So you envision all the old history, religious sites, and those beautiful Mediterranean coastlines, right? And sure, the history is great and there are great beaches, but there is one more major reason you’re going to completely fall in love with this place: the cuisine.
I didn’t know this trip to Tel Aviv was going to be such a foodie experience when I purchased my ticket. I thought I’d just get some great chow—like falafel and hummus, you know? In all honesty, though, I didn’t know I was embarking on this crazy culinary adventure that would completely change my perception of Middle Eastern cuisine. From crazy-busy bazaars to street stands you have to search out to find to hip fusion restaurants, the cuisine in Israel is genuinely amazing, really varied, and so delicious.
Hey, if you’re planning on coming or are daydreaming about some delicious grub, you’ve got to know about the Israeli cuisine you’ve simply got to try.
1. Hummus: So Much More Than A Dip
Okay, let’s start with the staple. Israeli hummus completely trumps the store stuff you buy at home. Sure, I’m guilty with my jar of Sabra like the rest of you, but actual Israeli hummus? That’s on a different level altogether.
So, one of my early days in Tel Aviv, I found this small hummus place in Jaffa that a local guy I met at the beach recommended. I ordered the hummus masabacha—it’s this warm combination of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon, garlic, and paprika all mixed up in this creamy, great bowl of goodness. It also came with fluffy, fresh-out-of-the-oven pita bread, pickles, and some raw slices of onion (which I wasn’t sure about at first, but they actually worked really well).
Hey, quick advice: In Israel, hummus is not really served as an accompaniment; it is the main course. Hummus shops are everywhere throughout the nation, and each one claims to have the best one, and really, you have to try them all.
2. Shakshuka: Breakfast Worth Waking Up For
You’ve never truly had breakfast until you’ve tasted the shakshuka of Israel. The North African staple—eggs poached in spicy tomato and bell pepper sauce—has completely become an Israeli household favorite and staple at cafes.
So, I had my first shakshuka at this adorable little café in the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem. They brought it out hot from a cast-iron skillet, topped with fresh herbs and a tahini drizzle. And when you serve it with some crusty bread and a little Israeli salad on the side, it becomes one of those breakfasts where you just want to relax and savor every last bite.
Even better? There are a million ways to do it. You’ve got green shakshuka with spinach and feta, ones with merguez sausage, or even vegan versions with tofu. Honestly, as long as it’s in a skillet and involves eggs and that amazing tomato sauce, I’m game.
3. Falafel: The Original Street Food
I couldn’t talk about Israeli cuisine without mentioning falafel. Those crispy on the outside, soft on the inside chickpea balls are far too delicious to resist.
I’ve eaten some of the best falafel of my life in Haifa, at this little stand on some corner street. You know it has to be great if there is always a line around the corner, and people don’t even mind waiting because the food is so incredible. They stuffed the pita with falafel, pickles, hummus, and this incredibly spicy green condiment called zhug that blew my mind.
Falafel is everywhere throughout Israel, even at gas stations and high-end restaurants. It is the ultimate inexpensive snack that never disappoints.
4. Sabich: The Undercover Friend
If you’re going to have only one sandwich in Israel (though realistically you’ll end up with loads), make it a sabich. It’s this toasty pita filled with fried eggplant, a boiled egg, hummus, tahini, Israeli salad, amba (sour mango pickle sauce), and typically some zhug to add some spice.
Bro, I just tried sabich for the first time at this small, off-the-grid place near Carmel Market in Tel Aviv. Dude, no idea what it was going to be like. The flavors completely blew me away—savoriness, spiciness, creaminess, tanginess, all condensed into this soft pita. Flavor bomb, no joke
What a total mess, right? Did I get tahini on my shirt? Certainly. Was it worth it? Completely.
5. Bourekas: Extremely flaky, but believe me, it’s great
Imagine this: a delicious filling of cheese, mashed potatoes, mushrooms, or spinach all wrapped up in a flaky, buttery pastry. That’s bourekas for you! They’re everywhere—like at train station kiosks or neighborhood bakeries—and they’re the perfect quick breakfast or snack throughout the day.
It was loaded with feta cheese and topped with sesame seeds. I picked it up straight off this bakery stand in Tzfat (Safed) while exploring the artists’ quarter, and it went really well with a small glass of sweet black coffee.
Hi, quick advice! Israelis like to dip bourekas into pickles and boiled egg. Trust me, you wouldn’t know it at first, but honestly, give it a try—you won’t regret it!
6. Street food bazaars are the bomb!
One of the best things about getting into Israeli cuisine is spending some time in the outside markets, or shuks. I absolutely adored Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem and Carmel Market in Tel Aviv. They’re this incredible case of sensory overload: you’ve got vendors hollering, insane spice aromas, meat cooking over an open fire, and color everywhere.
I snacked on fresh dates, grape leaves stuffed with goodies, crispy kubbeh (those delicious semolina balls filled with meat), and halva in more flavors than you could possibly imagine. Carmel Market featured everything from Moroccan cigars (spiced meat rolls) to innovative vegan versions of the old favorites.
If you have an appetite for a large feast or want to just snack around downtown, these markets are purely a foodie’s heaven.
7. Dairy Delights: Israel’s Cheese and Yogurt Scene
Honestly, I could eat nothing but carbs and cheese for the rest of my life, so Israel was like paradise for me. The dairy is such an important component of cuisine here—particularly at breakfast.
One of the best breakfasts ever was at this guesthouse kibbutz up north in the Galilee. They spread this amazing array of goat cheeses, fresh labneh (this thick, tangy yogurt-like cheese), olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and freshly made bread out before us. Everything was so fresh, so local, so made with so much love. So simple, but so unforgettable.
Labneh, you have to try it—it’s amazing! So creamy, slightly tangy, and typically topped with olive oil and za’atar. It’s great with warm pita or really, a spoon does the trick just as well!
8. A Sweet Finish: Desserts You Must Try
Let’s talk dessert, because Israeli desserts are completely next-level.
First up is knafeh—a gooey, cheesy pastry soaked in sweet syrup topped with crispy noodles or semolina. I tasted it at this small Arab bakery shop in Nazareth, and it was so decadent that I couldn’t even finish half of it… but gosh, I badly wish I could have!
Malabi is this really silky milk pudding topped with chopped pistachios and rose water syrup. It is really refreshing after spending the whole day sightseeing.
I have to give a shout-out to halva—it’s literally sugar and sesame seeds combined, and there are so many flavors such as chocolate, coffee, pistachio, and vanilla. They sell stacks of these gigantic blocks of it like bricks at bazaars, and the street vendors always offer you some to taste before you purchase it.
9. Modern Israeli Fusion: Tradition Meets Innovation
You won’t believe the way the Israeli chefs are completely modernizing those classic old-school dishes. Tel Aviv is actually like a playground for foodies! I ordered this deconstructed shakshuka with sourdough bread served with some herbed yogurt on the side. And this other establishment provided me with this vegan chicken schnitzel made from jackfruit, and it really was great.
Israel has such a multicultural group of people that the cuisine is brought from everywhere—North Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Mediterranean. The amazing part is, the cuisine changes but never loses its roots
Final Thoughts: Come Hungry
When you’re going to Israel, always be really, really hungry. And curious. And completely prepared to eat things you’ve never eaten before and experience flavors that’ll blow your mind. It’s not so much about feeding your belly here but about the culture, the community, and those connections.
Some of my favorite travel memories involve lounging at shared tables, chatting to strangers while munching on hummus or getting late-night sabich after dancing at Tel Aviv. Sure, the beaches and the history are great, no doubt about that. But the food? That’s what remained with me even after I departed.
So bete’avon! (That’s “bon appétit” in Hebrew 😉)