Israel: a culinary melting pot
A day shaped around food, using it to understand the waves of immigration that make up contemporary Israeli society.
The shape of the day
I’m one of the only tour guides in Israel with an official qualification from the Ministry of Tourism in culinary tourism, and I’m always happy to put it to use!
Israel is increasingly recognised for its diverse and delicious food, the result of waves of immigration from around the world. Each Jewish community arrived with its own culinary traditions, which have mingled with one another and with the local Arab kitchens.
I run these types of tours all around the country. A lot of the time they’re built around one of the markets, such as the Carmel, Levinsky or Hatikva markets in Tel Aviv or the Machne Yehuda market in Jerusalem.
But we can also be on the road, exploring farmhouse restaurants, family kitchens, boutique wineries and craft beers.
By the way, it doesn’t have to be a dedicated day. We can also weave food into any of the other itineraries, so it becomes a thread running through your whole trip.
However we shape it, the point is the same: food here is a way into the country’s history, its geography and its people.
Sites might include
- Market stalls and spice vendors
- Traditional bakeries
- Family-run restaurants
- Boutique wineries
- Craft breweries
- Unique desserts
- Chef-hosted workshops
Who it’s for
This tour is for food lovers, and for anyone who likes to understand a place through what it eats.
There’s no fixed route, just an itinerary based on the tastes and stories you’re most curious about. Tell me what you love (markets, street food, fine dining, wine, a particular community’s cooking) and I’ll build the tour around it, at whatever pace suits you.
FAQ
Where does this day take place?
Wherever the food leads. The markets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are natural anchors, but we can head to a Druze village in the Galilee, the wineries of the Golan or the farm-to-table restaurants of the Sharon.
Tell me where you’ll be and what you fancy, and I’ll put together a proposal.
Can you cater to dietary needs?
Yes. Kosher, halal, vegetarian or vegan, just tell me in advance and I’ll plan around them.
Israel is not great on allergies unfortunately. Most places will do their best but won’t commit to a sterile environment. Lactose intolerance is pretty easy to manage because of Jewish dietary laws requiring the separation of meat and dairy, and gluten-free is also relatively common.
But if you have a very severe allergy to something that’s very common in Israeli cuisine (for example, sesame), it may be challenging to put together a full, varied programme.
Can it combine with another tour?
Easily. As well as a day in its own right, food can be woven into any of my other itineraries, so you might break up a day of history with exactly the right lunch and a tasting or two.
Is it a food tour or a history tour?
Both, really. We eat well, but the food is also a way into the bigger story: who came to this country, when and from where, and what they brought with them. You leave full, and knowing more than when you started.
Make this itinerary yours
Tell me who’s travelling, your dates and where you want to focus. I’ll put together a personalised proposal.
For urgent bookings, send me a WhatsApp
If you are going to Israel, you would be mad not to give him a call.
Amol Rajan, BBC presenter and broadcaster
Having been on trips in Israel with seven different tour guides, Samuel stood above all the rest.
Seasoned Israel traveller
Samuel is one part walking encyclopedia, one part storyteller, one part stand-up comedian.
Berkeley Haas Business School student