfast and dinner are also available but for dinner you’ll need to make a reservation by 1pm that day.
reviewed
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Regata
Unless you want to deal with a snarling maître d' and an hour-long wait, don't even consider turning up to this colourful Italian trattoria on the weekends without a booking. During the rest of the week it's a popular place for wood-oven pizzas, big bowls of pasta and plates of fish that you can eat outside or in the inviting multi-level dining room.
reviewed
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Adom
The name of this French restaurant means ‘red’, which is the choice of lighting. It might also indicate the usual beverage selection as the Cabernet flows pretty freely. While it’s not mandatory, you could possibly cobble together a rouge-themed dinner, starting with beef carpaccio, followed by shrimp and crab in cream sauce and finished with a raspberry sorbet.
reviewed
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Caffit
A lady on the bus recommended we check this place out and we’re glad we took her advice. Caffit is a fun and lively restaurant with a varied western style that includes salads, burgers and pastas, plus some tasty specialities, such as salmon with haloumi and mushrooms. If you’re flying solo, grab a seat at the bar and hang out with the friendly bartender, Tilan.
reviewed
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O
Shine
This neighbourhood café, occupying a lovely spot under the trees, has a minimalist interior of white walls and silver trim, although most people prefer the outdoor patio. It attracts a young, smart set who mingle over brunch, drinking cappuccinos with soy milk or champagne cocktails. The menu is mainly light salads and sandwiches. Vegetarians will enjoy the curry tofu.
reviewed
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Sonia Gatzel Shapira
You'll find a crowd of regulars here sipping coffee, reading and chatting with the two brothers who own the place, Aviran and Snir. The indoor section, decked out in vintage furniture, grooves to a soundtrack of R&B, jazz or rock. Even better is the sunny patio out back. It has a mainly vegetarian menu, featuring pastas and sandwiches. Try the Moroccan bread with olive oil.
reviewed
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Armenian Tavern
Walk down the steps into this basement restaurant and relax in an old-world atmosphere, with Armenian pottery hung on stone walls and a gently splashing fountain. The strongly flavoured meat dishes are excellent, including khaghoghi derev, a spiced minced-meat mixture bundled in vine leaves. Other specialities include Armenian pizza and soojuk (spicy sausages).
reviewed
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Canibar Village
A play on words gives this meat restaurant and bar combo its name. The interior design is one of stone walls and vines, but it's made hip by the blood red lighting and flat panel TVs that show music videos. It's a popular place for lunch among the downtown business set, but gets going as a singles bar after dark. Come on a Friday night before stepping into Luna dance club, next door.
reviewed
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Canaan Gallery Cafe
Duck into this gallery cafe to escape the busloads of day trippers who squash into the narrow alleyways of the Artists’ Quarter, and you’ll never want to leave. A haven with gorgeous views, soothing music and interesting art, it’s easy to see how the owners – artists Orna and Yair Moore – find their inspiration. Coffee and light meals such as quiches and sandwiches are served all day.
reviewed
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S
Mandarin
Step off busy HaNassi Ave, down past a gardenlike entrance with the sign 'Mandarin' and you'll assume you're headed for a Chinese restaurant. Where you actually end up is a quaint café with a wood deck and cosy interior set to a soundtrack of funk and blues. The menu features soups, salads, big sandwiches and pastas. There is live jazz on Thursdays and free wi-fi for laptop users.
reviewed
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Abu Shukri
Our constant search to find the best hummus in Jerusalem landed us at this place, as recommended by many a local. It was good hummus – maybe not the best, but definitely worth trying. The standard platter includes a bowl of fresh hummus, sliced tomato, pita bread and a couple of felafel balls. Add 10NIS for a cup of freshly squeezed OJ. It’s located near the Fifth Station of the Cross.
reviewed
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Galei Gil
Predictable promenade restaurants such as Galei Gil make an absolute killing with their overpriced fish and meat grills, but there's nothing unpleasant about a table by the water and a taste of the Sea of Galilee speciality - St Peter's fish. It's a bony little fish but has a mild white flesh that even fish-haters seem to like, and is served grilled or fried with a pile of chips and salad.
reviewed
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La Boca
La Boca’s South American menu shakes things up in the German Colony. The young chef was a former backpacker who romped around South America for a year before returning home to open a restaurant (inspiration for the rest of us!). Try the excellent Peruvian soup or a Brazilian steak. The restaurant is on the 2nd floor of a Templar building; look out for the hostess who waits at street level.
reviewed