The Tasty City: 15 top spots to eat and drink well in Haifa
Israel’s second-coolest city is packed with restaurants and bars that challenge Tel Aviv’s food culture, and even if it’s clear which side we’re on, it’s always fun to head north and taste the local kitchen. We hit Highway 2 and found the 15 best restaurants in Haifa
Last update: 4.10
Call us snooty Tel Avivians all you want (and you will, because that’s exactly what we are), but even we know not everything happens in Tel Aviv. And sometimes we’re happy to hop up to Haifa for a festival, an event or just a much-needed reset. But as Tel Avivians, we’re used to high standards on the plate and we struggle to compromise. We all know Haifa’s shawarmas, but it’s hard to keep up with a food scene that’s a two-hour drive from home – so we’re here to round up the Haifa restaurants you absolutely have to visit. Time Out’s picks: the best way to get exposed to the north – through your stomach.
>> העיר הטעימה: 31 מקומות מומלצים לאכול ולשתות טוב בחיפה
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1. Yordi
An American café in the Turkish Market sounds like the start of a joke, but that’s exactly what’s happening at Yordi – a small spot with an artisanal agenda that doesn’t come at the expense of fun. The menu offers plump bagels, coffee drinks from Haifa roastery Telek and house-made cold brew, with toppings that turn the whole thing into a knockout dessert.
Dobrin 8, Haifa
2. Madruba
Haifa’s new baby, a food bar by a nightlife veteran who logged many reserve-duty months and returned to conquer the local scene. The menu was built together with chef Yossi Elad, one of Machneyuda’s founders; the alcohol is proudly Israeli, the vibe is upbeat and dish prices top out at 65 NIS. You’d have to be madrub(a) to miss it.
Sderot HaNasi 135, Haifa
3. Marva
Israel’s largest mixed city also deserves a kosher dairy chef restaurant, and one just opened at the Carmel Boutique Hotel. A Mediterranean menu, based mainly on raw fish, is served on the terrace facing the view as a tribute to the sea and the bay, and the weekend kicks off with a rich Friday brunch at the adjacent Marva coffee bar.
Michal 1, Haifa, 077-9861982
4. Abu Alulid Steakhouse
A veteran Acre institution that opened a branch in the Lower City, in the nightlife area near the port. The concept is familiar but failsafe: skewers, steaks, shawarma and salads done right and served with zero pretense.
Sha’ar Palmer 3, Haifa
5. Thai Kitchen
Bangkok’s street scene is transplanted to Talpiot Market in a tiny Thai restaurant owned by a Thai-born chef and his Israeli partner. Egg rolls and som tam, larb gai and the usual suspects hit the table with full-on crunch, freshness and heat, at prices that stayed in the ’90s. If only.
Ha’Halutz 14, Haifa
Veterans
6. Aviron
Bat Galim is Haifa’s it-girl neighborhood, the place where the really interesting stuff happens. Aviron wine bar vibes with the nearby beach in breezy nonchalance and continues the legacy of its owners, neighborhood patriots who already run a café and gelateria just around the corner.
Sderot Bat Galim 11, Haifa
7. Hanamal 24
A long-running, reliably good restaurant that Haifans swear by without hesitation, because it never disappoints. The menu draws a line between French and Haifa kitchens (don’t scoff, it’s a thing), and on Wednesdays there’s a shared tasting menu – a concept we wish we saw more in Tel Aviv.
Omar Al Khayam 12, Haifa
8. Hamaniya
One of the cutest bakery-cafés we’ve met, a temple to crackly, layered carbs in Bat Galim, Haifa’s sweetest neighborhood. Everything on the shelves justifies a bite, from outrageous, sexy croissant sandwiches to breads, yeasted cakes and all kinds of savory-sweet pastries stuffed with the north’s finest. Please open a Tel Aviv branch.
Sderot Bat Galim 16, Haifa
9. Vania Bistro
One of the first trailblazers in the renewing Lower City, transformed when Michael Gertofsky (Cicchetti, Vermuteria, Bistro Michael) took over as chef-owner. Locally sourced, seasonal dishes get fresh interpretations and sexy style against the backdrop of port cranes.
Sha’ar Palmer 1, Haifa
10. Hummus ElSham
Even though we decided not to dive into Haifa’s stellar street-food scene, we can’t not mention Hummus ElSham if only for the fatteh. The mythic dish that seduced us in Jaffa gets an excellent rendition in Wadi Nisnas – hummus, yogurt, torn pita and grilled onion, all crowned with sizzling samneh. Wow.
Wadi 21, Haifa
11. Hamara Talpiot and Hamarmoret
Talpiot Market is one of Haifa’s strongest going-out hubs, where vegetable and fish stalls coexist with trendy restaurants and tiny bars. Talpiot is also the name of a great market restaurant, a kind of Haifa version of Basta and the big sister to the “Hamarmoret” wine bar. Whichever you choose – you can be sure you’ve landed in the right place to be in Haifa (assuming you scored a table).
Sirkin 27, Haifa
12. Ma’ayan HaBira
No need to introduce this venerable institution, which started as a den for drunk sailors and over the years became a pilgrimage-worthy tavern for people from all over the country. If lamb spare ribs, pickled herring, fried calf’s liver and spicy spleen are your salivary-gland triggers – get yourself here, the sooner the better. Just note that Fridays are packed to the gills, so aim for another day.
Netivson 4, Haifa
13. Sinta Bar
Another institution (Haifa seems to have quite a few long-standing spots) that locals flock to – and not just locals. The menu features fresh fish, seafood, top-quality meat and excellent burgers with a serious reputation, everything you need for a failsafe meal.
Netiv Ha’Or 1, Haifa
14. Ayesh Al-Saraya
A small workers’ restaurant that doesn’t look too tempting at first glance, but if you ignore the bare-bones design and focus on the cooking you’ll find a long line of pots full of Galilean Arab goodness. Beyond the stews, the place specializes in excellent bakes like makhmour, musakhan and a superb Armenian sfiha with spiced meat.
Y.L. Peretz 11, Haifa
15. Pho 26
Before Tel Aviv was flooded with banh mi joints, the traditional Vietnamese soup conquered Talpiot Market. The menu is small and the place itself modest, but don’t let that fool you, because the pho is among the best in the country and the other dishes keep pace. Grab a table on the street-facing terrace and let Haifa pass you by.
Sirkin 26, Haifa