4 Best Restaurants in Eilat and the Negev, Israel

Cafe Lola

$$ Fodor's choice

This whimsically decorated café in the Old City is a breath of fresh air in every respect. Eclectic, funky decor with wooden tables and splashes of color are the backdrop for the tasty dishes served at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There's a smashing Israeli breakfast for two featuring house-made bread, smoked salmon, and fresh-squeezed juices. Lunch is equally fetching, with a delicious haloumi (a firm Greek cheese) salad as a star choice. At night the vibe changes, and the small bar mixes up basic cocktails with flair to go with tapas-style dishes like bruschetta with juicy, thinly sliced steak and preserved lemon. Try one of the thick shakes, like an indulgent combination of dates, candied pecans, and coconut milk. There are nice choices for vegan diners as well, and you can hear live music Monday and Tuesday evenings.

13 Smilansky St., Israel
08-628–8937
Known For
  • lovely outdoor café
  • Israeli breakfast, haloumi salad at lunch, tapas at dinner
  • interesting neighborhood
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted

Kornmehl Goat Cheese Farm

$$

After you watch the adorable goats on the farm, sample the superb (and often quite pungent) cheeses at this charming spot. Perched on a beautiful desert hillside, the wooden restaurant offers indoor or outdoor seating and a menu that includes goat-cheese pizza, bruschetta, and calzones—there's even a tender goat-cheese cheesecake lavished in fruit sauce.

Rte. 40, 80600, Israel
08-655–5140
Known For
  • rustic setting
  • high-quality, handcrafted cheeses
  • inventive menu options
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.

Saba Gepetto

$$

If you need a break from traditional Middle Eastern food, head to Grandpa Gepetto, tucked into an alleyway off a small shopping mall. The dark, cavelike room features gourmet sandwiches served on fresh focaccia bread, with fillings ranging from stir-fried goose breast to chicken breast with pesto. All of them have whimsical names like Mad Cow and Chicken Little. The restaurant offers English-language menus and an excellent beer selection. For an after-dinner drink, ask the hostess about Bar Basaba (Grandpa's Bar). She'll take you around the corner, unlock an unmarked door, and lead you into the coolest bar in Beersheva, hidden in the courtyard between office buildings. There you'll find local Negev beers on tap and, for the homesick, select American beers in bottles.

109 Rasco St., Israel
08-627–2829
Known For
  • sandwiches
  • being a hidden gem
  • beer on tap at the unmarked bar
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sat.

Recommended Fodor's Video

Yotvata Inn

$

If you're looking for fantastic kibbutz-made ice cream, stop by this inn—an Israeli institution—next to a gas station on Route 90 between the Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve and Timna Park, 40 km (25 miles) north of Eilat. The kibbutz of the same name is across the way, and its dairy products are much loved by locals. (Check out the chocolate-milk fountain!) Hot chicken or beef dishes are available as well. It's open 24 hours (though closed Saturday night), but the late-night food menu is more limited.

Rte. 90 (Dead Sea–Eilat Rd.), Israel
08-635–7449
Known For
  • unique ice cream flavors like tmarim (date)
  • welcome rest stop on way to or from Eilat
  • souvenirs