Food & Dining in Israel And The Palestinian Territories

The food of Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and Jordan shares a common Levantine spine — olive oil, legumes, flatbreads, fresh herbs, and slow-cooked meat — while each place carries its own distinct cultural imprint. Palestinian cuisine reflects a deeply agricultural identity: villages have long been defined by their olive groves, and dishes like musakhan (roasted chicken layered over caramelised onions and sumac-soaked flatbread) or maqluba (a flipped pot of rice, vegetables, and meat) are expressions of home, season, and community rather than restaurant spectacle. Jordanian food carries Bedouin and Levantine Arab influences together; mansaf, cooked in pungent jameed (dried fermented goat yoghurt), signals hospitality and celebration, while the slow-buried zarb of Wadi Rum speaks to a nomadic ingenuity that made the desert liveable.

Israeli cuisine is a product of extraordinary migration: waves of Jewish communities arriving from Yemen, Iraq, Morocco, Ethiopia, Eastern Europe, and beyond each brought their own table, and the resulting hybrid is still evolving. Tel Aviv's restaurant scene reflects this diversity acutely — a single block might offer Yemenite jachnun alongside Georgian khinkali alongside contemporary Israeli tasting menus drawing on all of the above. At the same time, Ashkenazi staples like gefilte fish and borscht sit alongside Sephardic and Mizrahi dishes in family homes and market stalls.

Underlying everything is the geography: the Jordan Valley produces exceptional dates, bananas, and citrus; the Galilee is known for olive oil and herbs; the Negev and Wadi Rum are Bedouin bread-and-lamb country. The Mediterranean coast brings seafood to Israeli and some Palestinian tables. Religious frameworks — kosher law in Jewish establishments, halal practice across most of Jordan and Palestinian areas — shape what is served and how, and understanding these rhythms helps a visitor eat well and respectfully throughout the region.

Street food is one of the most reliable and pleasurable ways to eat across this region. In Israel, falafel and sabich stands operate from early morning; fresh-squeezed pomegranate or citrus juice is sold at market stalls and is a fine mid-morning ritual. Borekas (flaky Balkan-Jewish pastry filled with cheese, potato, or spinach) are sold from bakeries for a few shekels. In Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market, the stalls transition from produce and spice vendors by day to bars and street-food counters by evening.

In the Palestinian Territories, street-side vendors sell ka'ak (sesame-crusted bread rings) from carts in Jerusalem's Old City — a fast, cheap, and genuinely local breakfast. Fresh-pressed juice shops offer pomegranate, carrot, and citrus blends at very low prices. In Jordan, Amman's downtown (Al-Balad) area has falafel and shawarma stands that operate from mid-morning; Iraqi-style falafel, slightly different in texture to its Israeli counterpart, is popular.

Practical food safety: Hot fried food eaten immediately from the fryer — falafel, borekas, fried kibbeh — carries low risk. Exercise the usual judgment with cut fresh fruit and salads from carts in high heat. Juice bars that press to order in front of you are generally reliable. Meat-based street snacks like shawarma are best consumed from busy, high-turnover spots. Tap water caution (see tap water section) applies to ice as well in Palestinian areas and rural Jordan.

Israel: Breakfast (aruchat boker) is a serious meal, not an afterthought. Hotels serve elaborate spreads of salads, eggs, smoked fish, cheeses, and bread from around 07:00–10:00; cafés and hummus places open for the same purpose. Lunch tends to be the larger meal in traditional households, but in urban settings many people eat a lighter midday meal. Dinner service typically starts around 19:30 and peaks around 21:00–22:00. Friday evening (Shabbat) and Saturday are significant: many kosher restaurants close Friday afternoon and do not reopen until Saturday night after Shabbat ends, roughly an hour after sundown. Plan accordingly in Jerusalem especially.

Palestinian Territories: Meal rhythms follow a similar Levantine pattern — a substantial midday meal and a lighter evening supper in traditional homes. Restaurant lunch service runs roughly 12:30–15:30, dinner from 19:00. During Ramadan, restaurants may not open until after iftar (sunset); the atmosphere around iftar communal meals is festive and welcoming to visitors.

Jordan: Lunch is culturally the main meal of the day, often a generous spread shared with family. In Amman, restaurants are busy for lunch from about 13:00–15:30. Dinner is eaten later — 20:00–22:30 is standard at sit-down restaurants. Reservations on Thursday and Friday evenings (the local weekend) are advisable at popular Amman restaurants. During Ramadan, many restaurants close during daylight hours and open for iftar; Amman's streets come alive after sunset with special Ramadan spreads.

Vegetarians — and to a large extent vegans — are very well served throughout this region, which is unusual in the Middle East.

Israel has one of the highest rates of veganism per capita in the world (particularly in Tel Aviv), and this is visible on restaurant menus. Many traditional dishes are naturally plant-based: hummus, falafel, sabich (without egg for vegans), shakshuka (without meat), mezze, tabbouleh, fattoush, baba ghanoush, and roasted vegetable dishes. Dedicated vegan restaurants and vegan-friendly cafés are concentrated in Tel Aviv but present in Jerusalem too. Note on kosher: 'Pareve' dishes contain neither meat nor dairy and are safe for vegans; 'dairy' (chalavi) restaurants will not serve meat at all, making them good options for vegetarians.

Palestinian Territories: Traditional cooking uses a great deal of olive oil, legumes, and vegetables. Many mezze items and grain dishes are naturally vegetarian. Meat is an important part of celebratory dishes but less central to everyday eating. Lentil soup, falafel, hummus, and fatayer (stuffed pastries with spinach or cheese) are reliable vegetarian choices.

Jordan: The mezze tradition means vegetarians can assemble a full and satisfying meal from starters. Falafel, hummus, labneh (strained yoghurt), stuffed vine leaves, tabbouleh, and fattoush are all widely available. Mansaf and zarb are meat-centred, but the rice and bread elements can be eaten separately. Ingredients to watch: Some dishes use meat-based broth in rice or vegetable cooking; it is worth asking. Fried vegetables may share oil with meat in some kitchens.

Israel: Tipping is customary but not compulsory. A tip of 10–15% is appreciated in sit-down restaurants where table service was attentive. Some bills include a service charge (check the bill; it will say 'sherut' / שרות) — if so, an additional tip is at your discretion. At market stalls, hummus counters, and café counters, rounding up is friendly but not expected.

Jordan: In traditional restaurants and those popular with visitors, 10% is customary and appreciated. Some upscale Amman restaurants add a service charge automatically; check the bill. At street-food stalls and budget eateries, no tip is expected. Leaving a small tip is always well-received and never obligatory.

Palestinian Territories: Tipping at restaurants follows a similar pattern — 10% for good table service is appropriate and appreciated. There is no strong social pressure; the gesture is simply a sign of appreciation.

General: Standards at established restaurants and market stalls in Israel and Amman are generally high. As anywhere, trust your eyes — a busy stall with high turnover is a good sign.

Heat and freshness: Temperatures in summer are extreme; cut fruit, mayonnaise-dressed salads, and dairy-based dips left unrefrigerated in heat deteriorate faster than you might expect. At street markets, prefer items that are cooked to order or still whole and uncut.

Ice: In Israel, ice is made from tap water and is safe. In Palestinian Territories and rural Jordan, ice is best avoided if you are avoiding tap water.

Ramadan considerations: During Ramadan, eating and drinking in public in Palestinian and Jordanian areas during daylight is considered disrespectful; use cafés and restaurants that accommodate this, or be discreet.

Allergies: Sesame and sesame products (tahini, hummus, baked goods) are ubiquitous throughout the region. If you have a sesame allergy, state this clearly at every meal — cross-contamination risk is high. Nuts, particularly pine nuts and almonds, appear frequently as garnishes.

Spring (March–May): The best season for fresh produce. Wild herbs including za'atar (hyssop) appear on the hillsides and in markets; spring onions, radishes, and fresh broad beans show up in mezze. Strawberries from the Sharon Plain (Israel) and Jordan Valley are excellent.

Summer (June–August): Stone fruits — apricots, plums, peaches — are abundant and very good. Watermelon is everywhere and eaten with white cheese in Israel (a beloved combination). Tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers are at peak quality, which matters for the region's salad-centred cuisine. It is worth eating lighter at midday in the heat.

Autumn (September–November): Date harvest from the Jordan Valley and Jericho area — Medjool dates from this region are among the finest in the world. Fresh figs, pomegranates, and grapes appear at markets. Olive harvest begins in late October–November; freshly pressed olive oil (often sold at markets and farms) is worth seeking out. In Jordan, autumn brings cooler temperatures and a return to heavier dishes.

Winter (December–February): Citrus season — Jaffa oranges and clementines are exceptional. Warming soups like lentil soup (shorbat adas) and hearty stews become more prominent on restaurant menus. Jerusalem is occasionally cold enough for the warm, spiced beverages (sahlab, a starch-thickened milk drink with cinnamon and nuts) to feel particularly appropriate.

Best edible souvenirs from Israel: Za'atar spice blend (typically dried hyssop, sumac, sesame, and salt), whole dried herbs, high-quality tahini, halva (sesame confection in many flavours), date syrup (silan), and Medjool dates from the Jordan Valley. Packaged items from Mahane Yehuda or Levinsky Market tend to be higher quality than tourist-shop versions.

From the Palestinian Territories: Palestinian extra-virgin olive oil is excellent and culturally significant — look for certified Fair Trade varieties if this matters to you. Za'atar-spiced products and hand-pressed olive oil soaps (also edible-adjacent) are widely available in Bethlehem and Ramallah shops.

From Jordan: Jordanian Medjool dates (particularly from the Jordan Valley), rose water, dried herbs, and small bags of spice blends are all practical to carry home. Wadi Rum camps sometimes sell locally gathered dried herbs.

Customs caution: Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy products are generally prohibited for import into the EU, UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. Packaged, commercially labelled foods and spices are usually permitted, but verify your home country's import rules before purchasing perishables or fresh products. Carry receipts for any food items of significant value.