Mona © Noam Preisman
Mona © Noam Preisman

Get ready to splurge at these special occasion restaurants in Israel

These culinary gems are at the top of the special occasion food chain

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They say you get what you pay for, so, if you’re ready to drop some sheks like you just got paid in dollars, we’ve rounded up the best restaurants in Israel to reserve right quick. Whether it’s a romantic Jerusalem restaurant for Valentine’s Day you desire or an incredible culinary birthday experience at one of the top chef restaurants in Tel Aviv, our top ten list has got it all. These special occasion spots may be pricey, but they’re also packed on  any given night - and all for good reason.

Ten truly special restaurants in Israel for any occasion

  • Tel Aviv - Jaffa
  • price 4 of 4

A communal fine dining experience in Jaffa with meticulous attention to detail. OCD lives up to its name, offering a meticulous dinner experience. Crafted to perfection with flavors that pop and playfulness that entices your tongue, the magic of it all lies in the structure with one seating area where everybody eats together at the same time. Sit with random people who share the same love of food and become friends: this is communal dining at its finest. This top-notch diner is one of the most talked about experiences in town.  

  • Mediterranean
  • Jerusalem City Center
  • price 3 of 4

On the roof of the luxurious Mamilla Hotel, you’ll find breathtaking views of the Old City and an extensive bistro menu with dishes straight from the ‘tabun’ (clay oven). Expect dishes like fresh handmade pastas, grouper shawarma, and a multitude of vegetables made from the best produce of the season.

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  • French
  • White City
  • price 3 of 4

If you like surprises and multiple flavor contrasts in every dish, then head to Popina, a beautiful gem in the romantic Neve Tzedek neighborhood. Popina brings creative food to a higher level with artful masterpieces, outstanding seafood and an awe-inspiring attention to detail. The open kitchen lets you peek behind the scenes at the craftsmanship of chef Orel Kimchi and his team. You’ll find options like the sea bream fillet and forbidden rice risotto, with king oyster mushrooms stuffed with parsley, tomato and parmesan with a leek fondue, or the seafood pizza with goat cheese cream, chopped shrimp, scallops, thyme & chili oil. 

  • Yemin Moshe

At La Regence, you will be impressed by the talent of Chef David Biton. At 33, the boy wonder has already held the post for a decade. The star of his impressive display is the light and stunning duck raviolo and shimeji. With a fabulous tasting menu and extensive wine list, La Regence is the place to experience the King David like a king. Located inside the stunning King David Hotel property, this lavish restaurant and wine bar is the place to indulge.  

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  • Mediterranean
  • Tel Aviv Port
  • price 2 of 4

Located in the Tel Aviv Port’s indoor market, this market-to-table restaurant serves up seasonal dishes bursting with creativity. At Kitchen market, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the sea while indulging in some of the best contemporary Israeli food in the city. Handcrafted by artisanal chef Yossi Shitrit, the gourmet cuisine is harmonious, while each dish surprises and soothes at the same time.    

  • Mediterranean
  • Nachlat Shiva
  • price 3 of 4

A vibrant restaurant with a creative and surprising menu. Situated in the old stone Artists’ House, Mona is further enlivened by its select menu where unusual, flavorful combinations always sing and are never heavy-handed. Expect to try the best seasonal and raw ingredients with menu items like fresh pastas made by hand, light and refreshing sashimi and out-of-the-box desserts.  

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  • French
  • White City
  • price 3 of 4

Classy and chic, this restaurant in the Montefiore Boutique Hotel is a must for lovers of meticulous food and impeccable style. The restaurant offers brunch and evening menus that are as much an oasis of style as the boutique hotel itself. The tasteful jazz paired with elegant antique silverware makes the Montefiore the place to fall in love with French cuisine cast under a Vietnamese spell any time of day.   

  • Mediterranean
  • Galilee
  • price 3 of 4

Literally a place like no other in Israel – writers head here for inspiration, foodies go to get a fresh and seasonal culinary fill and nature enthusiasts cultivate a connection with the land. Not to mention those who are also looking for a luxury experience. Helmed by Chef Haim Tibi, a place that is at once a familiar, inviting and luxury experience – with authentic hospitality and a love of the land at its humble source.  

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  • Pan-Asian
  • White City
  • price 3 of 4

It’s no surprise that Taizu earned the title of Time Out’s Best Restaurant for 2 years in a row (and other accolades the years before) with their “Asiaterranean” cuisine, an extensive, seafood-heavy menu of small plates, amazing flavor combinations and consistent craftsmanship. Chef Yuval Ben Neriah’s restaurant is one of the best in town, and Pastry Chef Ana Shapiro’s desserts are in a league of their own thanks to a fusion of savory, sweet and unique ingredients like curry, saffron and other surprisingly harmonious spices.

  • Mediterranean
  • Eilat
  • price 3 of 4

Located on the North Beach, this destination dining restaurant comes from the hands of two successful chefs, Inbar Shapira and Lior Raphael, formerly of restaurant Hamasger 5—a place known for its attention to detail and beautifully-plated dishes.  Whale lives up to the same standards, offering an element of surprise with its refined simplicity and seasonal ingredients, brimming with freshness and creative takes on classic dishes. 

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  • Mediterranean
  • Galilee
  • price 3 of 4

After years of running Tel Aviv's successful Herbert Samuel, chef Michael Grotofsky decided to uproot to northern Israel. This destination restaurant has a warm, welcoming, and rural vibe and authentic farm-to-table dishes, all creatively using the best locally sourced ingredients. Discover delicacies like cauliflower tabbouleh, ‘arais’ (juicy grilled lamb on pita with eggplant and parsley), and fresh gems from the sea. Dedicated foodies come from far and wide to taste chef Michael’s creations.

  • Mediterranean
  • Tel Aviv City Center
  • price 3 of 4
Mashya
Mashya

Located in the Mendeli Street Hotel, this contemporary restaurant spearheaded by Chef Yossi Shitrit (Kitchen Market, Onza) showcases modern cuisine with Moroccan touches. His sophisticated touch and cutting edge culinary are the perfect palette pleasing combination. A feast for your senses, Mashya is one of the most celebrated restaurants in the city.

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  • Mediterranean
  • Sea of Galilee
  • price 3 of 4

Tucked into a nondescript traffic circle in Tiberias, above a generic supermarket and overlooking a tourist-heavy stretch of the Sea of Galilee, Magdalena is quietly redefining Israeli gourmet cuisine. The restaurant, which sits at the Migdal junction, is elegant, refined and entirely surprising. Chef Youssef Hana’s menu fuses home-cooked specialties from the Galilee kitchens Hana grew up in with influences from Lebanon and the wider Mediterranean.

  • Mediterranean
  • Mishkanot Sha'ananim
  • price 2 of 4

Ilan Garussi’s much-loved restaurant can be summed up in a combination of fresh seasonal ingredients, sensational seafood and a keen attention to detail. Though its speciality is seafood, this Mediterranean hot spot serves up food of all sorts, like hand-made pappardelle with tomato butter, colorful seafood risotto and slow-cooked Japanese barbecue short ribs.

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