I was hesitant about traveling to Israel. The security situation there is, at best, complex. But my husband had an invitation to a work event in Tel Aviv and our current policy is to go with the flow, travel-wise. So, we scrapped whatever trip idea we’d originally had for May and set off for a weekend in Jerusalem, followed by a few days in Tel Aviv. It turned out to be one of my favorite travels ever.
Standing in the religious sites of Jerusalem is immensely humbling. Though you generally have to walk through the sometimes chaotic labyrinthine alleyways of the Old City to get to them, a visit to the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, or al-Ḥaram al-Šarīf (Temple Mount), takes you to another place and time and begs an extended moment of quiet contemplation. In Tel Aviv, everywhere I went I was greeted by a chill vibe, which, as a local taught me, can be summed up in one word: sababa. Sababa can be used in place of OK, great, alright, cool, but also captures a laid-back feeling. In Israel, I also enjoyed the food more than I have probably anywhere else. I mean, look, while it’s one of my favorite things in the world to discover cuisines that are completely unlike anything I normally eat (I’m looking at you, Prague and the West Fjords of Iceland), I like what I like and Israel had everything I like. Fresh food, ALL THE VEGETABLES, and chickpeas and falafel out the wazoo.
Standing in the religious sites of Jerusalem is immensely humbling. Though you generally have to walk through the sometimes chaotic labyrinthine alleyways of the Old City to get to them, a visit to the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, or al-Ḥaram al-Šarīf (Temple Mount), takes you to another place and time and begs an extended moment of quiet contemplation. In Tel Aviv, everywhere I went I was greeted by a chill vibe, which, as a local taught me, can be summed up in one word: sababa. Sababa can be used in place of OK, great, alright, cool, but also captures a laid-back feeling. In Israel, I also enjoyed the food more than I have probably anywhere else. I mean, look, while it’s one of my favorite things in the world to discover cuisines that are completely unlike anything I normally eat (I’m looking at you, Prague and the West Fjords of Iceland), I like what I like and Israel had everything I like. Fresh food, ALL THE VEGETABLES, and chickpeas and falafel out the wazoo.
al-Ḥaram al-Šarīf / Temple Mount
Old City, Jerusalem
I was already a believer that simple can be delicious. Still, my mind was blown by what Abu Shukri (Al-Wad Street 63, Muslim Quarter, Jerusalem, near 6th Station of the Cross) can do with a chickpea. We were all happy moans and eye rolls as we lapped up every bit of the hummus and falafel—along with salad and chewy pita—that formed our lunch on our first day in Jerusalem. To me, falafel needs to do two things simultaneously to be good: it needs to be (1) perfectly crisp on the outside and (2) moist and tender on the inside, not dry and crumbly. It sounds simple enough but it can be so hard to find tasty falafel that satisfies both criteria. The falafel here does all this and more. Meanwhile, the hummus is so perfectly smooth, creamy and bursting with flavor. We got ours topped with whole chickpeas. We’d heard that tables fill up fast so we arrived for an early lunch (I think we walked in right at noon or even a few minutes before) and had no problem getting a seat.
World's best hummus and falafel at Abu Shukri.
The café at the Austrian Hospice of the Holy Family (Via Dolorosa, Muslim Quarter 37, Jerusalem) provides a relaxing respite if you become overwhelmed by the narrow corridors and haggling of the souks. Inside, the café feels like an Austrian coffeehouse. You can also enjoy your coffee, made with beans from Viennese roaster Julius Meinl, in a shaded outdoor garden.
The café at the Austrian Hospice, Jerusalem.
New City, Jerusalem
Between the inventive menu and hip yet relaxed vibe at Chakra (King George Street 41, Jerusalem), we had a memorable last night in Jerusalem. There’s a terrace for dining al fresco, especially lovely given that the restaurant sits at the corner of a park, but I recommend sitting at the bar, where you can use your view of the kitchen to make game-time ordering decisions as delicious-looking dishes come through the pass. More traditional dishes are available as well.
Spicy tuna bruscetta & aioli at Chakra restaurant.
Open fire eggplant with tahini and tomatoes at Chakra.
I love a good market and the Machane Yehuda (Mahane Yehuda Street, Jerusalem) is a must-do in Jerusalem. Besides overflowing with beautiful colorful produce, delicious pastries, fresh ground tahini and fresh pressed juices, it was also the place where I discovered my favorite coffee roaster in Israel and enjoyed one of my favorite meals of our trip.
Machane Yehuda market.
We knew that (far in) advance reservations are recommended for Machneyuda (Beit Ya'akov Street 10, Jerusalem), the popular restaurant, located at the Machane Yehuda market, from celebrity chef and co-owner Assaf Granit; so, we were thrilled when we showed up as the doors were opening and were immediately given seats at the bar. This must-do is located at the Machane Yehuda market, which we spent the morning exploring while we waited for the restaurant to open.
Fatush salad at Machneyuda.
Machneyuda restaurant.
Jerusalem & Tel Aviv
Cafelix (several locations in Jerusalem & Tel Aviv) fast became my new favorite coffee spot while I was in Israel. I would sit and sip my small cappuccino while enjoying the sight of laid-back locals chatting with friends, while I pretended to use the free customer wi-fi. The third wave espresso café and coffee roaster has 5 locations in Israel, including one at the Machane Yehuda market and 4 around Tel Aviv. The Purple Square location roasts for all the Cafelix shops. There’s also a separate, dedicated, roasting site where the team is experimenting with using wood for roasting. Cafelix serves single origin coffee which, during my visit, came from both Rwanda and Papua New Guinea.
Third wave coffee at Cafelix (several locations in Jerusalem & around Tel Aviv).
Tel Aviv
While at Machneyuda, we told the two young girls dining next to us how we were moving on to Tel Aviv after our meal and they excitedly set about giving us the lowdown on the restaurant scene there. They taught me about Eyal Shani, local celebrity chef, co-host/judge of MasterChef Israel, and owner of 9 restaurants in Tel Aviv and beyond, including North Abraxas, The Salon, Port Said and Romano. Most of my time in Tel Aviv was spent walking around solo, so I went the casual route and chose to try out one of 5 locations of Ha Miznon (three shops in Tel Aviv), Shani’s gourmet pita joint that has branches in Paris and Vienna. Eyal Shani is the man responsible for the current craze over whole roasted cauliflower, which I got to sample at Ha Miznon. My lunch was a perfectly chewy tasty pita stuffed with roasted cauliflower and topped with tahini. It was so simple, and so…. beige….yet, absolutely brilliant. There are plenty of other stuffings available too, including meat options, potato and chickpea, as well as a toppings bar.
Ha Miznon, gourmet pita shop.
Dallal (Shabazi St 10, Tel Aviv-Yafo) is tucked away in my favorite artsy neighborhood of Tel Aviv, Neve Tzedek, which is filled with lots of boutique shops from local designers. Its extensive and eclectic menu is an easy crowd pleaser and the space has a few different dining settings, including a patio and a bar with high tables and a skylight.
A fish carpaccio at Dallal.
Manta Ray (Yehezkel Kaufman Street 703, Tel Aviv, Beit Ha'etzel parking lot) sits squarely on the beach and one of my favorite things about dining there was having an outdoor seat, on the porch, listening to the waves crash up on the shore. Come here for seafood in a beautiful but relaxed setting.
Manta Ray offers a view of the beach by day and the sound of crashing waves by night.
The décor at Orna & Ella (Shenkin 33, Tel-Aviv) is simple (we weren’t even sure we’d come to the right place at first) but the homemade food is what makes this spot a hit with the locals. According to their website, bread, pastries, pasta and desserts are made fresh daily. We devoured yam pancakes, fig brioche with gorgonzola, and kebabs.
Fig brioche and yam pancake starters at Orna & Ella.
Fish kebab with quinoa and tahini at Orna & Ella.
All Over
I normally don’t drink juice, and don’t recommend it, because of its lack of fiber. Better to just eat the whole fruit as-is or in a smoothie. But a fresh pressed juice is not to be missed in Israel, where a juice stand is always just a stone’s throw away and a refreshing orange or pomegranate juice can be such sweet relief on a hot day. (I’m also convinced it was an orange juice that prevented me from passing out when I was feeling particularly dehydrated.)
Enjoying fresh squeezed juice in the Old City of Jerusalem.
