Israeli food is one of the great surprises for first-time visitors. It's a genuine cuisine shaped by Jewish communities from across the world — Eastern Europe, Morocco, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Ethiopia — layered over a base of Levantine cooking that reflects the Palestinian, Arab, and Ottoman heritage of the land. The result is extraordinarily varied and, at its best, excellent.
Street food and fast food. Falafel — crispy chickpea balls in pita with hummus, tahini, salad, and pickles — is the national fast food. Quality varies wildly; a good falafel stand (look for one with a queue) is very good. Shawarma, shaved meat off a rotating spit stuffed into pita or laffa (a large flatbread), is similarly ubiquitous. Sabich is an Iraqi-Jewish invention: fried aubergine, hard-boiled egg, tahini, amba (mango pickle), and vegetables in pita. It's outstanding.
Hummus. Israelis take hummus seriously in a way that can surprise visitors. A plate of hummus — smooth, warm, drizzled with olive oil, topped with chickpeas or fava beans — eaten with freshly baked pita is a meal in itself. Arab-owned hummus restaurants (humusiot) often open only for breakfast and lunch and sell out by early afternoon. Some of the best hummus in Israel is found in Arab towns like Abu Ghosh near Jerusalem and in Acre.
Shakshuka. Eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce, served bubbling in the pan with bread for dipping. Originally a North African dish, it's eaten for breakfast, brunch, or any time you feel like it. Dr. Shakshuka in Jaffa is the most famous place to eat it.
Israeli breakfast. One of the glories of the country. At hotels and cafes alike, a proper Israeli breakfast spreads across a table: chopped cucumber-and-tomato salad, white cheese, labneh, eggs in various forms, olives, bread, tahini, jam. Allow time for it.
Markets. The Mahane Yehuda market (the shuk) in Jerusalem is one of the great urban markets of the Middle East — noisy, fragrant, and stacked with produce, spices, cheeses, meats, pastries, and prepared food stalls. By Thursday evening it turns into an outdoor bar. Carmel Market in Tel Aviv is the city's main produce market. Both are excellent for grazing.
Kosher. Most Israeli restaurants in Jewish areas are kosher, meaning they serve either meat or dairy but not both together. In practice, this means a steakhouse won't serve butter or cream sauces, and a dairy restaurant won't serve meat. Arab and mixed-neighborhood restaurants are generally not kosher and operate without restriction.
Wine and beer. Israel has developed a real wine industry, particularly in the Galilee and Golan Heights. Boutique wineries in the Galilee produce genuinely good wines. On tap, Goldstar (a malt lager) and Maccabee are the local standards; the Israeli craft beer scene has expanded significantly in recent years.
Coffee. Tel Aviv is serious about coffee. Café hafuch ("upside-down coffee," similar to a cortado or cappuccino but with the milk poured first) is the local style. Sitting at a pavement café with a café hafuch and watching the street is a Tel Aviv ritual.