Culinary/ Food

7 Best Israel Traditional Food to Try in 2024

Israel is a beautiful country that a lot of people have to visit, and although there are numerous reasons to do so, some consider the food to be more than enough of a motive to go there at least once in your lifetime.

If you are a lover of culture, tradition and other valuable things, Israel is the right place to be. If on top of this you happen to be a food lover as well, we think that you’ll have the time of your life visiting this country.

The specialties made by the locals there are very famous throughout the entire world, some of them being much commercialized. Chances are that you’ve tried some of the things that we are about to list below, but they are not even close to what the original thing is.

We know that you are curious to find out some more, so let’s end this introduction right here and take a look at these delicious foods.

1. Kawarma – Hummus Masabacha

img source: timeincuk.net

A traditional meal that we all know as Hummus, although locals refer to it as kawarma. This meal is so good because it can be served in many different ways, and all of them are just great. Usually, the locals love serving it with a piece of warm pitta bread that you can dip in, and a bunch of other things, mostly vegetables. The Israeli food choices are very healthy, but you can still gain a few pounds after your visit there because everything is just so delicious to try.

When you visit a place that serves Hummus, which is almost every place in Israel, you can try different combinations and you don’t have to eat the same meal all over and over again, because there are so many variants. Some people like this with lemon dips on top, others prefer onions by the side, and it’s completely up to you to customize your serving.

2. Falafel

img source: ytimg.com

There are numerous nationalities that claim the Falafel is their own “invention”, but when you discover the taste of it in Israeli restaurants, you’ll immediately have a candidate for a winner. This food is made from fava beans, chickpeas and a bunch of other things that are not always uncovered due to them being a secret formula in many Israeli restaurants. Some serve it with hummus, others serve it with numerous other vegetables, and just like the previous meal, it’s completely up to you to decide.

3. Shakshuka

img source: sbs.com.au

Don’t let the name fool you, this is one of the most delicious meals that you’ll ever try. When you first look at it, it reminds you of pizza, the regular cheese and ketchup pizza that we all love. Shakshuka is the go-to breakfast in Israel, just like fish and chips in some other countries. It has tomatoes, peppers and eggs, served in a very stylish way and it tastes absolutely amazing. If you are eager to try this, but you are not really sure at which restaurant, feel free to visit Golan Exposure, and you will find a bunch of amazing places with great reviews and reputation.

4. Lechem Bread

img source: kosher.com

You might think that there cannot be anything special about bread, but wait until you try Lechem Bread, and then you’ll consider thinking that again. We are not really sure what they put in the mixture when they’re making this, but it tastes amazing. As we all know already, Israeli people like to eat bread with almost every meal, and after you try a slice of this one, you’ll know why.

To make things more interesting, you can participate in a Friday night ceremony where they break the bread first at the start of the meal before the main feast begins. You get to see a tradition and taste a very wonderful bread at the same time. Is there anything better than that?

5. Sweet Potatoes with Meatballs

img source: taste.com.au

This is the type of food combination that you’ve probably already tried back at home, but it’s still very different when it’s made by a professional Israeli cook. Just as we mentioned earlier, almost e very meal here is served with vegetables and the delicious Lechem Bread, so your experience will be completely different, even if you’ve already tried meatballs with sweet potatoes a while ago.

Don’t get it confused, these meatballs are not really unlike anything you’ve tried before, because they are prepared in a very healthy way without too much oil and other unwanted fats. A true specialty for food lovers.

6. Aubergine

img source: bbci.co.uk

The Israeli type of an eggplant, and it also happens to be a core element of the Israeli kitchen. Sometimes you can find it laced with tahini, smoked or combined with yoghurt or other vegetables. No matter how they serve it to you though, it will taste amazing, and it is not expensive at all. Did we mention that it’s really healthy, especially when it is combined with other vegetables?

The skin of the Eggplant is taken away before serving, and you can order it with lemon juice, garlic in the form of powder or drops, and with many other flavors that come on your mind. Feel free to get as creative as you want when you are customizing this meal.

7. Kanafeh

img source: ytimg.com

We left the sweetest thing for the end, just like it should be, a wonderful dessert that we guarantee you’ll love if you’re a fan of cheese. This one is an Arabic dish but it is probably the most popular dessert in the Israel country. The recipe is a cheese pastry that is combined with a sweet syrup, and it tastes amazing. Kanafeh is served in almost e very restaurant, so make sure to try it if you are visiting.

The type of cheese will vary, depending on the restaurant’s recipe, but usually it’s Nabulsi or Goat Cheese. Of course, that’s not the entire thing, and just like every other meal here, you can combine it with many other things, such as orange drops or rose water. Instead of the sweet syrup, sometimes you can find this served with flavored yogurt, but both variants are very worth trying.

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