Israel is in the Middle East, so you can expect the local food culture to be similar to other Arab countries in the region. But being an immigrant country, cuisines of the world are brought to Israel. You will find authentic Mediterranean, French, Italian or fusion cuisine cooked by Jewish chefs. This is a melting pot country!
Food prices are expensive in Israel, so let’s talk about the ‘basics’. These are 10 foods that you will commonly see in Israel!
(Just to give you an idea of prices in Israel, 1NIS = 0.28USD)
1.Falafel
Price Range: ₪12-₪30
Falafel is seen as national food in this region. Let’s just say this is a Middle Eastern sandwich. Falafel is the fried balls made from chickpea. It usually comes in a pita bread, which looks like a pocket. Salads and falafels are put inside and it is a nutritious lunch!
Unspoken Rule: A backpacker told me that an Israeli told him you could go for free salad refills as long as there’s still a falafel in your pita bread. I confirmed this in a falafel shop in Tiberias, and I added the salad for free in front of the owner and everyone else. I saw this information here later that confirmed about this rule. But when I went for salad refill in Jerusalem, I was stopped. Hmm.
2.Hummus
Price Range: ₪17-₪35
A common dish. Hummus is made from chickpea, tahini and olive oil. It’s sort of healthy. For me, it’s just a paste, but for the locals, this is a dish. It’s filling. And you can find hummus everywhere in Israel!! But just like not everyone likes soybean milk (which I love), I am personally not a big fan of hummus~
3.Shakshuka
Price Range: ₪35-₪60
How Israeli likes their eggs served. It’s tomatoes and a poached egg in the middle. You eat shakshuka mostly for breakfast. I like it!
4.Sabich
Price Range: ₪20
Another type of sandwich. Similar to falafel as it’s vegetarian. The difference is there’s no falafel but fried eggplant, French fried and boiled egg in it. It’s more nutritious than falafel, and it’s quite heavy! I weighed it and it was like 700 grams! 
5.Shawarma
Price Range: ₪20-₪40
Finally, we see meat! Yay! If you cannot live without meat, you will be happy to eat shawarma. The meat is usually chicken or beef. It’s served if lafa bread (flat) or pita. Pita is cheaper~ Every shop has its own unique sauce. For me, it’s easily a more satisfying meal than hummus or falafel. (Being a vegetarian is too difficult).
6.Schnitzel
Price Range: ₪50-₪80
Schnitzel is a dish brought by Jews from Eastern European countries. It’s fried chicken… made from pounded chicken breast I guess. If you are lucky, it might be delicious!
7.Kebab
Price Range: ₪70-₪100
Middle Eastern BBQ! Kebab is usually minced beef mixed with lamb. In Israel I think kebab refers to barbecued, so you see grilled chicken on a skewer like this, also called kebab.
I had a good kebab in Tala restaurant in Old Jerusalem.
Or you can get a kebab in pita bread, it will be cheaper. (20NIS)
8.St. Peter’s Fish
Price Range: ₪70-₪100
Christians look forward to trying St.Peter’s fish. But it’s really just tilapia. There are 2 ways of cooking it- fried or baked. I personally wasn’t impressed by the taste because this fish can be found in my country very commonly. It’s not a bad idea to give it a try, just be cautious to fish bones and lower your expectation!
The baked version:
9.Israeli couscous
Price Range: ₪40-₪60
Everyone knows couscous. It’s not from Israel, but it’s commonly known as Israeli couscous. I like this better than rice or potatoes in Israel.
10. Kubbeh Soup
Price Range: ₪35-₪45
A common Iraqi Jewish meal. The dough is made from semolina, and the filling is usually minced beef or veggies. It’s quite special but it’s an acquired taste. I think you should try this at least one time on your trip to Israel (and I think one time will be enough unless you grew up with this food)
Special: Mint Lemonade
Price Range: ₪15-₪20
You can find lemonade everywhere in the world, but I just love how mint smells in Israel and this region. So make sure you try lemonade here! I cannot explain, but it is truly special! My favorite drink in Israel!
