Israel is the place to be – and of course, the place to eat! This was confirmed to the world in stunning fashion last month with the reveal of the new MENA (Middle East and North Africa) “50 Best” ranking, a Top 50 dining list which returned for only the second year to the Middle East and saw Israel climb from claiming five spots last year, to six restaurants this year and two with special awards. The prizes were given out at a black-tie awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi after voting concluded among the two-hundred-fifty restaurateurs and six “Academy Chairs” across nineteen countries. Established dining legends in tuxes presenting awards to rising culinary stars, you could call these the Academy Awards for people who eat! My question is: who catered the afterparty?

And the Michelin inspectors won’t be far behind! After a years-long negotiation that spanned several governments and a global pandemic, the Michelin Guide is bringing its stars (hopefully lots of them) to our flourishing restaurant scene (for now just to Tel Aviv). And where are they likely to start? Here are the Israeli restaurants who scored a spot in this year’s MENA 50 Best:

George and John: #6

Highlighted as a “Destination Winner,” meaning the highest ranked restaurant from its country, George and John is an “ode to charcoal,” as ceremony emcee Shereen Mitwalli put it. The restaurant is a celebration of traditional Middle Eastern grilling and smoking, using charcoal and clay pot smokers to tenderize everything from lamb chops to fresh cabbage. Chef Tomer Tal pairs that depth of taste with seasonal produce from the Carmel Market and fresh seafood from the nearby Jaffa Port. The unique union of flavors like Japanese dashi and local Medjool dates lends itself to a beautiful illustration of Israeli food, modern and traditional.

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Location: 4-6 Auerbach St., Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Hours:

-Sun-Thurs:

8:00-11:00am, 6:00-11:00pm

-Fri:

5:00pm-11:00pm

-Sat:

6:00pm-11:00pm

Book a Table: Here

OCD Restaurant: #14 and Sustainability Award

OCD Restaurant, at number fourteen on the list, is a dining experience created by, and not for, control freaks. The seasonally adapted, set menu is created by the young and talented staff helmed by Chef Raz Rahav, and never revealed to guests until it appears on their plate. At OCD, every seat is at the “chef’s table” where the nineteen guests (no more at any time) sit around the bar and peer into the bustling kitchen for a glimpse of what Chef Rahav calls “progressive Israeli cooking.” OCD was also presented with this year’s “Sustainability Award” thanks to their commitment to use produce frequently discarded in other kitchens. As Mitwalli put it, “from asparagus stalks to unripe apricots, ingredients are transformed into tasty, new versions of themselves.”

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Location: Tirtsa 17, Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Hours:

-Mon-Thurs

6:00-9:45pm

-Fri

11:15am-3:00pm

-Sat-Sun

CLOSED

Book a Table: Here

A by Yuval Ben Neriah: #24

Making its 50 Best debut this year with a top 25 finish, A is the latest triumph for Yuval Ben Neriah, one of Tel Aviv’s most up-and-coming chefs. The restaurant is exquisitely designed in a sleek, minimalist ultra-modernism that highlights and contrasts with the ancient Japanese techniques that characterize its unique flavors. The keywords here are koji and garum, traditional Japanese ingredients that infuse nearly the entire menu. Boasting the widest sake variety in Israel and regular diners from Bar Refaeli to Quentin Tarantino, A is an unmissable dining revelation.

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Location: Azrieli Sarona Tower (2nd Floor), Menahem Begin 121, Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Hours:

-Mon-Fri

12:00pm - 2:45pm

6:30pm - 11:30pm

-Sat

12:00pm-8:30pm

-Sun

6:30pm-11:30pm

Book a Table: Here

Animar: #32

At Animar, Chef Hilel Tavakuli presents a marriage of Persian and Libyan flavors (reflecting his Persian and Libyan heritage), while incorporating Mediterranean and Turkish influences. With self-described “seasonal and happy cuisine,” Animar serves “Med to Table” dishes in a casual fine dining atmosphere where sharing is a must. Diners are encouraged to relax over a fresh curry apple sashimi, while gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the sparkling waves.

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Location: HaYarkon St. 87, Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Hours:

-Every Day

6:00pm-11:00pm

-Saturdays

12:00pm-3:00pm (in addition to evening)

Book a Table: Here

Milgo and Milbar: #40

Tattooed bad boy chef Moti Titman presides over his army of button-downed waiters who never stop moving through this buzzing, energetic fine dining establishment. Directly across from Habima, the National Theatre of Israel, the restaurant presents a masterful performance of its own highlighting color, texture and precision. Chef Titman’s focus on each ingredient as a star allows local Israeli produce and seafood to shine, as it is presented in a careful symphony of eye-popping colors. Reflecting influences from Titman’s globe-trotting culinary career before his homecoming to Israel, the menu features jalapeño cream alongside Yemenite s’chug and German spätzle.

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Location: Rothschild 142, Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Hours:

- Every Day

7:00pm-12:00am

Book a Table: Here (in Hebrew), or by phone +972 36314214 (in English)

HaBasta: #48

Rounding out Israel’s award-winning restaurants this year is HaBasta, a local favorite beloved by Israelis for its casual, unpretentious atmosphere, accessible fine dining, and consistently excellent quality. At its venue in the heart of the storied Carmel Market, HaBasta, which in Hebrew means “the market stall,” is Chef Eilon Amir’s vehicle for his meticulous market creations. With almost all their ingredients sourced from the stalls that surround them, HaBasta provides unrivaled freshness and serves everything from black truffle pizza to organ meat delicacies.

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Location: HaShomer St. 4, Nachalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Hours:

- Sun-Thurs

12:00pm-11:00pm

-Fri

12:00pm-5:00pm

6:30pm-12:00am

-Sat

12:00pm-4:00pm

6:00pm-12:00am

Book a Table: Here or by phone +972 35169234

BONUS: Opa Restaurant

The coveted “One to Watch Award” which opened the awards ceremony went to plant-based Opa Restaurant, a Tel Aviv restaurant that is the creation of Chef Shirel Berger and her twin sister. The team works with only local and organic farm produce to emphasize “the beauty of the plant kingdom,” resulting in a palette of flavors that celebrates environmentally friendly farming and waste-free cooking. Seasonal and preserved vegetables comprise a ten-course vegan menu which Chef Berger describes as “a trip”.

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Location: HaKhalutsim St. 8, Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Hours:

- Mon-Fri

7:00pm-12:00am

-Sat-Sun

CLOSED

Book a Table: Here