Part of the Machneyuda group, Lotte, is located in the Galei Kinneret Hotel, considered to be an institution of culture and resilience. The story of the restaurant’s namesake Lotte Eisenberg begins when Lotte came to Israel in 1947 and established the Galei Kinneret Hotel. Through war and several assasinnation attempts Lotte managed to keep her business above water and has hosted a range of historical figures, celebrities, writers, heads of state, and various dignitaries. Today the restaurant that bears her name has made a commitment to the same level of excellence that Lotte Eisenberg pursued with a menu that pays homage to her memory and love of Gallilean food culture like Knerret sardines served with Turkish salad and lemon aeoli.
Restaurant Tag: Israeli
Ishtabach
Ishtabach is a compact, unassuming locale serving fresh Kurdish pastries in Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda Market. The widely popular bakery-style restaurant is the brainchild of Chef Oren Sasson-Levy, who obtained inspiration from another realm. In the midst of a two-month coma, his grandmother came to him in a dream to explain he could achieve phenomenal success with anything he put his heart and soul into.
Oren decided to open a restaurant in her honor—and the phenomenally successful project has now fulfilled her legacy. Patrons pack out the quirky, tightly packed space on any given night to devour his delicious baked pastries and sip frothy beers. Unsure what to order? Try the signature Shamburak, a hearty Kurdish pastry chock full of veggies and exotic meats.
Ima
Miryam Binyamin established one of Jerusalem’s most beloved kitchens, Ima, in 1981 and has been feeding generations of sabras, olim, and tourists ever since. There is a saying in Israel that everything that comes out of mom’s kitchen is delicious, and sometimes there is nothing better or more needed than touching base with some good ole fashioned Israeli comfort food. The sort of comfort food that comes out of Miryam’s iconic kitchen is more specifically Sephardi comfort food and it does not dissappoint.
Mona
The Mona group is a collective of restaurants and culinary experiences run by Chef Tomer Rosenfeld and headed by their flagship restaurant Mona. Nestled deep within the city of Jerusalem in one of the it’s historic old stone houses, the tastes of home and simplicity are paramount in all the dishes at Mona. However, as Chef Tomer Rosenfeld likes to remind his patrons “simple is never actually simple,” and with a selection of very few ingredients Mona turns out dishes of homemade taste with gourmet color and presentation. The simplicity of raw delicious food is a regular practice at Mona with dishes featuring styles such as sashimi and tartare.
Jako Street
Once upon a time, four friends Zakai Huja, Rafi Revivo, Uri Abras and Yotam Nissim wanted to bring their joy of life to the people of Jerusalem through food. Jako Street leaves its patrons with a stomach full of happiness. The four chefs especially enjoy bringing the love of life that is enmeshed in Kurdish cuisine to the people of Israel. However the menu pays homage to the idea of food as love and the connection between community and family which spans across numerous Mediterranean cultures. Some of their dishes include sour Kurdish risotto, harima salmon, and the ever classic Moroccan cigars served with sweet breads and chicken liver.
Tzemach
Chef Uri Navon and Chef Assaf Granit, owner of the Machne Yehuda Group, own a significant number of reputable restaurants in Israel, including Tzemach, a vegetable centric and mostly vegan affair with influences from around the globe. As always the main goal for any Navon/Assaf culinary mission is repeated and high satisfaction for its customers with fresh, colorful, and distinctive dishes such as Kohlrabi gratin with onion and fennel stock, fresh cream, horseradish chiffon, and lime. When you look at the plate you are able to distinguish between each type of ingredient in its collective effort to produce something strategically beautiful to look at and eat in that effortlessly lovely sort of fashion.
Miznon Tel Aviv
Chef Eyal Shani is a native Jerusalemite who received his culinary education from his grandfather, a dedicated vegan and agronomist who exposed his grandson to the variety of Israel’s culinary scene. Over the last decade or so, Shani has been one of Israel’s food pioneers, serving Mediterranean taste freshly and conveniently in a pita with seasonal vegetables, fish,and meat. The name of the game at Miznon is recognizable innovation. The pita is the beating heart of Israeli comfort food. It’s the perfect model for translating the language of Mediterranean food around the world and combining that food with other foods. Miznon is now in several locations around the globe with its most recent additions popping up in the trendy New York neighborhood of Chelsea.
Cafe Asif
Founder Naama Shefi started Café Asif under the belief that food is one of the most effective methods for building a community. The non-profit culinary organization endeavours to nurture Israel’s gastronomic culture, serving a smorgasbord of traditional dishes to customers from diverse backgrounds. The joint venture runs in conjunction with Tel Aviv’s Start-Up Nation Central and the New York City-based Jewish Food Society.
Promoting food as the core ingredient of culture and identity, the restaurant strives to educate diners on Israeli history and encourage them to confront contemporary conflicts. As for the menu, expect a broad range of Israeli classics, from green shashuka to fish kebab sinniyeh in a tangy tahini sauce.
Dok
Low-lit Dok is an intimate Tel Aviv venue specializing in seasonal Mediterranean cuisine. Owned by two brothers, Assaf and Yotam Dok, the family-run affair has just two tables and one seven-seater bar—it frequently fills up.
The Dok’s craft a slew of seasonal Mediterranean favorites from locally sourced ingredients, with flavors inspired by places like Russia and Lebanon. Order the baked kohlrabi with crumbled cheese, poppy seeds, and hot pepper to give your tastebuds a special treat.
Cafe Kaymak
Relaxed Cafe Kaymak serves delicious vegetarian dishes in a small, hole-in-the-wall locale. The popular Tel Aviv venue sources fresh ingredients each day from the surrounding Levinksy Market. A wide range of home-made vegetarian—including some vegan—dishes adorn the menu, with flavours inspired by India and the Mediterranean.
The café-restaurant-bar has become a hit with hip young locals who gather here to socialize and while away the day.
