What’s to eat in Israel?
Just about everything. Israel today is a cosmopolitan country attracting tourists from all over the world. So, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai cuisine is available as are European tastes – French, Italian, English – and eastern European such as Bulgarian and Russian – and off course – top steak and hamburger joints are ‘a-dime- a-dozen’ in all the big cities, particularly Tel Aviv, and Israel’s coastal resort – Eilat.
On the other hand, they say, “When in Rome”, but you are in Israel, so try a ‘Taste of Israel’ and go for its more traditional dishes.
While Israeli food culture is young, as Israel only became a nation in 1948, its roots go back thousands of years. If you want to dig real deep, you could flip through the Bible and start talking about the ‘magical manna’ that sustained the ancient Hebrews in the desert. But you don’t have to go quite that deep.
What’s become known as “Israeli Cuisine” today is a delicious melting pot of North Africa (Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria) and its Middle Eastern neighbors (Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq), as well as the Mediterranean countries, and don’t forget the Jews from all over Eastern Europe and Russia.
All this history and culture you can get a mouthful of with such a variety of dishes.
The most common “Takeaways” – like the hamburger or hot dog you would gobble quickly while on-the-run in New York, Cape Town or Jo’burg – is pita with falafel balls, hummus, salad and techina or a shawarma, with turkey or lamb meat. It is relatively cheap, nutritious and “unbelievably” delicious. The only thing is – they can become addictive and when you return home, you will always ask:
“where can I get an Israeli falafel or shawarma?”
The answer is simple:
Come visit Israel again!
Bon Appétit !
