What to Eat in Israel in 2026: The Best Food and Drink

Israeli food is one of the most dynamic and debated culinary stories in the Middle East: a cuisine built from the food memories of Jewish communities from over 100 countries, overlaid on the Palestinian-Arab food tradition, and transformed by the produce of an extraordinary agricultural system. Hummus — the debate over which restaurant's hummus is the best in Israel is a national sport — is eaten for breakfast at an Abu Hassan or Abu Shukri table with olive oil, whole chickpeas, and pita bread. Shakshuka (eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce) represents the North African Mizrahi tradition. The Carmel Market in Tel Aviv and Mahane Yehuda (the shuk) in Jerusalem are the places to understand the ingredient depth: Yemenite zhug, pickled lemons, halva in all varieties, and fresh burekas. The Israeli wine industry, particularly from the Galilee, Golan Heights, and Judean Hills, has achieved international recognition in the past two decades. No rush.