Reading Time: 6 minutes
Israel Restaurant Reviews
Looking for a special evening to enjoy a romantic dinner or have some overseas guests you would like to introduce to ‘Israeli food’? Smart, casual, Middle-Eastern, Sushi, steakhouse, seafood and a whole lot more.
Before heading out to any of these, please check if eateries have moved and are still accepting guests since the onset of Covid-19.
Our Facebook peeps love and recommend these
Derech HaGeffen in Beit Zayit
Mamilla Hotel Rooftop Restaurant in Jerusalem
Rina & Alice in Jerusalem (not kosher)
Ernesto in Tel Aviv
Dancing Camel in Tel Aviv
Puaa in Yafo
Luciano in Mevo Modiin
Red Velvet Cupcakes in Tel Aviv
Sharon’s & Mike’s Bistro in Kibbutz Gal-On
Brasserie, 2C, The Blue Chicken, B12, Almog Gallery
Cafe Rimon at Mamilla in Jerusalem
Abraxas in Tel Aviv
Social Club in Tel Aviv
Darma in Jerusalem
Limousine in Ramat Yishai
Regina in Tel Aviv
Miriam’s Grill in Netanya
Decks in Tiberias
The Ranch House in Eilat
Fish in Rishon le Zion
Corsar – Ashdod – by the Marina (not kosher)
Mandy’s at Eilat Coral Beach
El Gaucho in Netanya
Vitrina in Tel Aviv
Meatbar in Sarona, Tel Aviv for best burgers
Roza in Modiin
Gaston in Modiin, Gambrinos Ashdod, Eddies Hide Away in Eilat
Sheyan in Jerusalem
Brisket Smoke House in Hadera
Dag al HaDan near Kiryat Shmona
The Pagoda in Tiberias
Yousuf Hummous in Pardes Hannah
Balcon in Haifa
Simas in Jerusalem
Armandos in Tel Aviv
Old Man and the Sea in Jaffa
Sushi Bar in Rechavia
Ahavat Yam in Gan Sachar
Claro Mediterranean Kitchen, Sarona in Tel Aviv
Pronto in Tel Aviv
HaChatzer in Jerusalem
Art Cafe in Tzfat
Almog Galleryin Neve Yamin
Vici in Raanana
Rafael at the Dan in Tel Aviv
Nini Hachi in Tel Aviv
Mike’s Place in Tel Aviv
Meat & Wine in Herzliayh
Meatos in Tel Aviv
Colony Grill Haifa.
The Goldfish in Haifa
Tokopaya in the “Power Center” on the way to Nes Tziona
Some reviews…
The Old Man and the Sea in Yaffo, fantastic atmosphere, very good service and we paid 100 shekels per person. Skewers, steaks, fresh fish and non-stop salads and fresh bread. Not kosher.
Moshav Amirim (vegetarian moshav between Sefad and Karmiel): Stupps Restaurant – the first one on the left as you enter – amazing food including NIS 50 breakfast and on until the evening. KOSHER
Moshav Ma’ona (next to Maalot): Agalgali hamburger/Sloppy Joe/Cajun -absolutely fabulous cheap food, with beer on tap, 3 sizes of hamburgers, KOSHER
Moshav Nativ Hashayara (south of Cabri, near Nahariya): Arnold’s Chef Restaurant. 5 star food and service. Very expensive and worth it. KOSHER.Tiberias, Lido Beach: Pagoda (Chinese) and Decks (meat grill) – both are absolutely superb, but you need to come with a group to get the best of all they serve. KOSHER.Moshav Livnim (northwest Kinneret): Roberg’s Restaurant. Absolutely fabulous selection. Watch the staff prepare your food in the kitchen (video) or reserve for 10 and prepare your own meals with the chef’s lesson! KOSHER rabbanut.
Rishikesh Indian Vegetarian in Amirim (between Sefad and Karmiel). Not kosher but 100 per-cent vegetarian. My grandmother is very fussy about her food, but she raves about Bakery 77 in Amirim as well.
In Ashdod there is Gambrinos. Great beer and good steak. Not kosher
Felafel California in Sefad, near the bridge. The locals eat there which means it is good. Kosher of course.
There is a cafe exactly opposite the Bank HaPoalim in Sefad on Jerusalem Street. Lovely chips with spices.
The Carrousel in Raanana is one of my favorites. It is a small dairy, kosher restaurant. Everything made in-house. Only 7 tables. Very quaint! The chef is from France.
Abu Yusef, down-town Haifa near Paris Square(the last station on the Carmelit underground). “Excellent Arab/Middle Eastern food, reasonable prices, waiters speak English, menus are in English as well. A favorite amongst locals. Not kosher and it is open on Shabbat.
Masterchef in Kiryat Haim – a kosher meat restaurant, medium sized and excellent service, most waiters speak English. Moderately priced. Located on Ahi Eliat street.
Three places in the North:
1. Dag al HaDan, near Tel Dan national park… amazing trout and a sauce to die for…
2. Abou Christos, by the ancient port of Acco… great fish and salatim…
3. The fish restaurant at Ein Gev Kibbutz, by Lake kinneret… wonderful!
In Ramat Yishai:
- There is a great fresh hummus place called the Butke’ under the gas station.
- Limousine has the best steaks we could find in the area.
- Nadav Kinuchim has the best breads and patisseries.
- Inside Ramat Yishai, there is great little place for handmade pasta in same building as Mega supermarket.
- For ice cream and frozen yogurt with toppings we love Lagenda.
Carmel coast area: For fish we like Shula at Cesarea industrial park which is actually closer to Pardes Hannah. For kosher fish Ben Ezra in Atlit is good.
For great handmade pasta we go to Manuella in Zichron Yaacov not Kosher.
Burkin in Biyamina has the best breads.
For a fun evening without the children we like Mina Tomei (5 Asian kitchens and not kosher) at the Castra Mall in Haifa. For a light meal or just a drink with a front row seat to the sea we like Port Cafe at the Cesarea Old city.
I always enjoy Shani in Nesher and in Neve Shaanan, Haifa. I love their Haloumi salads. Also Cafe In in Neve Shaanan, Haifa. All Kosher Rabbinate Haifa.
Meat and Wine in Herzliya. Argentinian and South African meats. Pricey but well worth it.
Idi Fish – Ashdod. The absolute best fish non kosher place to eat and be seen
In Pardes Hana-Karkur there is an amazing kosher dairy restaurant called Colonia. Reasonably priced, great service and delicious food.
Nearby in the Ceasaria Industrial area is a mouth watering kosher meat restaurant called Koya. Also reasonably priced, great service and the food is incredible.
You may be surprised to find a great eatery in an industrial area, but in the Caesarea industrial area, there is a mouth watering, kosher, meat restaurant called Koya. Reasonably priced, great service and the food is incredible!
At the Meron junction there is really great place – large portions, child friendly (had high chairs) and the lamb was yum. Can’t remember the name though
Best restaurants have to be Abulafia (the shawarma one in Yaffo) – the service is AMAZING, they are all nice and helpful and its a delight to eat there. The food is simple and yummy, loads of salads and lemonade with everything almost – they have seafood so not kosher. My other favourite place is pretty much the closest I have come to a proper pub with really good food – Little Prague on Allenby – they have all sorts of Czech dishes (pork as well so def not kosher) and its real solid comfort food (and they have awesome happy hours) the staff are all really lovely and friendly too. Being a Brit who finds tipping for someone who has slammed down a cup of coffee and marched away a big turn off and wait staff who throw badly cooked/averagely cooked food at you with no service whatsoever, safe in the knowledge they will get their 10% as its their “right” – these are 2 places I am more than happy to tip in as they earn it. Abulafia is very kid friendly too.
Abualafia bakery in Jaffa. They have a branch near TA City Hall, too
Jerusalem: Rosa, El Gaucho, Burgers Bar, Buffalo, Sima
I always enjoy Dr. Shakshuka in Yaffo, and also Cafè Rimone in Jerusalem, Rimone is kosher
Best tuna steak ever – Tel Aviv marina – not the port
Tiberias – Eli the Iraqi Shipud. Zero atmosphere but delicious chicken, beef, kebab and salads served in pita. Lots of locals eat there.
In Tel Aviv there are too many good restaurants to name, but two of my family’s favorites are The Brasserie and Amore Mio, both on Ibn Gvirol (neither of them are kosher). The former is somewhat expensive and there are long lines and a bit of a snobby French restaurant attitude (once a chef refused to remove an ingredient from a dish for my husband) but the food is worth it. Amore Mio is more a friendly family style restaurant and you feel like you’re really in Italy. But there are so many great restaurants in Tel Aviv that it’s almost impossible to choose.
The Uri Buri fish restaurant in Akko. A little bit pricey but delicious!!! Comes with a great view of the Akko bay, the old-city ruins and in the distance, Haifa.
The Limousine meat restaurant in Ramat Yishay and the Gilboa Spice Farm restaurant on Mount Gilboa. Take a drive through the Gilboa in the springtime when the wild flowers are in bloom and are especially beautiful. Nice menu and an amazing view!
I am thrilled that there is Burger King in Israel. Reminds me of home.
Darna, in Jerusalem, is a kosher Moroccan restaurant. High-end and magnificent, both the food and the atmosphere. An unforgettable experience.
The bagel store in Har Nof, Jerusalem. These are definitely the best bagels. They also serve the best salads and very generous portions. In fact, the portion size is double compared to all the other bagel places in and around Jerusalem. Its Kosher L’Mehadrin from Rav Rubin. 🙂
The Olla dairy restaurant on Derech Rabin gets my vote. Cafe Cafe on Highway 38, the Neeman bakery and restaurant on Yigal Alon, Tom’s Place (a meat restaurant) in the Northern Industrial zone (close to Yigal Alon), and El Baryo on HaDekel, serves dairy.
