Summer 2026 Israel eating guide: the cafes and restaurants you don’t want to miss

It’s the group’s latest offering, which opened at the end of last year, which is not to be missed though. Steakiya, near shuk Machane Yehuda, serves an elevated take on traditional charcoal-grilled Israeli skewers. Be sure to order the muhammara with ground lamb and pine nuts, which are next level, as is the fresh laffa bread. And if you somehow have space for dessert, their parev malabi ice cream is shockingly good too.

Tea and cake Tunisian-style at Maison Fanani (Photo: Maison Fanani/ Instagram)[Missing Credit]

Other Jerusalem spots you don’t want to miss

Maison Fanani (Mehadrin) is a new bakery and cafe serving healthier takes on Tunisian pastries, using olive oil, organic eggs, and spelt flour, as well as classic cafe dishes such as avocado toast and salad nicoise.

Hamigdal, at the entrance to the Tower of David overlooking the Old City walls, is a cafe and bakery by day, but transforms into a wine bar in the evening during the summer. As well as an impressive wine menu, food highlights on its delicious dairy and fish menu include nectarine and stracciatella salad, za'atar brioche, cheese agnolotti and crispy salmon bun.

Non-kosher Chota has quickly become one of Jerusalem’s most talked-about restaurants, where diners gather around the open kitchen to taste beautifully presented contemporary dishes from Chef Ilan Grossi, the former chef of the recently closed Satya.

Some restaurants continue to justify their reputation year after year. Black Iron, now under a new chef, has refreshed its menu while maintaining its reputation for quality meat dishes, including Wagyu and aged Golan beef.

Kumkum Teahouse, already popular for serving classic English afternoon tea, has introduced a breakfast menu featuring a vegetarian full English breakfast, eggs benedict, and shakshuka.

Amazing food with stunning views at The Sataf (Photo: The Sataf/ Instagram)[Missing Credit]

Escape to the Judean Hills

Close to Jerusalem and easily accessible from the centre of the country, the Judean Hills has some interesting, less-known eateries. The Sataf (dairy, open on Shabbat) offers spectacular views over forested hills and is perfect for a decadent treat after a morning walk. The gorgeous hillside cafe opened at the beginning of last summer and has been so popular that the owners have just opened a branch in Tel Aviv in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel complex, with a terrace overlooking the sea.

Motza, a newly built kosher restaurant just a 15-minute drive from central Jerusalem, has quickly earned a loyal following. With a focus on interesting vegetables and raw fish as starters, and grilled meat and fish for mains, be sure to save room for their stand-out parev desserts, such as bread pudding and homemade almond ice cream.

Giardino at the Jaffa Hotel offers kosher fine dining in an exceptional setting (Photo: Giardino/ Instagram)[Missing Credit]

Tel Aviv's kosher renaissance

Tel Aviv's kosher dining scene has expanded dramatically in recent years. Darya in the Hilton Tel Aviv continues to impress with refined Mediterranean cooking, while Dvora by Michelin-starred Eyal Shani has become a favourite for relaxed contemporary Israeli cuisine.

Katzir at The David Kempinski offers a unique kosher dining experience inspired by the British-Israeli chef Daniel Raymond. Visitors looking for something more casual should head to Craft Pizza (Mehadrin) overlooking Gordon Beach, whose location and excellent Neapolitan-style pizzas and pasta make it one of the city's best beach-side kosher restaurants. My favourite items on the menu are the panzanella salad, agnolotti with mushroom and truffle cream, and the aglio dolce pizza with camembert, garlic confit and honey.

Another major development is that The Jaffa Hotel is now kosher, including its courtyard restaurant Giardino, making one of Tel Aviv's most beautiful hotels accessible to kosher diners without compromising on quality or atmosphere.

Kosher Italian dairy restaurant Amaya is a highlight in Rehovot (Photo: Amaya/ Instagram)[Missing Credit]

Worth the detour

Some of Israel's best restaurants lie beyond its two largest cities. Amaya, the kosher Italian dairy restaurant in Rehovot, continues to go from strength to strength under new Chef Oren Asido (winner of the TV Show Game of Chefs).

Halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Modi'in has quietly become a worthwhile food destination. Portofino has transformed the city's kosher Italian offerings with handmade pasta, pizzas, and a family-friendly atmosphere, while nearby Enso, from the owners of the iconic Fu Sushi in Tel Aviv and Nay-lon in Hod Hasharon, provides one of the area's strongest non-kosher dining experiences with contemporary Asian flavours.

For more Israeli food recommendations, head to debbestfood.com