With so many restaurants and only so many days, it can be tough to decide where to eat in Jerusalem. Plan ahead by checking out these restaurants:
The first name that is typically brought up when foodies talk about Jerusalem is Arcadia, and when you taste the food there, you will immediately understand why. All of the ingredients come from within Israel, much of it purchased at the Machaneh Yehuda market just down the street. The menu changes seasonally, but the cuisine is always Mediterranean-influenced.
If hummus is what you're craving, there is no better spot in Jerusalem than Abu Shukri. As the purveyors of some of the finest hummus in the Middle East, Abu Shukri feels no need to provide ambiance, or even menus, to diners, so come prepared.
La Guta offers kosher Mediterranean fare, though the menu itself changes frequently. It is one of the few kosher restaurants to attract non-religious diners, largely because of its reliance on fresh, local ingredients and its willingness to experiment.
Sabich is a popular Israeli dish consisting of hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes, fried eggplant, and a hard-boiled egg, all stuffed inside a pita and topped with tehina. If you want to try some authentic Israeli sabich, the place to go in Jerusalem is the appropriately named Hasabichiya.
Chakra will allow you to eat extraordinarily inventive cuisine from around the world with Jerusalem locals. In addition to a big menu, Chakra offers 12 nightly specials, which makes choosing a dish difficult. In fact, many food critics recommend visiting with a large group and splitting the dishes family-style, so you won't have to choose.
Eucalyptus brought the slow-food movement to Israel with fantastic results. Though the menu changes regularly, either at the whim of the chef or the availability of local ingredients, their signature dish is maqluba, a traditional Palestinian casserole.
Those with a sweet tooth should check out Jafar's Sweets, with four different locations in Jerusalem. Their traditional Arabic desserts are some of the best in Israel, and the spot is a popular with locals.
If you're getting sick of hummus and shwarma and want something a little different, sushi is popular in Israel. Sakura is one of the most popular, and most authentic, Japanese restaurants in Jerusalem. For real food-lovers, they even offer Japanese cooking lessons.
