Mahane Yehuda is the most popular market in Jerusalem, Israel. And it's no secret why! You can find the most delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, spices, and pastries in this rapid-pace market that has over 200 vendors daily. No wonder it's a huge tourist attraction for everyone who visits Israel!
Mahane Yehuda is also known as The Shuk (pronounced "shook"), which is hebrew for market. There are many shuks all over Israel, but Mahane Yehuda, being the biggest, most diverse, and the one providing the most variety, is definitely the trendiest and most sought-after market to buy goods at. Close your eyes, and imagine standing in a long, narrow pathway with a delicious smell of spices, relaxing live music, and a huge crowd of people. Ready to walk through Mahane Yehuda? You're in for a memorable experience.
What They Sell
The thing you'll see the most of in Mahane Yehuda are brightly colored fruits (both fresh and dried) and vegetables of all types, including exceptionally rare ones, such as large dates, persimmons, pomegranates, and dragon fruit. However, they don't only sell fruits and vegetables! One can also buy newly picked nuts, delicate wines and cheeses, teas, artisan breads, homemade candies, as well as high-quality fish, meat, and spices you'll only find in Israel.
There are also a plethora of restaurants, juice bars, bakeries, and cafes inside the market. At night, although all the individual vendors might be gone, it's the perfect place to hang out with friends to enjoy the traditional, delicious food of Jerusalem. And don't forget to visit Marzipan Bakery for dessert to pick up a chocolate rugelach!
Taste Tours
In addition to selling everything you can think of, this market is the perfect tourist spot because they have an elaborate tasting tour and cooking workshop. The cooking workshops provide people with a chance to learn how to create a gourmet, typical Israeli meal from scratch from a Master Chef! You'll also learn how to pick the best produce and spices at the market...although let's be real, it's all good! You can also request vegan, vegetarian or Paleo tours. How can you pass this up?
Dessert
Satisfy your sweet tooth at the Shuk! Think of how delicious a warm and fresh chocolate donut sounds...and then think of one that tastes 80 times better. That's how the donuts at Mahane Yehuda taste like! The list of desserts that can be seen here is endless...from Israeli and other Middle-eastern pastries, baklava, donuts and chocolate chip cookies, to alfajores and chocolate rugelach, it's all there. (Chocolate rugelach is a delicious, classical Middle-eastern pastry that is made with pastry dough and filled with chocolate.)
Obviously my favorite "dessert" at the market is candy! They have the largest assortment of jelly beans, sour candies, gummy bears, gum drops, and candy worms I've ever seen. They also have the cutest little candies made from real fruit pieces that are rolled in crystal sugar...my eyes couldn't stop staring at the watermelon ones, which looked just like mini watermelons, except rolled in a sweet sugar!
Visiting Mahane Yehuda Market is a once in a lifetime experience filled with delicious food, fun music, and great memories. Walking through it is the ultimate Israel experience, and if there's one thing I recommend you do on your next trip to Jerusalem, it's to take a visit to this magical market of enchantment. You never know what you might find!