Let the obsessing begin. Yes, we're leaving for our trip in 7 months and yet Chris is already obsessing about where and what we're going to eat. So in an attempt to get him off my back, , does anyone have suggestions for restaurants in Jerusalem/Tel Aviv? Specifically ones that may be open on Friday or Saturday nights?

As always, thanks!

You'll have an easier time of it in Tel Aviv than in Jerusalem. The hotel dining rooms will be open with a buffet after sundown Friday. After Havdalah on Saturday, everything opens and it's party time--the big night to go out.

Yeah, that's what I figured as a fall-back. I was hoping for maybe some Turkish or Arab restaurants that might be open. Though Friday is the Muslim Sabbath, I wasn't sure if they were like us, opening after sundown.

Kim, the last time I was in Jerusalem, in 2000, I saw that many more restaurants were open on Shabbat than previously. That said, you might well want to prepay a dinner for Friday night at one of the nicer hotels.

Not sure about Arab restaurants; my cousins took me to one in (I think) Abu Ghosh that was a barbecue place (not that I could eat there, but that's another story ). But remember that this was in 2000, and I don't know about now.

A nice thing to do is wander around Yael Salomon street in central Jerusalem after Shabbat; all the restaurants (and there are scores) reopen and the crowds descend. One of my favorites is The Yemenite Steppe, which has great eastern food.

Haven't been in Tel Aviv in a while, but there are fun places to eat in Old Jaffa along the water.

M

Thanks Marian.

So other than Friday and Saturday - what time do you think is normal out to dinner time in Israel? Is it like Italy or earlier?

Hi
In Tel Aviv there are some really nice places to eat in the Old Tel Aviv Port. The whole area is undergoing revamping and it is a really pleasant place to sit.. there is a great boardwalk to walk along.
Everything is open in Tel Aviv 24/7. There is the Abulafia restaurant in Jaffa... not to be confused with Abulafia which is the sidewalk take away place. Same family different place. During the day and especially on a Friday morning go to the Jaffa Flea market wander around, then either eat at Pua (very in place right in the market to eat) or at Dr. Shakshuka - more ethnic.
Another great place to eat is in the Carmel market in Tel Aviv in the Yemenite quarter. During the day there is a great place you can eat called Erez... when we first found it, it was just a market workers "hole in the wall" with 3 tables inside and 2 on the sidewalk. All food is cooked on primus stoves. There is another place in the market called "Shimon" - only soups.
Whereabouts will you be staying in Tel Aviv? Will you have a car so will be able to go a bit further afield?
Shalom
Jabo
Abu Ghosh has some good Arab restaurants.

Me again
FOrgot to mention that people here tend to go out to dinner later here than in the States... restaurants start filling up after 8pm
Jabo

quote:

FOrgot to mention that people here tend to go out to dinner later here than in the States... restaurants start filling up after 8pm

Jabo, that's perfect. We like to eat a bit later too.

We're using points for our hotels, so limited in choice. In Jerusalem, we're staying at the Renaissance (sp). In Tel Aviv, the Hilton. We won't have a car though, so we're limited to public transport or a taxi ride.

Thanks for the tips. Feel free to pass along any others you might have .

Hmm, you mentioned 7 months till your trip, so that is towards the end of October. That is a great time to travel here - after the awful summer heat. Tel Aviv will still have summer great warm days, but Jerusalem will be cooler.
Tell Chris not to worry about what he will eat, we have restaurants from about almost every country in the world you can think of in Tel Aviv.
The traditional Israeli breakfast buffet in the hotels will keep you going till well after lunch time.
You will of course have to eat typical Israeli "fast food" - felafel in pita bread,with lots of yummy salads and pickles. You should also try shawarma in a laffa bread (kind of a big wrap).
Let me know what you like to eat, what you would like to see and I will be more than happy to give you tips.
Shalom
Jabo

Kim ---

I've sent you a PM with some ideas.

Tried to delete this message but couldn't.

M

Jabo, we'll be there from Nov 2 - Nov 12; wish it could be longer. We're so looking forward to falafel, fresh pita, hummus. Basically, we really want to eat middle eastern/Israeli/Arabic food while where there, some good seafood wouldn't stink either, so any suggestions you want to throw our way will be appreciated. We're spending five nights in Jerusalem, two nights in Galilee (sp), and three (well four - b/c our flight doesn't leave until almost midnight), in Tel Aviv - in that order.

Oh and in case anyone is interested, I found this site, Dining in Jerusalem that lists restaurants by nationality and also ones open on Friday night.

The dinner site is a bit outdated as some of the restaurants don't exist any more
Tel Aviv:
Great seafood in Tel Aviv... Mul Hayam, Benny Hadayag
Yemenite - Zion
Great Rumanian grill - Haim Nelo
Jerusalem:
Caravan Inn - Abu Gosh
If you want tradtional Jewish-Kurdish food which is delicious - try the IMA restaurant
Where will you be staying in the Galilee - there are some good restaurants in the Tiberias area.
Jabo

quote:

Yemenite - Zion

This is the first place I ate in Israel, taken by my Israeli cousins. It's a wonderful place, a lot of history, with wonderful food. My cousins were so impressed that Americans would eat that food; gave us "street creds" that we still talk about.

M

quote:

My cousins were so impressed that Americans would eat that food;

Why? What are some dishes you ate?

Kim, it wasn't that the food we ate was so strange, just that it was well seasoned (probably cumin, coriander, various peppers,etc). Maybe even spicy. Thing is, we were young and adventurous, lived in the Village, etc. The other relatives who had come over were of an older generation whose only familiar seasoning was salt, and for whom adventure meant chicken chow mein. Think YOUR grandparents.

Where are you staying in the Galil?

M

Marian, I'm thinking you should come with us on our trip, that we I won't have to think up all my questions ahead of time . Oh and we couldn't get my Dad's parents into a chinese restaurant even for chicken chow mein (not to mention Chris's parents too).

I'm trying to remember the name of the kibbutz our agent booked us at b/c I can't put my fingers on the note paper. But it's really more of a resort and I think Chris and Becky actually wanted to stay on a farm (think Agritourismo in Italy), so they're a bit disappointed. I'm wondering if those types of kibbutz still exist and house guests. I need to talk to her to find out.

Okay here it is: Hagoshrim. Turn your volume down before visiting the site

Jabo, thanks for the rec's! Feel free to send anymore along you might think of.

Kim
Hagoshrim is a great place..
Actually there is a great fish restaurant there...and another close by, well known for their trout which are "farmed" in the area.
Most of the kibbutzim these days have guest houses or "country living" as they call i, from very simple to more upscale Hagoshrim is on the upscale side.
BJ

Kim: I'll come with you --- direct from Italy!

We stayed at HaGoshrim (the bridge builders) in 1993 and it's LOVELY! Way up north. I recall that it has huge grounds. (They made their money, I recall, from inventing the Epilady. ) It may not be an agriturismo , but it gets fewer group tours than some of the other nice places. At least I don't recall any groups when we were there. I think the restaurant Jabo is thinking of is right on the Dan; they catch the fish and grill them and you eat them right there.

You are also quite close to two lovely sightseeing areas: Tel Dan and Banias falls.

HaGoshrim has a huge swimming pool; I think the Israeli Olympic swimmers trained there.

M

These days, many restaurants (non-kosher of course) are open on Friday nights and Saturdays in Jerusalem.

I ate recently at the YMCA restaurant and it was good. Plus I have a friend who likes to eat there as well. It's NOT the same as when it was L'Tsriff, but the food is still quite good, and the menu is larger, more extensive, more variety.

Other good non-kosher spots for Friday night dinner include:

FOCACCIA BAR at #4 Rabbi Akiva Street (just off Hillel, across from the Jerusalem Tower Hotel)
ARCADIA (VERY nice/expensive) at #10 Agrippas, in the alley between Agrippas & Jaffa Road
CAFE PARADISO on Keren Hayesod Street (at the bottom where it intersects with Jabotinsky & King David (across from the "back" of the King Solomon Hotel)
AMERICAN COLONY HOTEL in Nablus Road (wonderful - take a taxi)
SEA DOLFIN at #9 Ben Shetach Street (center of town)
BAROOD BAR/RESTAURANT at #31 Jaffa Road (in the courtyard)
CACAO in the Jerusalem Cinematheque at #11 Hebron Road (I just ate there recently - great food and the view is magnificent - get there early to get a seat on the terrace).
SPAGETTIM in the front of the Beit Agron building on Hillel Street.

IN the Christian & Armenian Quarters of the Old City:

HENRY'S CAFE in the square near Jaffa Gate
THE ARMENIAN TAVERN on Armenian Patriarchate Road
AMIGO EMIL on Al-Khanqa Street (continuation of St. Francis Road, not far from New Gate (walking down, on the left before you reach the 8th station of the via Dolorosa).
PAPA ANDREA'S on the roof - in the Muristan Quarter (near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre) - another wonderful view!

That should give a few choices!

On the question of the "Muslim Sabbath" - they don't really do it that way. Actually, most only take off for prayers at noon, but shops & restaurants are open throughout the day and evening - nothing different just because it's Friday.

Hope that helps.

suzanne

Thanks, Suzanne. Haven't seen you around here in a while.

Hey Kim. Just been quite busy (which is great, of course). Glad to see your plans are progressing. Been meaning to write (and will soon).

suzanne

KIM -

If you are into "gourmet" restaurants, there are lots of really really good restaurants in Tel Aviv. There are only a few in Jerusalem.
Most are open on Friday and Saturday nights.

Just to mention a few in Tel Aviv:
Rafael (near the hotels)
Pangaia (Herzlia)
Mul Yam (Tel Aviv port- mentioned by Jabo above)
Mesa
Cordelia (Yaffo)
Pronto (italian)
Kimmel (near the Shalom Tower)
Chloelys (Ramat Gan)

These are really good restaurants and there are quite a few more. Most would be defined as "fusion". If you are interested, I'll be glad to make specific recommendations.

Also, don't forget to visit Haifa (where I live). Although there aren't many really good restaurants in Haifa, it's a beautiful city. The best restaurants in Haifa are the bars, where they serve very nice and moderately priced food.

Feel free to get in touch with me via email:
glickman@zahav.net.il

Thanks Steve. We do like gourmet restaurants but actually for this trip are hoping for more mom and pop, casual places; we'll have the kids along plus we don't want to bust the bank. Any suggestions for casual, good "local" cuisines (e.g., Israeli, Arabic, Greek, Turkish)

Lets talk as the trip gets closer. Maybe we could get together one night.

Dr. Shakshuka in the Flea Market in Jaffa... not open Friday nights though.
jabo