9 Best Restaurants in Eilat, Eilat and the Negev

One of the best tapas bars in Eilat has a relaxing atmosphere, thanks to leather-backed booths and tastefully subdued lighting. The bar, quite lively on weekends, offers some of the most accomplished bartenders in the city. As for the tapas, you can't go wrong with the goose liver and pears on brioche. You can also choose between your favorite cuts of meat, or opt for the locally raised lamb ribs or the foie gras marinated in a red wine sauce.

At this authentic Italian restaurant, the flavors of Tuscany star on a menu offering fish, meat, seafood, and handmade pasta. The casual dining room and outdoor patio fill up fast, so it's best to call ahead for a table. Try the Trio (entrecôte, beef fillet, and goose liver in red wine sauce) or the spaghetti de mer with shrimp, calamari, and mussels in olive oil and white wine seasoned with sweet chili and herbs.

The Eilat offshoot of the Tel Aviv chain is known for juicy burgers and a copious selection of beers on tap. In a small complex of bars and restaurants, Agadir's slightly off-the-beaten-track locale makes it feel more intimate than your average burger joint. The restaurant draws a lively nighttime crowd seeking solid food and drink, the main draw being good-quality beef (or veggie) patties topped with condiments ranging from goose breast to a sunny-side-up egg and caramelized onions. Appetizers include juicy merguez sausage and meat-filled Moroccan "cigars" that are made on the premises. You can also opt for Moroccan fish or meaty sirloin sandwiches.

A longtime favorite in Eilat, this kosher lunch place is a top-drawer example of Moroccan-Israeli cooking, all of it by an accomplished mother-and-son team. When you arrive at this simple dining room, five different salads (including cauliflower, tahini, eggplant, and hot peppers) are quickly placed in front of you, and the menu further rewards you with adventuresome entrée choices. Consider such delicacies as beef cooked with hummus (a house specialty), calves' brains served with Moroccan spices, or succulent couscous with vegetables, chickpeas, and tender chicken. No fancy pitas here—just plain bread. Dessert is specially prepared fruit, such as oranges or plums cooked until thick and soft, accompanied by fresh mint tea.

Locals hold this fish and seafood restaurant (known in Hebrew as Hamiflat Ha'acharon) in high regard and take their guests from "up north" here as a real treat. The dining room, with dark paneling and nautical motifs like ships' wheels, spills out onto a spacious balcony where diners eat beside the water, looking at Jordan across the way. Presented with a flourish are fish or crab soups, freshly caught charcoal-grilled Red Sea fish, and creamed seafood served in a seashell. A specialty here is stir-fried sea crabs, prepared with a bit of spice in olive oil and garlic. Weekends tend to be extra busy, so it's smart to reserve several days ahead (and to ask for balcony seating).

This chic bar and upscale fish restaurant overlooks the harbor at the Eilat promenade, offering white-tablecloth dining indoors and out. Recommended starters are gravlax and seafood carpaccio. Steaks are a choice entrée, but innovative, attractive fish presentations are the star of the show; portions are generous. The friendly, attentive staff can recommend a nice pairing from the extensive wine and beer menu.

This crowd-pleaser began serving in 1986 from a boat in the marina before occupying a striking, nautical-looking building (it resembles a ship) with walls of windows overlooking the water. The fusion of South American, Asian, and Mediterranean influences creates interesting menu options. Seafood soup or seaweed salad makes a good starter, and seafood main courses include Brazilian moqueca, a fish stew made with coconut milk, and shrimp and calamari gratin with artichokes and garlic. Steak and sushi lovers have good options, too. Pair your meal with a bottle from the impressive list of regional wines.

Accessed directly from the promenade, this kosher steak house distinguishes itself from the pack with service as solicitous as its steaks are juicy. Wooden tables and comfy chairs set the stage for a meal that will have you begging for a doggy bag. Appetizers are named after American states: "Texas" is a serving of crispy, honey-barbecued chicken wings. Steaks, including a copious rib eye, are cooked to order and arrive with a tangle of crispy fried onions and a side of spinach that isn't quite creamed, but is delicious nonetheless. The wine list is diverse and offers several reasonably priced selections.

The husband-and-wife chef--owners of Whale draw foodies from all over the country to what has become one of Israel's top seafood restaurants. Salt-baked beetroot salad or zucchini blossoms makes a nice starter; for a main course, try the shrimpburger, and, for dessert, don't miss the salted-caramel tart with ice cream. Browse the cookbooks on the shelves while you wait for your order.