Which are the top 10 restaurants in Israel? Frankly, that’s a tricky question! Because Israel is blessed with fantastic food. This is especially true for Tel Aviv and, to an extent, Jerusalem. But there is doubt about it, to have a successful tour of the Holy Land, food is an integral part of it.
Top 10 Restaurants in Israel: Chakra
Chakra restaurant is on my list of Top 10 restaurants in Israel, no doubt! In 2000, the Chakra restaurant was established by three partners. It quickly became a meeting place for food-loving Jerusalemites from the city and the entire country. The restaurant survived thanks to the loyalty of the customers who frequented it. Among all the celebs who visited her, one of the evenings, the singer Madonna and her entourage who appeared with her in the country were surprised.
Top 10 Restaurants in Israel: Satya Restaurant
Satya Restaurant is one of the few Jerusalem restaurants open even on Shabbat. This is an almost subversive act in a city where it is difficult to survive without a kosher certificate. At first glance, Satya is reminiscent of Chakra: its laid-back yet meticulous atmosphere and even design. It’s beautiful here and pleasant. The food is also somewhat reminiscent of Chakra, which is not surprising. This is the same chef.
This is modern food, but not too much. Classic, but not too so. Local, but not too much. In short, the best of all worlds. Sometimes it hits hard, and other times it’s very close.
Top 10 Restaurants in Israel: Machne Yuda
“Machne Yuda restaurant is the most influential restaurant in Israel. This is the restaurant that made “thinly sliced” and “lightly seared” our national cooking styles. This is where the love for polenta began, and this is where the “market restaurants” fashion was born.
The reason for its success is the joyful atmosphere of the restaurant which leads to the joy of the food. This is the basis of the magic in Machne Yuda: it is a charming restaurant.
The first thing you will notice when you arrive at “Machne Yuda” is the sounds of joy spilling out into the street, people dancing inside the restaurant, loud music being played and people stuck between the tables and refusing to move. Embrace it and be prepared!
Top 10 Restaurants in Israel: Manta Ray
Even 20 years since Manta Ray opened its door, the magic is still there! I guess it is the fact that you’re sitting on the balcony of Manta Ray facing the Med Sea that makes it the perfect location. There you enjoy all the bonuses of the sea – sunset, breeze, the rise of the waves. The effect of this is immediate. Even before you will open the menu, it will be hard to wipe away the smile, although there is a situation it would be related to the fantastic margaritas they serve. One of my all-time favorites in Tel Aviv.
OCD Restaurant
You’ll probably need to reserve OCD restaurant months in advance, but I promise you it will be worth it! And this is perhaps the essence of the whole meal at OCD: everything you will experience there today, all the inner turmoil and all the surge of flavors are unique. Even if you would want to share them again – you won’t. Because by the time you find another table, there will already be another menu with other ingredients and tastes. So now, all the joy and sadness are accompanied by a crazy craving for something that there is no way to get. And it has a name – “an unforgettable experience.”
Top 10 Restaurants in Israel: Uri Buri
Uri Buri is a restaurant worth going to Old Town Acre! Uri Buri Restaurant is near the sea, one of the most beautiful places in Israel. The restaurant has been known for years for its excellent fish, but it also gained a name thanks to the frequent media appearances of the owner, Uri Yirmias, for his thick beard and pleasant appearance. If he is there, and it seems he is always there, he will come by to say hello to you! I think he resembles Jonah the Prophet!
At Uri’s, you can order half a portion of each dish on the menu, which is priced at half the plate cost plus about ten percent of the price. This option makes it possible to taste more dishes and enjoy a variety of flavors, a worthy initiative without a doubt, which I have not yet come across in the north.
Hellena Restaurant in Caesarea
Hellena Restaurant is where to go for lunch when touring Caesarea National Park. Apparently, fewer people are interested in what goes on in the kitchen after 18 years at the Helena restaurant in the port of Caesarea – an almost unprecedented record for a gourmet restaurant in Israel. But the truth is that there is a long and endless sequence of first-rate food that leaves most of the competitors in the dust, and if it had been served in Tel Aviv, it would probably have caused a sensation.
The sea crashes against the walls of the ancient Port of Caesarea, where Hellena is located in the most strategic location, in a little harbor that is more similar to a fishing village in Greece than a restaurant in Israel. A serious contender for the title of the most beautiful restaurant in Israel right next to Manta Ray.
Top 10 Restaurants in Israel: Magdalena Restaurant
In the monotonous hum of Israeli cuisine, it is almost impossible to distinguish unique voices. Chef Yusuf Hannah, who has now opened the excellent “Magdalena,” the first Arab elite restaurant, has such a voice. The restaurant is almost hiding in the second floor of a commercial center overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
Dallal Restaurant in Tel Aviv
If you are looking for a nice place to have dinner in Neve Tzedek, well, in my humble opinion, this could be an attractive option! Dallal has a vast menu, and the open-air courtyard in the hot summers of Tel Aviv is divine. You can find the restaurant right behind Suzanne Dellal Center for Dance. Combining your dinner with a modern dance performance could be fantastic!
Top 10 Restaurants in Israel: Tishreen Restaurant
Located in the center of Nazareth near the Church of the Annunciation and the Old City. The building that houses the restaurant was constructed in 1868. All this makes Tishreen Restaurant your best option to eat while touring Nazareth. Tishreen is an excellent combination of classic Palestinian and Arab dishes and contemporary Western cuisine. A personal recommendation, don’t give up muhammar – a mixture of chickpeas, onions, pine nuts, and sumac on an open pita baked in the oven. For dessert, go for vanilla ice cream with crumbled halvah.
