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After a full day of visiting Nazareth's shrines, you can quench your thirst with the locals at one of the little Arab restaurants along Paulus VI Street. Dinner here usually means hummus, shish kebab, baklava, and the like. Decor is incidental, atmosphere a function of the clientele of the moment, and dinnertime early. Needless to say, reservations aren’t necessary, and dress is casual. If looking for more upscale dining, several high-end restaurants have opened in the past few years, serving traditional Arab and fusion fare.
In a magnificent 19th-century mansion with a Thousand and One Nights atmosphere, this eatery matches its magical setting with excellent Arab cuisine, including interesting salads and kebabs, as well as dishes with Indian and European influences. Pesto and grilled vegetables stuffed in a chicken breast is a good choice, as are the vegetarian dishes. Don't pass up dessert.
Ranked among the region's best Arab restaurants, Diana doesn't fail to impress. Owner Duhul Safadi is most famous for his kebabs and lamb chops, but the fish and seafood dishes are all equally wonderful. The plant-filled terrace and sophisticated dining room would not be out of place in Tel Aviv.
Recharge in an elegant setting in the Old City, sampling delicious pastries and coffee or perhaps a glass of wine. This small café, set in a 200-year-old building, is run by local architect Razan Zoubi, whose professional studio is upstairs. Around the corner from Al-Reda restaurant but in the same building, Kahala uses Al-Reda's kitchen to create delicious homemade cookies. Nibble a coffee-pecan or tahini-almond biscuit with a perfect espresso as you browse Razan's beautiful collection of Arab-designed modern and ancient architecture books.
Try the unbeatable Arab pastries at this bakeshop. The place serves wonderful bourma (cylindrical pastries filled with whole pistachio nuts), cashew baklava, and great halvah. Don't confuse this spot with Mahroum Bakery: look for the Arab pastries, not gooey Western cakes.
With a menu in English, Arabic, Italian, and Hebrew, Ronen Mansour serves a nice Israeli breakfast, and in the afternoon and evening you can order pasta, pizza, fish, and meat dishes that appeal to everyone. The restaurant is clean and simple, with murals of Italy decorating the walls. Delivery is available to local hotels.
The tile floors, stone walls, and dim lighting at this restaurant and bar named after a month on the Muslim calendar are the perfect setting for the Middle Eastern menu. Known for the wood-burning oven from which fresh breads emerge, this restaurant is big on kebabs and eggplant stuffed with pesto and cheese. Alcohol is served, too.
