ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Israel
Five dishes to try in Israel, the most typical first. Four are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Israel
Falafel פלאפל
Deep-fried chickpea balls served in pita with salads, tahini and pickles.
How to have it: Stands let you load your own salads; ask for amba mango sauce or spicy schug.
Hummus חומוס
Warm chickpea purée with tahini, olive oil and whole chickpeas, scooped with pita.
How to have it: Hummusiyas serve it as a meal until early afternoon and close when it sells out.
Sabich סביח
Pita stuffed with fried aubergine, hard-boiled egg, salad, tahini and amba.
How to have it: A Tel Aviv street favourite, especially around Ramat Gan and Givatayim; eaten for breakfast or lunch.
Shakshuka שקשוקה
Eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, served in the pan.
How to have it: A breakfast and brunch staple in cafés; Jaffa's Dr Shakshuka made it famous.
Jerusalem mixed grill מעורב ירושלמי
Chicken hearts, livers and spleen fried with onion and spices, served in pita.
How to have it: Born at Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem, where grill counters stay open late.
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Questions
What food is Israel famous for?
Falafel (deep-fried chickpea balls served in pita with salads, tahini and pickles) comes first on our list, followed by Hummus, Sabich, Shakshuka and Jerusalem mixed grill.
What is the national dish of Israel?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Israel is Falafel: deep-fried chickpea balls served in pita with salads, tahini and pickles. Stands let you load your own salads; ask for amba mango sauce or spicy schug.
Which dishes in Israel are vegetarian?
Four of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Falafel, Hummus, Sabich and Shakshuka. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Israel?
Falafel (deep-fried chickpea balls served in pita with salads, tahini and pickles), Sabich (pita stuffed with fried aubergine, hard-boiled egg, salad, tahini and amba) and Jerusalem mixed grill (chicken hearts, livers and spleen fried with onion and spices, served in pita).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.