Although I had been to the beautiful land of Israel once before in 2006, my two month trip abroad to finish school as well as explore the country was entirely different. The people I met were amazing, the things I learned were enchanting, and most importantly, the food I ate was extraordinary. I found that Israeli food goes far beyond just falafel and shwarma. Below you’ll find just a few of the amazing food I discovered on my exploration.
Segev Art
When my parents came to visit me in Israel, we went to a fascinating restaurant called Segev Art. When we first pulled up, I thought it was some sort of art gallery, but really the whole concept of the restaurant is inspiring. Every dish brought out has some artistic touch to it, as seen in my thai salad featured in the photograph. The food was both delicious and beautiful.
Moshiko Smoothie
Israel is known for its variety of fresh fruits, but I experienced this first hand when I went to a smoothie stand in Hod Hasharon every single morning of my trip. Moshiko’s strawberry, mango, and pineapple smoothie was one I looked forward to daily and I miss it dearly.
Shakshuka Sandwich
When I first heard there was a Shakshuka stand in town, I was expecting a hot pot of boiling tomato sauce and runny yolk eggs, but this Shakshuka sandwich was unique and didn’t disappoint. Inside of crisp, puffy dough was a spiced tomato sauce with eggs mixed into it, kind of tasting like an Israeli calzone. Although one was extremely filling, it was worth every bite.
Benedict’s
In our campus cafeteria, the breakfast food choices were quite limited, so I when I got the opportunity to get brunch one Friday in Tel Aviv, I knew exactly what to order. This french toast was light and airy and the blueberry compote on the side was the perfect complement. What a way to start my weekend!
Golda
Making an article about Israeli food I came upon and not including my friends and my favorite ice cream shop would be a true misfortune. Golda, located in our school’s town of Hod Hasharon, not only serves amazing gelato and ice cream but also killer milkshakes. I tend to stick to vanilla, but the strawberry, cookie man, and salted caramel were also fan favorites.
Marzipan Rugelach
The rugelach from the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem was easily the most life changing food from the entire trip. If you haven’t eaten this specific rugelach, then you haven’t lived. This is a must try! The sticky outside and the perfect, chocolaty inside are a match made in heaven. Utter perfection.
Nammos
Nammos is a relatively well known restaurant in the Herzliya Marina. When I went for a beach day, we stopped here for a quick lunch with a great view and even better food. My crispy rice and spicy tuna were huge hits- so huge that I ended up coming back there a few weeks later with my parents.
Tamara
Tamara frozen yogurt is the perfect sweet, tart, and refreshing treat for a hot Israel day. Located in Tel Aviv, Tamara offers different flavored yogurt with fresh toppings and amazing sauces. I decided to get a regular tart yogurt with strawberries, peaches, dark chocolate, honey and coconut. This was definitely one of my favorites.
Although I had the classic shwarma, falafel, and schnitzel, the foods featured in this article truly blew my mind. Israel treated me very well and I’m extremely excited to be back in the future.