Jerusalem Restaurants

Jerusalem’s dining scene is smaller and more modest than Tel Aviv's, but is steeped in 4,000 years of culinary traditions. Among Jewish residents, more than a century of immigration has infused the local fare with the best of Kurdish, Moroccan, French, Polish, Yemenite, and Italian flavors. On the Palestinian side, most restaurants rely on a rich heritage of family cooking. On both sides, an elite class of chefs has begun combining the best of local ingredients with advanced cooking techniques and imaginative serving styles.

All this is to say that when you’re in Jerusalem you can enjoy the best of both worlds: hole-in-the-wall eateries brimming with aromatic stews and garlicky hummus or high-end dining rooms serving inspired and elegant riffs on the city’s flavors and produce.

Some cuisine designations are self-explanatory, but other terms may be confusing. A restaurant billing itself as "dairy" will serve meals without meat; many such places do serve fish, in addition to pasta, soup, and salads. "Oriental" usually means Middle Eastern (in contrast to Western), often meaning hummus, kebabs, and stews.

The term kosher doesn’t imply a particular style of cooking, only that the cooks followed Jewish dietary law in selecting and preparing the food. In Jerusalem, where there are many kosher standards from which to choose, the selection can be dizzying. But unless specific kosher standards govern your eating habits, don't worry. Jerusalem is home to dozens of kosher restaurants preparing excellent food. Remember that most kosher restaurants are closed for Friday dinner and Saturday lunch in observation of the Jewish Sabbath. A generous handful of nonkosher cafés, bars, and restaurants remain open all weekend.

Dress codes are pretty much nonexistent in Jerusalem's restaurants (as in the rest of Israel). People tend to dress casually—jeans are perfectly appropriate almost everywhere anytime. A modicum of neatness and modesty (trousers instead of jeans, a button-down shirt instead of a T-shirt) might be expected in the more exclusive establishments. In conservative neighborhoods, women will feel more comfortable covered up. If you brought the kids, you're in luck: nearly every Israeli restaurant is kid-friendly, and many have special menus and high chairs.

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  • 1. Cafe Kadosh

    $$ | Israeli

    This venerable pastry shop and café run by Itzik and Keren Kadosh is known for its array of airy croissants and inventive pastries, with an annual focus on doughnuts made during the Chanukah season, filled with fruit-based creams and topped with handmade confectionary.

    6 Shlomzion Hamalka St., Israel
    02-625--4210

    Known For

    • Cozy atmosphere
    • Delectable doughnuts
    • Airy croissants

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Fri. nights and Sat.
  • 2. Hasandwich Shel Rachelle

    $$

    This Tunisian hole-in-the-wall offers pillowy hand-rolled couscous, slow-cooked stews, and zingy tuna and egg sandwiches, served outside on tiny tables or packed up to go. There is no menu, just whatever owner Motti Hadad is cooking in the closet-size kitchen.

    17 Beit Lechem St., 9355309, Israel
    02-671–3918

    Known For

    • Quick bites
    • No menu
    • Tunisian favorites

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sat. No dinner Fri.
  • 3. Adom

    $$$$

    The name means "red" in Hebrew, referring to the 150 kinds of wine that decorate every wall in this large yet cozy restaurant. The menu has roots in Mediterranean kitchens, and includes loads of meat and seafood options. Try the fantastic Jerusalem mixed grill—it's a gussied-up version of the city's famed street food. Desserts include tahini ice cream and a dark chocolate, gluten-free "Nemesis cake." If you're seated at the bar, look up: when Adom moved to the First Station complex, the old restaurant's plates were converted into intricate light fixtures. Don't arrive Friday evening without reservations.

    4 David Remez St., Israel
    02-624–6242

    Known For

    • Fresh seafood
    • Open on the weekend
    • Jerusalem mixed grill
  • 4. Caffit

    $$ | Coffee

    Even though this German Colony institution is part of a chain, it's still quaint with welcoming service. It's well-known for its sweet potato soup and juicy salmon skewers. Morning meals are generous and varied, including classic Israeli breakfast of eggs and salads. The personable staff and the warm, welcoming space make this a favorite spot for locals. There are also charming branches downtown near Mamilla on Shlomzion Hamalka Street as well as at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens.

    36 Emek Refa'im St., 9310418, Israel
    02-563–5284

    Known For

    • Multiple branches in great locations
    • Local favorite
    • Sweet potato soup

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Fri. No lunch Sat.
  • 5. Focaccia Moshava

    $$$

    This kosher cousin of the popular Downtown restaurant welcomes you with a large display of fresh vegetables and an open taboon oven where the focaccias are baked. The inventive menu offers eight different focaccias, including an excellent roast beef variety. For starters, try the Peruvian-style chicken strips blanched with mint and seasoned with lime and cilantro, or the beef carpaccio with arugula. Other good choices include the veal bruschetta served with rib-eye skewers, sweetbreads, and grilled portobello mushrooms; or the fish fillet baked with a crust of panko bread crumbs. The menu has several vegetarian options as well.

    35 Emek Refaim St., 9310418, Israel
    02-538–7182

    Known For

    • Roast beef focaccia
    • Kosher preparation
    • Starters at the bar

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Fri. No lunch Sat.
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  • 6. Offaime

    $

    This farm-to-table café situated in the Hansen House complex in the German Colony neighborhood offers fresh salads, goat cheeses, and baked vegetable dishes served in a cozy setting of vintage tables and chairs. The other Offaime locations are in the Israel Museum and Beit Hakerem.

    17 Yaakov Sheskin St., Israel

    Known For

    • Farm-fresh dishes
    • Goat cheeses
    • Eclectic setting

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Fri. and Sat.
  • 7. Roza

    $$ | German Colony
    Closed Permanently

    The varied menu, generous portions, and reasonable prices have made this kosher restaurant a hit with locals in the German Colony. Decorated with cobalt blue tiles, the dining room is friendly and informal. Start with one of nine types of focaccia—the sliced roast beef with arugula or the smoked goose breast are big hits—before moving on to entrées like fettuccine with chicken and cilantro, chicken liver with date honey, or steak sandwiches. The tasty tortilla wraps are a lighter option.

    2 Rachel Imenu St., Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9314502, Israel
    02-563–8000

    Known For

    • Nine types of focaccia, including roast beef and goose breast
    • Fettuccine with chicken and cilantro
    • Tasty tortilla wraps

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Fri. No lunch Sat.
  • 8. Adon Cohen

    $$ | East Talpiot | Israeli
    Closed Permanently

    Levana Cohen has transformed the local grocery store owned by her parents in the grungy Talpiot neighborhood into one of the city's most talked-about lunchtime eateries. This spot is squeezed between an audio store and a driving school. Delicious salads with fresh vegetables and herbs prepare you for a selection of home-cooked meat dishes with a Mediterranean flavor. Try the moussaka, stuffed artichokes, or Cohen's signature meat patties with Swiss chard and mango.

    124 Hebron Rd., at Hatenufah St., Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9348125, Israel
    02-566–5077

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner. Closed Fri. and Sat.
  • 9. Baba Israeli Kitchen

    $$ | German Colony | Middle Eastern
    Closed Permanently

    This popular chummousiya, as restaurants serving hummus-based dishes are called, is a worthwhile stop for a quick lunch or dinner. Try the hallmark dish with minced lamb, grilled tomato, and roasted pine nuts. Marinated slices of boneless chicken thighs are also tasty, as is the spicy merguez sausage. If you're not in the mood for hummus, there's also grilled chicken and finely chopped salad served on a grilled half pita.

    31 Emek Refaim St., Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 93553, Israel
    02-671–9922

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Fri. Closed Sat.
  • 10. Colony

    $$$ | Baka | Eclectic
    Closed Permanently

    Brown winged leather armchairs and a long bar at the entrance make Colony a great place to share a drink and a leisurely conversation. The space, once used as storage by the British Railroad Company, is vast but it fills up Thursday nights when there's live music, and on weekends. The menu offers familiar options like lamb kebabs with tabbouleh and chestnut gnocchi. The bar is well stocked, especially with whisky, and a rotating cocktail list offers bright and tasty drinks. Be sure to order desserts like the tahini ice cream with halva parfait or the strawberry cassata.

    7 Bethlehem Rd., Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9355304, Israel
    02-672–9955
  • 11. HaChazer

    $$$$ | Baka
    Closed Permanently

    In a former train station, this spacious eatery's dark-wood tables and white cloth napkins might be unremarkable, but the interesting menu, with its welcome departure from the standard Jerusalem dishes, more than makes up for it. The chef takes meat eating seriously, adding Mediterranean, South American, and Asian touches to the menu. There's a fine selection of house stews—including some made with beef cheeks—and a selection of juicy steaks. Specialties include beef carpaccio in truffle aioli, broiled sweetbreads served on eggplant cream, and grilled fish. The desserts change according to season and are definitely worthwhile.

    7 Bethlehem Rd., Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9355304, Israel
    02-671–9922

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sat. No dinner Fri., Reservations essential
  • 12. Hamiznon Kitchen Station

    $$ | German Colony | Coffee
    Closed Permanently

    In the former cafeteria of Jerusalem's train station, this casual eatery prints its menus on newspaper broadsheet and has maintained more than a century of peeling paint on the walls. Come in as late as 2 pm on weekdays for generous European-inspired breakfasts. Later in the day, sample the grilled sea bass, a colorful salad, or one of the sandwiches served in shoe boxes.

    6 David Remez St., Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9354102, Israel
    02-561–1497

    Known For

    • Rustic, old-fashioned setting
    • "Barcelona" frittata
    • Breakfast until 2 pm

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Fri. No lunch Sat.
  • 13. Joy

    $$$$ | German Colony | Eclectic
    Closed Permanently

    In the heart of busy Emek Refa'im, the main drag of the German Colony, this is a popular spot for a family meal, quiet time for two, or a get-together with a large group. With stone walls, dramatic arches, and subdued lighting, the decor is classic. The menu emphasizes meat dishes, so be sure to try the tangy chicken wings, beef carpaccio with garlic fries, or savory sweet potato fries before digging into one of the excellent hamburgers, lamb kebabs, or steaks. For the diet-conscious diner, there's a classic salad with chicken slices and grilled chicken liver. The solid bar has some excellent beers on tap.

    24 Emek Refaim, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 93105, Israel
    02-625–3065

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Fri. Closed Sat.
  • 14. Luciana

    $$ | German Colony | Italian
    Closed Permanently

    Perfect for open-air dining, this Italian-style trattoria has a spacious deck with a good view of bustling Emek Refa'im. Late at night you'll spot locals sipping glasses of wine and nibbling at eggplant rolls. In the dining room, the glass walls offer ample light and a feeling of spaciousness. With a meatless menu, Luciana offers flavorful pasta dishes, including the signature tortellini with beets and sheep's milk cheese, and the root-vegetable risotto with poached eggs and Parmesan. For dessert, try the tiramisu served in a screw-top jar. Luciana is a good choice if you have kids in tow, as it offers plenty of simple pizzas and pasta dishes.

    27 Emek Refa'im St., Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 93104, Israel
    02-563–0111

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Fri. Closed Sat.
  • 15. Olive

    $$$ | German Colony | Steak House
    Closed Permanently

    A German Colony landmark, Olive attracts a more mature crowd that seems to prefer the glass-enclosed, bilevel front yard to the Templar-period dining room and its arched windows and stronger acoustics. At this happy hunting ground for carnivores, beef and lamb kebabs are superb, as are the chicken livers. Vegetarians can keep starvation at bay with a hearty soup (try the tomato-based lentil, if available) or salad. Save room for a dessert pie or the delicious passion fruit sorbet. A full taster's menu is available by prior arrangement.

    36 Emek Refa'im St., Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 93105, Israel
    02-561–1102

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Fri. No lunch Sat.

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