Israel’s Notable Restaurants

Israel’s chefs employ an eclectic mix of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredients and culinary styles. Here are my favorite restaurants in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Herbert Samuel

Chef Yonatan Roshfeld’s menu of contemporary cuisine includes tapas and half-portions so diners can try numerous dishes. The restaurant overlooks Tel Aviv’s Mediterranean promenade.

6 Koifman St, Tel Aviv. Tel. (972) 03-516-6516.

Catit

Chef Meir Adoni combines Israeli, French and Italian cuisines. His menu has been regarded as among the most creative in Tel Aviv since 2002.

57 Nahlat Binyamin, Tel Aviv. Tel. (972) 03-510700.

Mul-Yam

The name means “facing the sea,” and the specialties here are fish and seafood flown in from around the world. The restaurant overlooks the port of Tel Aviv.

24 Nemal Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv. (972) 03-546-9920.

Machneyuda

This lively restaurant is next to Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda marketplace. The chefs create modern Israeli cuisine in a colorful open kitchen.

10 Beit Ya'akov St., Jerusalem. (972) 02-5333442.

Chakra

Chef Ilan Garousi serves a varied menu, with dishes from countries as far-flung as Morocco and Uzbekistan. Conveniently located in Jerusalem city center.

41 King George, Jerusalem. (972) 02-6252733.

Arcadia

Set in an old stone building with a lovely courtyard garden, this has been a Jerusalem institution since 1995. Chef Ezra Kedem virtually invented New Israeli cuisine.

10 Agripas, Jerusalem. (972) 02-6249138.