23 Best Restaurants in Around Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, Israel

Just off Manger Square, Afteem draws locals and tourists alike for its falafel, hummus, and chicken platters. Grab a falafel sandwich for just a few shekels, or order a sit-down meal in the arched, cave-like interior. There are meat, veggie, and vegan options, as well as Taybeh beer, local wine, and fresh fruit juices. Afteem also stays open late for night owls.

Glass walls let the sun pour into this restaurant beside Hisham's Palace, providing a delightful setting for Palestinian basics done right. Middle Eastern mezze salads are delicious, grilled meats are expertly done, and you can try traditional dishes like Musakhan chicken cooked in sumac. The minty lemonade is a revelation after a hot day. On cooler days or in the evenings, there is a large patio with outdoor seating.

Just west of Bethlehem in Beit Jala, this fluorescent-lit hole-in-the-wall has perfected the art of grilled chicken over nearly 50 years in operation. The birds are split and grilled over charcoal, then served with creamy hummus, eggplant salad, and an unforgettable garlic sauce called mtawameh. Taxi drivers can take you here from Manger Square, and it's worth the trip.

Chef Rama Ben Zvi combines local produce, meat, and dairy with attentive service for a meal that could easily last hours amid the gorgeous Judean Hills. Brunch, lunch, and dinner are fixed price and begin with bread baked on-site. The menu changes at this spot open only a few days a week, but the beet hummus is outstanding, and grilled lamb ribs served on bulgur wheat with tomato chutney are delightful. Desserts like pistachio ice cream are beautifully executed. Prices are upscale, as are the modern wooden furnishings and wood floor. Drinks include a spicy gin coriander cocktail, and the wine list includes many Israeli bottles.

Tables face the rolling terraced hills of the West Bank, making this an unforgettable setting for a sunset meal. Try the musakhan chicken cooked in sumac or the maqluba rice pilaf served upside down; sip some local arak liquor or a Palestinian beer, and gaze at olive trees that have been growing here for centuries. You can also walk in the adjacent Makhrour Valley to picturesque nearby Battir. To get here, drive from Malha in Jerusalem toward Beit Jala. The site is in Area C, meaning it is accessible to both Palestinians and Israelis.

Jawdat Ibrahim won the Illinois state lottery in 1991 and plowed his winnings back into his village, creating a local restaurant as well as a scholarship fund for Arab and Jewish students. Jawdat was the driving force behind Israel's Guinness World Record for the largest plate of hummus, served on a satellite dish; taste the hummus for yourself, or try the bean soup or the juicy meat skewers served with freshly cut colorful salads. Take in stunning village views from large windows or outdoor seating on the balcony. A sweetshop on the first floor offers coffee, tea, and freshly made baklava and other treats, including the syrupy sweet cheese-based desert, knafe.

Locals come to this restaurant, just steps from Jericho's main square, for grilled chicken or lamb served with fresh salads and hummus. The attached bakery turns out sheets of golden baklava and sugary ropes of bourma, angel-hair-like dough wrapped around cheese.

The café at the Ein Gedi Hotel is a great option for fresh salads, pastas, and coffee after a hike at the nearby Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. Sit on the outdoor deck amid the baobob trees, and enjoy the gorgeous views and the aromatic botanical gardens. The café is open for evening drinks as well as lunch and dinner. There is a limited menu on Friday night and during the day on Saturday when Sabbath regulations put the espresso machine and other cooking off-limits.

Sun streams into this kosher restaurant, which is decorated with plants that are for sale and which has outdoor seating on a delightful, shaded patio. Breakfasts are colorful and generous; options for later in the day include the Beit Zayit salad featuring asparagus and mushrooms, fish kebabs in red-pepper-infused tomato sauce, a long list of pizzas and pastas, and several vegan dishes. The wine list features Israeli and foreign selections. Reservations are recommended.

At the edge of the gas station by Neve Ilan, this American-style diner has the largest collection of Elvis memorabilia this side of Graceland, including 1,700 photos, two statues that tower outside, and three inside. Grab some classic American food like burgers and fries, or stay local and order hummus. Serious fans should come on the anniversary of his birth (January 8) or death (August 16), when Israel's aging Elvis impersonators come to get all shook up.

This modern kosher bistro serves burgers, grilled meats, and Mediterranean-inspired dishes in an airy, spacious indoor dining area, as well as at tables outside offering sweeping desert views. The taboun oven produces fresh bread as well as succulent roasted vegetables, and the wine list is extensive; there's also a good selection of locally inspired cocktails. Children can enjoy chicken schnitzel, or chicken hotdogs served with sliced veggies. The restaurant is also the base for Canaan Tours, which offers Jeep excursions, ATV treks, rappelling, and other activities. 

A neighborhood spot, this unpretentious pizzeria makes everything from scratch. The simple Italian fare is lovingly prepared by the owner--chefs, a young couple who made the trek back home from Tel Aviv. Grab a table in the outside patio and enjoy a ricotta-and-dill "Moldovan calzone" along with an Israeli beer.

On the main highway just outside Jericho, this restaurant run by an Israeli family specializes in meat dishes like chicken schnitzel and pastries filled with spicy ground beef. The large breakfast menu features shakshuka with tomato, spices, and egg; quick bites include potato-filled pastries, hummus, and salads. Try the meat-stuffed dates, drizzled in tahini and sweet date honey, accompanied by a glass of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. Ask owner Vered Tayeb-Sinai to show you around the family's date orchards, just behind the restaurant. The restaurant also sells boxes of dates and runs a small guesthouse for overnight stays. 

A Jewish--Arab couple offers fresh food made using ingredients straight from their garden at this eatery in a picturesque location a few miles west of Jerusalem. Yakub Barhum built the outdoor deck and pergola overhead, and Michal Baranes, the chef, dreamed up the menu of changing dishes. The fig salad is a celebration of the summer's juicy abundance, and the Layali Beirut dessert is a semolina cake with cream and rosewater. 

Every inch of wall, ceiling, and bar real estate is plastered with the scarves of worldwide soccer teams at this beloved, well-established eatery on Route 31 at the entrance to Arad. Although there are plenty of options for non-meat eaters (veggie burgers, lentil stew, eggplant and cauliflower dishes), most people come for the burgers, which are served with spicy potato wedges and go well with one of the many available Israeli and imported beers. The atmosphere is cozy and warm, the waitstaff is cheery, and the big-screen TV is always tuned to a soccer match.

People from near and far seek out this casual eatery for its excellent kebabs, made from ground beef and lamb, along with plenty of parsley. Opened in 1936, the family-owned restaurant also offers a large menu of grilled meats, salads, and desserts made in its nearby bakery. Vegetarians will enjoy stuffed peppers, onions, and eggplants. Large windows surround the tables in the circular dining room.

Inside Moshav Beit Nekofa outside Abu Gosh, this large modern restaurant is a great place for a leisurely lunch or indulgent dinner after a day of hiking on nearby trails or exploring archaeological ruins. The main dining area includes an open kitchen, plenty of high windows, and pots full of orchids. There is also seating on a patio surrounded by vine-covered stone walls. The menu features rice, noodle, and sushi dishes, and the fresh ginger lemonade pairs nicely with everything. A full bar also offers local beer and wine, as well as cocktails. Reservations are recommended, especially at lunch.

Palestinian classics are the main draw at this tourist-friendly eatery steps from the Church of the Nativity. Try the maqloubeh, a spiced and baked chicken leg served with a colorful pilaf of yellow rice and eggplant, cauliflower, and carrots. Another great option is musakhan, chicken and onion baked in sumac spice over flatbread. There are also a wide range of pasta dishes. Palestinian Taybeh beer is on tap, and you can end with local baklava pastry or tiramisu.

Chef J.J. Jalil returned from the United States to his mother's home village and trained in top Israeli kitchens before opening his own homage to Ein Rafah. Try the musakhan chicken, marinated in sumac for 24 hours, or the siniya (layers of bulgur and minced lamb served with house-fermented lemon). Bread is baked in a stone oven on-site, and vegetarians can order salads or vegetable stew. No alcohol is served, but you can bring your own. 

Old Singer sewing machines are the tables at this cafe that celebrates Palestinian and Arab artists. In addition to good coffee, you can enjoy fresh juice or lighter fare like sandwiches and salads, and you can also eat upstairs on a rooftop deck. Keep an eye on the bulletin boards for upcoming book readings and local tours. The café is a 15-minute walk from the Church of the Nativity.

Reached by the Jericho Cable Car, this restaurant is the only place to get a cup of coffee, fresh juice, or some lunch near the Qarantal monastery. Tables are scattered on terraces built into the mountainside, and the menu includes grilled meats, hummus, salads, and some Western foods like pasta. Sultan closes at 7 pm daily, except for Thursday and Friday, when it is open later.

The closest restaurant to Tel Jericho (they share a parking lot), this touristy spot known locally as Abu Raed serves grilled meat and chicken as well as mezzes like hummus and vegetable salads. You can buy Dead Sea beauty products at the adjacent shop.

Located in Beit Sahour, this massive restaurant with wide windows is a great way to end a day of sightseeing. Slip into a bright red chair, order a water pipe, and wait for waiters in white shirts and black vests to bring out well-spiced grilled meats, hummus, and salads.