Experiencing the food scene in Israel is often one of the biggest highlights of the holiday – it’s a big foodie destination. The cuisine is a delicious mix of North African, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences, with a splash of Eastern Europe and Russian thrown into the mix.
You’ll find that many restaurants have fixed menus which include a variety of small dishes in one meal – great for tasting lots of things at once. The food is fresh, spicy, flavoursome, and for the most part, pretty healthy. (Apart from the inevitable mounds of freshly cooked bread you’ll need to soak up all those delicious sauces and dips.) Enjoy!
Israel doesn’t have an official national dish, however many consider falafel to be the closest thing. Falafels are deep fried balls of well-seasoned mashed chickpeas and herbs. Usually served with hummus, dips or flat breads or piled into a wrap with salad. If there’s one thing you try in Israel, make it a falafel!
Did you know that Israel produce incredible ice cream? It comes in an array of unusual flavours too. Hummus is a popular one to try!
You will be glad to know that Israel is one of the best countries to visit if you are a vegetarian or a vegan. Israel have lots of kosher food rules meaning that you will find a great selection of vegetarian restaurants almost anywhere in the country. Even in non-specific vegetarian places you will always find a decent selection of choice. Israel is foodie heaven for veggies! Some popular veggie dishes are: hummus & pita, baba ganoush, shakshuka, falafel, dolmas, sambusak and mutabak.
Limonana is the best drink to order on a hot summers’ day. It’s a mixture of ice, lemonade and crushed, fresh mint. You’ll be able to find this Israeli favourite in almost every cafe and restaurant in town.
An unusual alcoholic drink only made in Israel. It’s potent, herby and spicy and provides an energetic effect when consumed. It’s a popular choice when experiencing Israeli’s nightlife and tastes a little like limoncello, only spicier.
Tala Hummus and Falafel
(Latin patriarchate inside the old city | First Left After Jaffa Gate Next to Greek Consulate, Jerusalem, Israel)
Hummus Ben Sira
(Ben Sira St 3 | Jerusalem, 9418103, Israel)
Jahnun Bar
(28 Hillel, Jerusalem 9458128, Israel)
Happy Fish Restaurant
(11 King Solomon St. | Mamilla Hotel, Jerusalem 94182, Israel)
Pergamon Restaurant
(11 Beit Ya’akov, Jerusalem 9432317, Israel)
One of the most common things you will see in Israel is hummus and we urge you to try as much as possible! Nothing beats a smooth, freshly made plate of hummus and hot pitta. It comes on its own or with a variety of toppings – some of the favourites are spices, lamb, herbs and onions.
This sandwich like pita is stuffed with fried aubergine, eggs, hummus, salad and pickles and drizzled with an Israli favourite – tahini. You can also include feta or goats cheese to add a little more flavour – not that it needs it!
A popular dessert or snack in Israel, rugelach are absolutely heavenly. Rolled pastry filled with sweet chocolate and covered in a sugary syrup. May not be great for the waistline but we’ve decided that it is well worth it!
Malawach is a Jewish pancake and one of the most popular dishes to order for breakfast. The pancake is essentially fried pastry sweetened with sugar, maple syrup or honey and topped with eggs, tomatoes and spices.
Kanafeh is a delicious, Arabic dish and one of the most popular deserts in Israel. It’s essentially buttery, cheesy pastry, soaked and served in a mouth-wateringly good sugar syrup.
Shawarma is a popular street food in Israel made from either lamb, chicken, beef or turkey. The meat is roasted on a spit, sliced off into strips and piled into a pita. A variety of salads and sauces are added to top it off.
Halva are sweet slabs of dense tahini mixed with sugar and flavourings. They are very rich and absolutely delicious! Common flavours are vanilla, coffee, peanut butter, pistachios or you might even find some savoury options.
Israelis love their aubergine and it’s the key ingredient in baba ganoush. The aubergines are roasted, smoked, mixed with tahini, lemon and garlic and blended together to form a paste – perfect served with freshly baked pitas.
Shakshuka is a traditional and very popular breakfast dish in Israel which must be tried on your visit. It’s a mixture of peppers, tomatoes and coriander, blended into a thick sauce with a few eggs nestled in the middle. Usually served with warm bread to mop up the sauce.
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