Carmel Market Tel Aviv with spices and food stalls

The Israeli food guide

Hummus, sabich, shakshuka, markets, wineries, and where to eat in each city. A complete guide for hungry travelers.

Israeli food is a melting pot of Jewish immigrant traditions — Yemenite, Iraqi, Moroccan, Persian, Ethiopian, Russian — layered over Palestinian Arab cooking and a vibrant modern Mediterranean scene. In one country you can eat legendary hummus in a Jaffa hole-in-the-wall, sabich from a Tel Aviv street cart, Yemenite soup at a Mahane Yehuda family spot, a vegan fine-dining tasting menu (Tel Aviv is the world\'s most vegan-friendly city), and end the night with Golan Heights wine on a Galilee hillside. This guide tells you what to order, where to order it, how much to pay, and which markets and tours are worth it.

By Sebastian · Travel Writer

📍 Based in Tel Aviv, Israel · Last updated April 7, 2026

Hummus bowl with chickpeas, olive oil, and pita — Hummus — the national obsession

Shakshuka in a cast iron pan — Shakshuka — iconic breakfast

Market stall with spices and olives — Carmel Market, Tel Aviv

Falafel being fried in oil — Street food falafel

Shakshuka — eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce in a cast iron pan — Shakshuka — Israel's national breakfast

The breakfast that defines Israeli mornings

Shakshuka is the Israeli breakfast that travelers go home dreaming about — eggs cracked into a bubbling pan of spiced tomato, peppers, garlic, cumin, and paprika, served straight from the cast iron with warm challah or pita to mop it up. North African Jewish in origin, it became Israel's national breakfast in the 1950s when immigrants from Tunisia and Libya brought it home. Get the original at Dr. Shakshuka in Jaffa, the trendy version at Benedict across Tel Aviv, or a Yemenite-style red one at any Mahane Yehuda café in Jerusalem. $10–18, never more.

The 10 dishes you must try

1. Hummus (חומוס)

Not the supermarket stuff. Order hummus masabacha at a dedicated hummusia — warm chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, za\'atar, scooped with warm pita. Best: Abu Hassan (Jaffa), Hummus Pinati (Jerusalem), Hummus Eliyahu (Tel Aviv). $8–12.

2. Sabich (סביח)

Iraqi Jewish street food: fried eggplant, boiled egg, hummus, tahini, amba (mango pickle), Israeli salad, potato — all in pita. Best: Sabich Tchernihovsky (Tel Aviv). $6–8.

3. Shakshuka (שקשוקה)

Eggs poached in spiced tomato and pepper sauce, served bubbling in a cast iron pan with challah or pita. Originally North African Jewish. Order at any café for breakfast. $10–18.

4. Falafel (פלאפל)

Deep-fried chickpea balls in pita with tahini, Israeli salad, pickles, fries. The default cheap lunch. Best: Falafel HaKosem (Tel Aviv), Falafel Gabay (Jerusalem). $5–8.

5. Shawarma (שווארמה)

Slow-roasted spiced meat (usually turkey or lamb in Israel) shaved from a vertical spit, served in laffa bread or pita with tahini, salads, pickles, and fries. $8–12.

6. Israeli breakfast (ארוחת בוקר ישראלית)

Eggs + dozens of small plates: Israeli salad, labneh, tahini, olives, cheese, bread, jam, tuna salad, avocado. Kibbutz origin, now a café institution. Benedict (Tel Aviv) is famous for it. $16–26.

7. Kubbeh (קובה)

Iraqi/Kurdish stuffed meat dumplings in a tangy beetroot or tomato soup. Deep, warming, traditional. Find at Mahane Yehuda — Azura is legendary. $15–22.

8. Malawach (מלוואח)

Flaky Yemenite fried bread — pastry-like, layered, greasy, served with grated tomato, hardboiled egg, and zhug (hot sauce). $8–14.

9. Knafeh (כנאפה)

Palestinian dessert: sweet cheese topped with shredded phyllo, baked, drenched in rose syrup, crowned with pistachios. Best: Akko (Acre) Old City — stalls make it fresh all day. $5–9.

10. Jachnun (ג\'חנון)

Yemenite slow-baked bread log (12+ hours) traditionally eaten Shabbat morning with grated tomato, hardboiled egg, zhug. Trek to a Yemenite bakery Friday night or Saturday morning. $7–12.

Food prices reference

Real prices verified April 2026 — street food to fine dining.

Category	💰 Backpacker budget conscious	💰💰 Mid-range comfortable	💰💰💰 Luxury premium
🥙 Hummus bowl + pita + salads	$7–9	$11–15	$15–22
🧆 Falafel pita (street)	$5–7	$7–9	—
🥖 Sabich (street)	$6–8	$8–10	—
🌯 Shawarma pita / plate	$6–10 / $14	$10–14 / $18	$20+
🍳 Shakshuka (café breakfast)	$10–14	$14–20	$22+
☕ Israeli breakfast (cafés)	$14–20	$22–32	$35+
🍽️ Dinner for 2 (mid-range)	$30–45	$50–90	$150–300+
🍷 Wine by the glass	$6–9	$9–14	$18+
🧃 Fresh squeezed juice (street)	$3–5	$4–6	—
☕ Espresso / cappuccino	$3 / $4	$4 / $5	$5–7

Updated April 2026 · prices in USD

Where to eat city by city

🏖️ Tel Aviv — Israel\'s food capital

Everything is here. Carmel Market + Levinsky Market for street food. Neve Tzedek + Florentin for trendy restaurants. Jaffa for traditional hummusim and the best seafood. Fine dining spots like OCD, Port Sa\'id, Claro, and the original Dr. Shakshuka. Tel Aviv is almost entirely non-kosher and the most vegan-friendly city in the world.

🕍 Jerusalem — tradition and immigrant food

Mahane Yehuda market is the cultural soul of Jerusalem food: Iraqi, Kurdish, Moroccan, Yemenite, Georgian, Uzbek — all the Jewish diaspora traditions in small family spots. Machneyuda restaurant (right next to the market) is the famous modern take. Machneyuda by day, Azura for kubbeh, Pinati for hummus, Marzipan bakery for rugelach.

🌷 Haifa — Arab food heaven

Wadi Nisnas is Haifa\'s Arab Christian neighborhood and a food pilgrimage site. Falafel Michel, Abu Yousef hummus, and dozens of small spots serving the best Palestinian cooking in Israel. The German Colony has more upscale options. Open Saturdays (unlike most of Jewish Israel).

🌊 Galilee + Golan — wine country + farm-to-table

30+ boutique wineries (Bravdo, Pelter, Golan Heights Winery, Tishbi) with tastings + tours. Farm-to-table spots like Shamka\'s at Pelter and cheese farms in the Golan. Stop in Nazareth for Palestinian home cooking — Diana and Al Reda are legendary.

🤿 Eilat — resort food + Red Sea seafood

Mostly hotel dining and tourist restaurants, but some gems: Pastory for Italian, The Last Refuge for fresh fish, Giraffe for pan-Asian with harbor views. Stays open through Shabbat. Budget to splurge depending on hotel zone.

Food tours and experiences

Handpicked food tours verified April 2026.

Top Rated

Tel Aviv Carmel Market Food Tour

4.9

GetYourGuide

Walk through Israel's most famous market with a local foodie guide. 8+ tastings — hummus, halva, rugelach, olives, sabich, cheeses, spices. 3 hours, small group, includes market history and cooking tips.

From USD 65 Book Now →

Jerusalem Mahane Yehuda Market Tour

4.8

Viator

Jerusalem's sprawling food market with a local chef. Taste Iraqi kubbeh, Kurdish sambusak, Yemenite malawach, Georgian khachapuri — the immigrant food traditions that built Israeli cuisine. 3 hours.

From USD 70 Book Now →

Galilee + Golan Wine Tour

4.7

GetYourGuide

Full-day tour through 3 boutique wineries in Galilee/Golan Heights wine country. Includes guided tastings, cheese pairings, vineyard tour, and a farm-to-table lunch. Transport from Tel Aviv or Tiberias.

From USD 135 Book Now →

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Frequently asked questions

What's the single dish I have to try in Israel?

Hummus — but not the supermarket stuff you know. Order a bowl of "hummus masabacha" (hummus topped with warm whole chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, and za'atar) at a dedicated hummusia. Scoop it with warm pita, not a fork. Legendary spots: Abu Hassan in Jaffa (often crowned the best), Ali Karavan next door, Hummus Pinati in Jerusalem, Hummus Eliyahu in Tel Aviv. $8–12 for a full meal. You won't eat store hummus the same way again.

Is Israeli food just hummus and falafel?

Not even close. Israeli cuisine is a melting pot of Jewish immigrant food traditions (Yemenite, Iraqi, Moroccan, Persian, Ethiopian, Russian), plus Palestinian Arab cooking, plus modern Mediterranean. You'll find: Yemenite soups and malawach bread, Iraqi sabich and kubbeh, Moroccan tagines, Persian rice dishes, Georgian khachapuri, Ethiopian injera, Ashkenazi gefilte fish and brisket (on Shabbat), and a world-class modern fine dining scene in Tel Aviv. The Carmel and Mahane Yehuda markets showcase the range.

What is sabich and where do I get one?

Sabich is Israel's underrated street food — fried eggplant, boiled egg, hummus, tahini, amba (mango pickle), Israeli salad, and potato stuffed into a pita. Origin: Iraqi Jewish immigrants who ate it for Shabbat breakfast. Best spots: Sabich Tchernihovsky and Sabich Frishman in Tel Aviv (both under $9). Once you try one, falafel seems boring.

Is Israel expensive for food?

Yes — noticeably more than Greece, Portugal, or Eastern Europe, similar to Western Europe or California. Budget $50–80/day for food if you eat mostly street food + one sit-down meal. Street food (falafel, hummus, sabich, shawarma) is $5–9. Mid-range restaurants: $25–40/person. Fine dining: $80–150+/person. You can save by eating the "business lunch" (special at most restaurants 12–4 PM, ~30% cheaper than dinner). Supermarkets are also pricey — a meal from Shufersal is $8–12.

Do I need to eat kosher food as a tourist?

No — only observant Jewish travelers need to worry about kosher. Most restaurants in Tel Aviv are NOT kosher (including some of the best). Jerusalem has more kosher restaurants (perhaps 70% of sit-down restaurants). Kosher restrictions: no pork, no shellfish, no mixing meat + dairy (so no cheeseburgers at kosher spots). Non-kosher restaurants serve everything. If you want pork or shellfish, Tel Aviv is your city — they're common.

What's the tipping culture in Israeli restaurants?

Tipping is expected: 10–15% for sit-down service, rounded up for casual cafés. Always check the bill — many restaurants now include "service" (שירות) automatically, in which case you don't add more. In cash: leave the tip on the table or hand to the server. Card tips are possible at most places but servers prefer cash (tax reasons). Do not tip at street food stalls.

Is the tap water safe to drink?

Yes — 100% safe. Israel has among the most advanced water desalination and treatment systems in the world (over 50% of drinking water comes from seawater desalination). Tap water is safe in every city, including Eilat and the Negev. Many restaurants serve free cold tap water; just ask for "mayim" (water). Don't buy bottled water unless you want to.

Can I find good vegan/vegetarian food in Israel?

Israel is a vegan paradise — Tel Aviv is frequently ranked the most vegan-friendly city in the world. About 5% of Israelis are vegan (highest rate globally). You'll find vegan versions of everything: schnitzel, shawarma, pizza, ice cream. Dedicated vegan restaurants: Meshek Barzilay, Anastasia, Zakaim in Tel Aviv. All major chains (Domino's, Pizza Hut, even McDonald's) have vegan options. Kosher dairy restaurants are naturally vegetarian.

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