IsraelWhat to eat in Israel: top 10 dishes
Traveling to Israel? These are the ten dishes it is best known for, from everyday staples to festive classics, with a short background and a tip on where and when to eat each one. Ranked by how widely they are known around the world.
01Malawach
Malawach or melawwaḥ (Hebrew: מלוואח), is a Jewish Yemenite flatbread that is traditional in Yemeni cuisine and Israeli cuisine. The name of the dish comes from the Arabic "ملوح", literally “board-like bread”.
Travel tip A flaky, fried flatbread often eaten for breakfast or brunch in cafes and casual restaurants. It usually comes with a grated tomato dip, a hard-boiled egg and a spicy sauce.
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02Bamba
Bamba is an Israeli snack made of peanut-butter-flavored puffed maize manufactured by the Osem corporation in Kiryat Gat, Israel. Bamba is one of the leading snack foods produced and sold in Israel. It was launched in 1964.
Travel tip A popular children's snack, sold in supermarkets and kiosks across the country. It melts quickly in the mouth, so it is an easy souvenir snack to pick up.
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03Israeli salad
Israeli salad is a chopped salad of finely diced tomato, onion, cucumber, and bell or chili peppers. It has been described as the "most well-known national dish of Israel", and is a standard accompaniment to most Israeli meals.
Travel tip It appears on nearly every table, from breakfast to dinner, and is often served free as a starter. Many people eat it with bread, in a pita or alongside hummus and falafel.
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04Shkedei marak
Shkedei marak, known as mandlakh in Yiddish, or as "soup mandels" or "soup nuts" in the United States, is an Israeli food product consisting of crisp mini crouton used as a soup accompaniment.
Travel tip Usually sold in packs at supermarkets and eaten by dropping a handful into hot soup. It is especially common with chicken soup on Friday night and holidays.
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05Bagel toast
Bagel toast (Hebrew: בייגל טוסט, romanized: Beygel Tost) is a sandwich commonly eaten in Israel. It is composed of a pressed, toasted bagel filled with vegetables and cheese and is grilled on a sandwich toaster or panini press.
Travel tip A quick snack or lunch at cafes and snack counters, usually ordered with a choice of fillings. It comes hot and pressed, so let it cool for a moment.
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06Jerusalem mixed grill
Jerusalem mixed grill (Hebrew: מעורב ירושלמי, romanized: me'orav Yerushalmi) is a grilled meat dish considered a specialty of Jerusalem.
Travel tip Found in grill restaurants and stalls, especially in Jerusalem. It is usually served in a pita or laffa with salads and sauces, and tends to be hearty and well seasoned.
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07Laffa
Laffa, also known as lafa or Iraqi pita, is the Modern Hebrew term for a large, thin flatbread with an Iraqi origin. Laffa is a simple bread that is traditionally vegan and cooked in a tannur or tabun, both of which are clay ovens.
Travel tip Often baked to order in a clay oven, so you can watch it come out puffed and hot. It is used to wrap shawarma, kebabs and salads, or to scoop up dips.
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09Pesek Zman
Pesek Zman (Hebrew: פסק זמן, lit. 'Time Out') is an Israeli brand of chocolate bar, manufactured by Strauss Group's Strauss Israel company under its Elite confectionery brand.
Travel tip A chocolate bar sold at supermarkets and kiosks. Locals often grab it as a quick snack with coffee.
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10Halva ice cream
Halva (also halvah, halwa, halua) is a type of confectionery that is found throughout North Africa, East Africa, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, and the Levant.
Travel tip Halva is a sesame sweet sold in markets, and it is also used as a flavor or topping in ice cream and desserts. Look for it at ice cream shops and dessert cafes.
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