The Best Restaurant in Center City, Jerusalem

Background Illustration for Restaurants

The area extends from the Machaneh Yehuda market and Nachla'ot neighborhood, through the central Downtown triangle, to King David Street. The range is vast, from funky budget or takeaway joints to upscale fine-dining specialists, from Middle Eastern food to European cuisine, and several surprises in between. Nonkosher restaurants do a roaring trade on Friday night, after the Sabbath begins, when their kosher counterparts are closed and the city streets quiet.

Deitsch

$

Cholent is a dish that evolved from necessity: Jewish law forbids cooking on the Sabbath, and so observant Jews often start a stew on Friday that will be ready the following afternoon. Every Jewish community has its own recipe, but in Jerusalem the best place to try cholent is in the ultra-Orthodox quarter of Me'a She'arim, where on Thursday nights locals crowd into Deitsch for a plate straight out of Poland. You'll be served a rich brown stew with a few vegetables and a dumpling. Dress modestly, and expect to be the only patrons not wearing black and white.

32 Me'a She'arim St., 9522914, Israel
02-582–9529
Known For
  • Authentic cholent
  • Age-old tradition
  • Ultra-Orthodox local spot
Restaurant Details
Closed Sat. No dinner Fri.

Something incorrect in this review?