The Abu Ghosh Restaurant by ForestForTrees, on Flickr

Last January, Ibrahim decided to go for a world’s record. As verified by a Guinness Book of World Records representative, he prepared enough hummus to fill a large satellite dish. The paste weighed almost 9,000 pounds, edging out a Beirut restaurant for the title of the world’s largest dish of hummus.

Ibrahim started his business after winning the lottery in Chicago, and chose to invest his winnings in the place where he’d grown up. The strategy paid off. His restaurant gets about 15,000 patrons on weekends, especially Saturdays when most Israeli restaurants are closed for Shabbat.

Abu Gosh is a perfect stop off on a drive up the road to Jerusalem, with the village clearly signed, and if you are after Arabic cuisine, is THE place to go.

Article via Israel MFA

Experience the wonders of Israeli cuisine

Cooking Vacations and Culinary Tours are a rapidly expanding area of tourism in Israel, and for good reason! Having  had somewhat a culinary revolution over the past twenty years, Israeli society which is made up of immigrants from around the world, each bringing with traditional family recipes from diverse, fascinating places. Food tours of Israel can take you right up close to the essence of this incredibly unique country.

“I really enjoyed the day and learned a lot about your wonderful country and people. This will be a lifelong memory and I can only recommend it. Thank you for this full experience.” Ina, Germany

Enjoying a cookery class

Cook in Israel is one of Israel’s leading providers of cooking vacations and food tours. Working with the individual demands and requests of the individual tourist, they are able to create a unique program whether it last one week or one day. These tours take you far beyond the usual tourist experience to get to know the real Israel – tasting, smelling, seeing, touching and learning how to create delicious, authentic Israeli dishes yourself!

Cook in Israel run a wide range of programs which can be tailored to the individuals wishes. The crown jewel of these is the weekly program, and what could be better than a week of food in Israel! From the shores of the Mediterranean in Tel Aviv to the green hills of the Galilee, and unique and inexplicable magic of Jerusalem, this tour provides a remarkably unique way to see Israel – the traditional tourist sites combined with visits to some of Israel’s best restaurants and most unique restaurants, cookery classes, and visits to producers of wonderful produce such as Galilean cheese and olive oil.

Who could forget hummus, an Israeli staple.

If you want to just take a day or two out of your vacation to do something different and experience Israel in a different light, Cook in Israel can help as well. Running culinary tours of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Hills, and the Galilee these tours are all thought out to provide unique experiences. For instance, the Jerusalem tour focuses on the traditional Middle Eastern kitchen, whilst the Tel Aviv tour focuses on the Mediterranean kitchen.

With great hosts, Cook in Israel truly offers a unique insight into Israeli culture. Orly Ziv, a clinical nutritionist who runs the company says: “On our culinary tour of Israel, you’ll meet warm people who love food and the earth. Good, honest food creates a bond between people that enriches our soul and our spirit.” And it’s so true! Food is central to all cultures and with such diversity of culture in Israel it’s a unique way to enjoy your visit to Israel. Cook in Israel work with chefs from a huge range of culinary backgrounds which allows a unique and authentic perspective to be given on each cuisine.

For further information on your cookery tour of Israel, see the Cook in Israel website (www.cookinisrael.com) or contact Orly Ziv direct at info@cookinisrael.com, or by phone on +972 54 4649706.

A busy branch of Giraffe

Award winning Israeli restaurant, Giraffe launched in 1996 in Tel Aviv as the first Pan-Asian restaurant in the country. Today it is considered to be a leading restaurant organisation in Israel, with seven restaurants across the country.

Giraffe was originally a Tel Aviv restaurant modelled as a noodle bar.

Mission: Create a craze for noodles.

Giraffe offers a unique range of fusion foods

As a contemporary Pan-Asian restaurant, it is not limited to serving cuisine from just one country or obligated to follow all the different Asian traditions.

As such, It was the first restaurant in Israel to serve Thai Pad Thai alongside Japanese Sushi, Chinese Fried Egg Noodle and classic European desserts.

Inspired by modern Asian restaurants in New York City, Giraffe offers a modern, western, and urban casual-dining experience. Having created their own niche, the company has grown, and fifteen years after first opening, has seven restaurants across the country. The brand has also won numerous Israeli Eating & Drinking Awards. In 2009 was awarded best value for money restaurant by the readers of Timeout Israel, and in 2010, best chain.

Locations

Restaurants in Tel Aviv

Giraffe Noodle bar 49 Even Gvirol Street. Tel-Aviv
Tel: 03-6916294 | Fax: 03-6091806

Giraffe Grill 3 Habarzel st. Tel-Aviv
Tel: 03-6476661

Giraffe Officer’s Club 21 Ha’arbaa st. Tel-Aviv
Tel: 03-6851154 | Fax: 03-6851156

Restaurants in Herzliya

Giraffe Café 9 Hasadnaot st. Herzliya
Tel: 09-9548355 | Fax: 09-9548327

Restaurants in Eilat

Giraffe Noodle Bar Herods Promenade, Eilat
Tel: 08-6316583

Restaurants in Haifa

Giraffe Asian Food 131 Shderot Hanassi Street. Haifa
Tel: 04-8104012

Restaurants in Rishon LeZion

Giraffe Noodle Bar Yaldey Teheran 3, Cinema City, Rishon Lezion

Giraffe Restaurant Menu

This article has been sponsored by Giraffe restaurants.

Vineyards in the Golan Heights by Flickr user Eagle XDV

Noah may have started off on the wrong foot when he planted his vineyard in Israel, but at least his descendants are getting it right. Around the world, Israeli wines are winning prizes and accolades, which is intoxicating news indeed for local winemakers.

Top American wine maven Robert Parker says, “The wines are getting better all the time and some of them are superb.” Wine magazines like Wine Spectator write “…Quality is on the upswing” and leading wine critics – and just plain folks looking for something to drink with dinner – are discovering that Israeli wines aren’t just for Friday night Kiddush (blessing) anymore.

So what’s changed since the average bottle of Israeli wine was a sticky, syrupy non-experience? (Which is an apt description of the wine produced by the Carmel Winery when it was founded by Edmond James de Rothschild in 1882.) Plenty. Both in terms of knowhow and the unbridled Israeli passion for winemaking.

Daniel Rogov, resident wine and restaurant critic at the Ha’aretz newspaper says of the industry today: “We have a retinue of winemakers who are internationally trained and internationally experienced, some Israeli-born, some not. We have world class winemakers and that’s very important.

“Second, the wineries have gone really state-of-the-art. The big and medium wineries all have very modern facilities, and all the techniques for making very fine wine. Third, and most important, we are learning more and more and developing our vineyards better in terms of technology,” says Rogov.

Three years ago, he points out, Mark Squires, who writes for Parker, visited Israel and wrote about our wines and gave them a great deal of praise. “Some 13 or 14 wines scored over 90, which [means they are] really outstanding wines,” Rogov says.

From Rothschild to ribbon-winners

Whether it’s on the wind-swept hills of Israel’s Golan Heights or the low-lying lands of the Negev, there’s a branch of a major winery or one of some 200 or more independent, boutique wineries in operation. Carmel Winery’s wine development director Adam Montefiore notes: “Israel has joined the world of quality wine producers, and added to its history in this area, which is as long as anyone’s.”

A quality wine “…has to have good balance between all its elements – the fruits, the tannins, the woods have to be in fine balance,” Rogov explains. “For it to be a good quality wine, it also has to have what I call a good structure; that it’s built so that it will last for more than just a short period of time – it will cellar nicely for a minimum of five years, in some cases 75-80, but not with kosher wines. And third of all, one of the axioms I subscribe to is: Not all wines have to be great, but all wines have to give the drinker pleasure.”

“It’s in the eye of the beholder,” says Montefiore. “What I consider a quality wine differs from what you or your wife thinks. Wine is like music – everyone can choose what they want. Some people like basic music, some people like Bach. Some like rock or hip hop… So basically a wine that’s tasty to someone is a good wine. And it’s the variety of wine that makes it so interesting.”

Citing success at growing grapes at higher altitudes like in the Upper Galilee, Golan Heights and more recently the Judean Hills; Israel’s mostly-cooperative climate; the planting of new, quality grape varieties; and the expertise of young winemakers who’ve studied abroad, Montefiore isn’t surprised by Israel’s achievements. “Add to that the desire of the wineries themselves to make better wines and the current increase in the pursuit of quality and it adds up to a wine revolution,” says Montefiore.

“Revolution” is a word he frequently uses to describe various turning points in Israel’s wine-making history, beginning with Rothschild’s early efforts and culminating with his Carmel and other large wineries that are competing with the production of high-quality wines by the country’s smaller boutique wineries.

It’s a winner’s revolution as well, at least based on Carmel’s September triumph. One of its wines won the Decanter International Trophy, a prize considered the “Oscar” of world wine awards. His company’s Yatir boutique winery was also cited by Parker, “the highest possible third party recommendation,” Montefiore insists. “When someone like Parker tastes Israeli wines and says they are good, then its official.”

Indeed, when Parker first reviewed Israeli wines in 2007, he awarded 14 of them more than 90 out of a maximum 100 points (world-class). Meanwhile, UK wine critic Oz Clarke included two Israeli wineries, Domaine du Castel and Yatir, in his Pocket Wine Book 2010. Clearly, Israeli wine has earned a place at the table alongside other outstanding international wines.

Carmel Winery today by Or Hiltch

Golan gold – apples to grapes

Wander around Israel and there’s plenty of evidence of ancient wine-making, even remnants of a production site on the Spice Trail near Avdat built some 2,000 years ago. So it’s no surprise that similar evidence also turned up on the Golan Heights, notes Golan Heights Winery marketing director Arnon Harel. But it was apples, not wine, that Golan farmers were interested in when a professor from the University of California at Davis visited the scene in the 1970s.

“He was brought in to look into apple growing, and he said that we had ideal conditions in the area to raise wine grapes,” says Harel. “It was an experiment and we didn’t know if it would succeed.” So it was that seven Golan Heights communities and one in the Upper Galilee formed the Golan Heights Winery, launching an experiment that transformed the production of Israeli winemaking.

With the help of American-imported technology regarding which barrels and containers to buy and other insider information, Harel and his associates “…were surprised because suddenly we were producing high-quality wine in Israel, where before that, we produced mostly sweet wine.” When the first bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon was opened in 1983, Israel had a prize-winning wine of its own.

“They brought in international experience, which allowed them to tap into new things,” one observer of the Israeli wine scene notes about the winery, located in Katzrin, the largest Israeli town in the Golan Heights. “That started the whole wave in Israel of everybody trying to make better wines, followed by the boutique wines revolution… They were the catalysts. They planted in high altitude areas and decided: ‘We want to make the best wine possible.’”

The Golan Heights Winery now produces four million bottles a year for export and a million that are sold in Israel. Some 60,000 people visit the site annually, as part of the increasing wine tourism in Israel, which naturally ends with tastings.

“We had dreams but we didn’t know if they would work out,” says Harel of the winery’s early days. The key to their success: “You have to love it, and feel connected to the earth you plant in, and be a happy person, because wine is a happy product.”

A boost from boutiques

Similar words are heard from 200 or more Israeli boutique winemakers, who got a jump on the continuing quest for quality some 20 years ago, during another major change in the industry, and continue to produce outstanding wine.

At about the same time as a food revolution began in Israel in the 1980s, with the opening of higher-class restaurants, young wine-lovers started to make their own wine, resulting in the opening of a number of boutique wineries.

“There was almost a whiff of peace in the air with Oslo… Israelis felt unthreatened for the first time in a long time and started traveling more abroad, seeing the wine and food there and saying: ‘I’d like some of that.’ There was a better economy then, as well. So all these things together meant that there was a kind of wine revolution in Israel, manifested by these boutique wineries springing up all over,” says Montefiore.

Today, there are between 200 to 400 Israeli wineries, depending on how you classify them. Some are one-person outfits just getting by, while others have succeeded to the point where they were bought by larger wineries.

A lucky few wineries have achieved international success by dint of the hard work and vision of winemakers who never dreamed they’d go into the business of producing high-quality wine.

From video-making to vineyards

One of the most fascinating elements of Israel’s boutique winery revolution is the proliferation of boutique wineries opened by people who get the wine bug and leave their previous careers behind.

Zeev Dunia was previously head of the video and television production department at Jerusalem’s Hadassah College of Technology when he was bitten by the winemaking bug while making a film about the process in 1994-95.

“I was a filmmaker for 25 years. At first I wasn’t particularly interested in the subject [of wine],” Dunia says as he pauses to check the grapes. “But as the film was done, which took about a year because it followed the process of wine-making from the vineyard to the glass, I started to develop unconsciously some sort of interest that grew.

“This happens to quite a lot of people – they discover wine and without really having any training, it becomes more and more something you get involved with, and that’s really the magic of wine. If we had to describe what’s so special about it, it’s that it’s never the same. Every bottle of wine is slightly different… the more you get into it, the more it surprises you,” he says.

Dunia now owns and runs SeaHorse Winery in Bar Giora in the Judean Hills. This small but outstanding operation produces about 1,500 cases of wine annually.

“There’s a lot of passion involved, whether you are a grower in the vineyards or a winemaker,” says Dunia, who uses the French method of dense planting and low yield and takes pride in “the unique varieties of wine” he produces, particularly his Zinfandel and his latest addition Chenin Blanc.

A few years ago, the visiting wine critic of La Figaro and a Gallery Lafayette representative at an exhibit in Tel Aviv told him that his wine was “the best wine we have ever tasted in Israel.”

Wearing a wide-brimmed hat to protect himself from the sun, he spends time in his vineyards every day, sometimes to shoo away the deer that have a fondness for his grapes. He says that winemaking grants him a deeper connection to the land on which his grapes grow.

“One thing that has happened over these past 10 years is that I really understand the importance of working the land and what it does to us. Before that, I felt I was a citizen of the world, could live anywhere and do my thing. Now, once you have planted something in the soil, you cannot leave… And I think we should be more attentive to the importance of agriculture, not in the sense of business… It’s our future.”

Tourist Israel have partnered with one of Israel’s leading wine tour operators. Please contact wine@touristisrael.com for more information about your affordable, unique, and most importantly fun Israel wine tour.

[Article via Israel MFA]

Tel Aviv is the gastronomic capital of Israel

A far cry from the days when Israeli’s lived by falafal and hummus, growing only the synonymous Jaffa Orange, Israel has, over the past decade, grown into one of the world’s cuisine frontrunners. And it is only logical for it to be here. With a population which has immigrated to the country from around the world, relatively recently, authentic generational recipes cross paths with the fusion cuisine Israel is now famous for.

Whilst Tel Aviv is on paper the gastronomy capital of the country, with an uncountable number of amazing restaurants fusing different cuisines, each in a more creative and exotic way, the rest of the country has its fair share of food offerings.

The Galilee, in the North of the country has become a tranquil retreat for Israelis wanting to escape the business of the center of the country. Here, alongside Israel’s vineyards (see separate article on wine tourism in Israel) sit small, pretty villages, zimmers, and restaurants offering authentic, hearty, country-fare. With fresh produce even more important here than the rest of the country (where its importance is vital – remember this is a tiny country which provides much of Europe with fruit and vegetables so food is fresh everywhere), the flavour of Israel’s country cuisine is tantalising.

Israeli breakfasts are fresh, light, and big! by Flickr user Or Hiltch

In stark contrast, Israel’s other ethnic groups, most notably the Arabs and the Druze have their own culinary offerings. Arab cuisine, Mediterranean by nature, and similar to the stereotypical idea of Israeli food, and what you would find in much of the Mediterranean, is what you will find as street food across Israel. Arab restaurants, however, offer this cuisine in a slightly different way, just as it would be different in Greece or Turkey. Abu Gosh is an Arab village famed for its restaurants, just outside Jerusalem. In fact, this little village holds the world record for the largest dish of hummus. Druze food is drawn from similar inspirations, and can be sampled in Israel’s Druze villages in the Carmel.

Israel’s food scene is gaining stamina, and is on a steep upward trajectory. Tel Aviv can already boast the highest number of sushi restaurants per person in the world (!) and a restaurant with food described by the Italian Government as the best Italian food outside of Italy, but it seems Israel is not satisfied with just this, and every week new restaurants serving all kinds of adventurous and innovative new ideas are opening up. Nothing bad survives, especially in Tel Aviv, and this is true to the fact that if a restaurant has been around for more than five or ten years, it can be considered an institution! If it lasts this long, its going to be amazing.

As Israel’s mark on the world food map gets bigger and bigger more and more people are choosing to spend time eating in Israel, more than just three meals a day. Food tourism is a rapidly growing sector of the industry here, and you can go as far as hiring a guide for a food tour, or even have a cooking vacation in the country. It all sounds tasty!

Isfiya and Daliyat El Carmel are two such villages, located in the Carmel region, just north of Zichron Yaakov and south of Haifa, and just over a one hour drive from Tel Aviv.

The Druze village of Isfiya is located on the top of the Carmel Mountain commanding a panoramic view of the surrounding green hills. The village has a rich tradition of openness, hospitality, and warmth that is characteristic of the Druze community. Its special location and rich ethnic tradition and culture have proved especially attractive for travelers and tourists.

Isfiya was first established during the 17th and 18th century by Druze from the mountains of Lebanon. They were later joined by several Egyptian families, and in 2003 the village was merged with the neighboring Druze village of Daliat El Carmel. The two unified villages are known today as Ir Carmel.

The village has opened itself to tourists, while at the same time preserving its traditional Druze life style. The Druze are well-known for their warm hospitality and receive guests with smiling enthusiasm. The Isfiya residents are no exception, and welcome visitors into their homes, where they can get a close glimpse of Druze religious customs and traditions.

Visitors can walk through the narrow streets of the village and wander through the picturesque alleyways on their own, but it is recommended to go with a guide, who will add to your visit by showing you around and telling you interesting stories about the community. In the center of the village are several old buildings built in the style characteristic of northern Israel and southern Lebanon. There is also an olive press in the impressive ancient quarter where visitors can learn about the process of making olive oil and make oil candles.

The main street of the village has a lively bazaar filled with a variety of colorful shops. Nearby restaurants serve guests spicy ethnic foods. The colorful market is filled with visitors on Shabbat and is a noisy, festive place filled with exotic aromas and colors.

Visitors who wish to learn about the Druze culture from close up can lodge in an authentic Druze home or in guesthouses run by the local residents. Guests can enjoy traditional foods, listen to stories, and watch special performances of traditional music, song and dance. Those who would like to have a religious experience can visit the Druze house of prayer, the mosque, or in the Catholic-Maronite Church.

The western entrance to Isfiya has a beautiful promenade overlooking the view. Isfiya is a good departure point for nature walks in the Carmel Mountains nearby.

Daliyat el-Carmel is a colorful village that offers wonderful hospitality with a smile and is also very interesting. Daliyat el-Carmel was founded in the 17th century by Druze from Mt. Lebanon.

Daliyat el-Carmel’s colorful market, open on Saturdays, is only an excuse to come to this special place. On the main street dozens of stores offer their varied wares and one can get lost in the abundance and variety. Between the stores are many restaurants serving genuine Druze ethnic foods, bakeries that fill the air with the sweet smell of baklava pastries. Other food stands sell high quality olive oil, olives, pita bread and locally produced labaneh cheese. The flurry of activity, the colors, the new beside the old, and the village bustling with people are a multi-sensational experience not to be missed. The market also has a few galleries where cultural evenings can be held, alongside the Druze hospitality.

Apart from Daliyat el-Carmel’s main street, with its tourist center, on 22nd Street there is the house of Sir Laurence Oliphant, an Englishman who loved the Holy Land and moved here in 1880 to help the Jews during the period of the First Aliya wave of immigration. Today his house serves as a military memorial to village residents who served in the Israel Defense Forces and gave their lives for their country. The front courtyard of the house is a plaza that overlooks the slopes of the Carmel hills.

The Druze heritage house is on 8th Street and houses an exhibit about the Druze lifestyle. One can also just wander around the village to no specific place; walk through the narrow passageways that wind their way between old houses, prayer halls and holy sites, beside olive oil presses, textile workshops and art galleries.

In recent years the villagers have begun hosting groups in their homes, and such a visit offers a glimpse of their houses, culture and tradition. The local residents offer tourists and genuine ethnic foods, wear their traditional clothes, tell stories about the Druze heritage and there are even guest houses designed with an authentic Druze décor.

If you get the chance, the Druze villages of Israel are a fascinating place to stop off and visit. Here we’ve focussed on two villages, although other examples include Majdal Shams, Buq’ata and Ein Qinya.

Maps: Isfiya & Daliyat el Karmel,  Majdal Shams, Buq’ata, Ein Qinya

Quotes: Haaretz

Vineyards in the Golan Heights by Flickr user Eagle XDV

Israel has recently become a major center on the world wine-making map. The country has more than 200 wineries scattered across the country, from the Tuscan-esque Galilee to the more barren Negev. Many of these wineries are very historic playing an important part in the formation of the State, whilst others are newer. AND…Most are open to visitors in one way or another, whether it be a visitors center in the larger wineries, or a visit to the makers home in a boutique winery!

The Golan Heights Winery by Flickr user KRS Juan

If you wish to include a visit to a winery into your visit, check ahead, and you’ll be sure to pass one (or more) on your journey around this super-cool country. A map of the Wine Route marking the wineries is produced by the Tourism Ministry. If you wish to make a day (or more) of it, we say you should aim to visit about four in a day, and no more than five. And remember, not to drink and drive, perhaps appoint a tour guide, or make sure someone doesn’t drink, no matter how tempting it might be!

Visiting Wineries in Israel

Golan Heights Winery Visitors Center

A high alititude, cold winters, lots of sun, and rich soil make the Golan Heights a perfect wine-making region. The Golan Heights Winery is one of Israel’s largest and most well-respected wineries producing under the Golan, Yarden, and Gamla labels. With a large visitors center, this is one of a few wineries really geared up to wine-lovers. Visits include a tour of the winery, as well as a movie, and wine tasting.

Visits should be booked: 04-6968435. Katzrin Industrial Estate, Katzrin (Map)

Binyamina Winery Visitors Center (Coastal Plain nr Zichron Yaakov)

In the town of Binyamina, on the coastal plain close to Caesarea and Zichron Yaakov, the Binyamina Winery visitor center is in an old perfume factory established by the Baron Rothschild early on in the establishment of Israel. The visitor center is fairly  new, and visits include a tour, film explanation, and of course, wine tasting.

04-6388643, binyaminawines.com. Hanasi St, Binyamina (Map)

Tishbi Winery Visitors Center (Coastal Plain nr Zichron Yaakov)

Located near Zichron Yaakov on the coastal plain, the Tishbi Winery was first established by the Baron Edmund de Rothschild over 100 years ago who commissioned the Tishbi family to grow grapes. The name has now changed, and the winery, tranquilly located at the base of Mount Carmel has one other unique feature. That is, visitors can come to the winery, and fill up containers of their own with Tishbi for 19NIS per litre. The center offers guided tours and also has a restaurant.

04-6288195, tishbi.com. Map

Tabor Winery Visitors Center (Lower Galilee)

A small, boutique winery, the Tabor Winery is located in the village of Kfar Tabor in the Lower Galilee with its vineyards growing on the slopes of Mount Tabor. This vineyard is very traditional in its agricultural methods, and only uses local materials including water. Next to the visitors center which offers full tours, is a marzipan museum and restaurant.

04-6760444, twc.co.il. Signed from entrance of Kfar Tabor (Map)

Tourist Israel have partnered with one of Israel’s leading wine tour operators. Please contact wine@touristisrael.com for more information about your affordable, unique, and most importantly fun Israel wine tour.

Okay, people dont tend to go on holiday to look around breweries as they might wineries, but Israel has recently developed a superb collection of micro-breweries which are perfect if you are a beer connoisseur.

The two most well-respected micro-breweries are the Golan brewery based in Katzrin in the Golan Heights. Only here can you taste the beer which is served on tap. The Dancing Camel Brewery is based in Tel Aviv and has some cool and unique flavours. This can, however, be found in some bars and restaurants across the country.

Israeli breakfasts are fresh, light, and big! by Flickr user Or Hiltch

Over the past ten years or so, Israel has experienced something of a culinary boom. Off the back of Israel’s hi-tech boom which has led to the country being dubbed Silicon Wadi, have modern, international restaurants opened there.

Many restaurants in Israel are kosher. This means they conform to Jewish food laws serving only meat killed in a special way, and not serving both dairy and meat products. This does not diminish their quality, although it is worth pointing out that most of the selection in dairy restaurants will be suitable for vegetarians, whilst there are usually some options suitable in meat restaurants.

Fresh juices are very popular by Flickr user Shayan (USA)

Having said this, many of Israel’s trendiest restaurants are not kosher and thus serve meat and dairy products, with some going as far as to serve even pork and shellfish which are forbidden in kosher restaurants.

Restaurants in Israel only survive if they are good. They say that if a restaurant survives two years, it is good, and if it survives, ten, it is an institution! Whilst as a tourist you don’t know what’s been around for how long, we have to say that the standard of food in Israel is generally high, especially in Tel Aviv, which we want to nominate as a world center of gastronony!

Israel’s National Dish?

Israel’s national dish is undoubtably regarded to be falafal although there is more to this than meets the eye. The sheer diversity of Israel’s population means that all varieties of cuisine can be found here, cooked often by people who have lived in the country itself. Recipies in restaurants as diverese as Ethiopian, Iraqi, and American, are often handed down through generations to the family members who run the restaurants today.

Image by Flickr user tomerlichtash

Drinking in Israel

Israel isn’t a country of drinkers, although has recently built up a reputation for its micro-breweries and wineries.

We’ve searched and eaten long and hard to bring you a selection of some of Tel Aviv’s top rated restaurants, and some of our favorites!

NG, 6 Ahad Ha’am Street in Neve Tzedek, is a meat restaurant, voted the best Meat Restaurant in Tel Aviv by Time Out for two years running, and picked by Haaretz newspaper as one of the top 5 restaurants in the city. The portions are big, the meat is tasty, and the ambience is great!

Moul Yam, in Tel Aviv Port, is the only restaurant in the city featured in “Les Grandes Tables du Monde”, the worldwide restaurant guide. It is considered by some to be the best in the country and is definetely the best in the city for fish.

Giraffe, 48 Ibn Gvirol St is a Thai restaurant which is always packed! The food is great and reminds Israelis of Thailand where many of them spend time travelling!

Sushisamba TLV, 27 HaBarzel St, was picked by Time Out Tel Aviv as the best Asian restaurant in the city.

Susannah, 9 Shabazi Street is a great little restaurant located in Neve Tzedek serving up all kinds of interesting Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes.

Orna & Ella, could almost be described as a Tel Aviv institution! The cafe located on Sheinkin Street is the cog behind the cool and trendy revolution which Tel Aviv has seen over the years. It is the place to be!