21 Items of Food You Must Try in Israel That Are Not Just Hummus:
- Bissli: The brand that created Bamba also came up with the popular Israeli snack called Bissli. Bissli are like chips, but much crunchier. They have a variety of flavors such as barbeque, grill, falafel, onion, pizza, taco, hamburger, and many more.
- Chocolate Shawarma: Don’t let the name scare you away! This dessert is definitely not chocolate and meat. Chocolate Shawarma is chocolate shavings served in a crepe filled with whipped cream and sometimes ice cream.
- Chocolate with Pop Rocks: Ever heard of pop rocks? Now picture the same effect from eating chocolate. This chocolate pops in your mouth and adds even more excitement to eating chocolate.
- Krembo: Krembo is essentially a chocolate covered marshmallow snack that has a round biscuit cookie base.
- Falafel: You will probably want some falafel to go along with your hummus, so falafel is a good place to start. Falafel is spiced and mashed chick peas that are formed into balls and fried. Falafel comes with a variety of options to add into your pita sandwich including things such as tomato cucumber salad, hummus, tahini, fried eggplant, and of course hummus. If you like to spice things up it might be a good idea to learn the word Harif which in Hebrew means spicy.
- Schnitzel: Schnitzel is basically a breaded chicken cutlet usually with sesame seeds in the breading. Schnitzel is usually offered in sandwich-form just like falafel, and the options to add into your schnitzel sandwich are pretty much the same. If you want to cut the carbs ask for no pita, you can get schnitzel alone on a plate with Israeli salad on the side!
- Israeli Salad: Don’t be disappointed when you don’t get normal lettuce in Israel. Romaine and Iceberg are pretty much non-existent when you bring up the word salad in Israel. Expect to get every form of tomato cucumber salad variations that can possibly exist in any and every salad you order. The normal Israeli salad is a side dish or may be served inside a sandwich. It consists of tomatoes, cucumber, and sometimes contains ingredients such as parsley and onions.
- Shawarma: Shawarma is chicken sliced very thin almost like gyro meat. Shawarma is made normally in sandwich form inside a pita with the typical salad options to add in. The surprise with shawarma sandwiches is usually the French fries the venders usually put inside!
- Iced Coffee: Iced coffee in Israel is possibly the best reason in the world to drink your daily calories in one drink. Israel does not mess around when it comes to their iced coffee. The iced coffee is certainly not just coffee with ice, but it is a creamy, slushy, milkshake-like drink that even if you hate coffee you will be addicted to.
- Shoko Bsakit: Shoko Bsakit is chocolate milk in a bag. If you go through your trip to Israel without trying shoko bsakit you are doing it all wrong! The second you tear the bag open with your teeth because you’re so excited to drink it, and you have your first sip, you will soon realize that your life comes to a complete circle the second it hits your taste buds.
- Bamba: Bamba is like a cheese doodle but scratch the cheese. It is a peanut butter flavored puff that will rock your world. It’s salty and peanut butter flavor take your taste buds on a ride they won’t forget. Once you try Bamba you will definitely be back for more.
- Hazelnut Filled Bamba: If you like sweets you must try hazelnut filled bamba. It is typical Bamba flavored puff with a chocolate and hazelnut cream filling. For those with a sweet tooth, these are more addicting than regular flavored Bamba, and you can definitely not stop at one. These are almost impossible to stop eating once you start.
- Rugelach: To describe rugelach, especially chocolate rugelach, is pretty much impossible because the second it hits your taste buds its love at first sight, or taste. I heard a rabbi once say that rugelach is enough of a reason to believe in god because there is no way that rugelach can be a perfect coincidence. Do not miss out on this croissant-like chocolate filled treat. The place to get the best rugelach is in Jerusalem at Marzipan Bakery.
- Halva: Halva is a dense sweet dessert made sometimes from sesame flour. This original tasting confection is not like any typical American dessert and is original to the Middle East.
- Bourekah: This is a puff pastry filled with anything from cheese, mashed potatoes, pizza, spinach, and mushrooms.
- Shakshuka: Shakshuka is a breakfast favorite, but is so delicious it can be eaten any time of day. It is eggs poached in a mildly spicy tomato sauce and sometimes served with pita bread. This is a healthy and delightful any-time type food.
- Sufganiyot: These are basically jelly filled donuts with powdered sugar on top. These donuts are less dense than normal donuts and are a melt in your mouth treat.
- Challah: Challah is egg-rich bread that is typically a little sweeter than regular bread—its consistency is extremely luscious. Challah is typically eaten on Shabbos and holidays.
- Jachnun: Jachnun is a Yemenite Jewish pastry served on Shabbat morning. It is prepared from dough which is rolled out thinly, brushed with shortening, and rolled up, similar to puff pastry. It turns a dark amber color and has a slightly sweet taste. It is traditionally served with a crushed/grated tomato dip, hard boiled eggs, and skhug (a type of hot sauce).
- Baba Ghanoush: Baba Ghanoush is a smoky eggplant spread you’ll never forget.
- Kadaif: These pastries are known to look like a birds nest. They are made from shredded phyllo dough that is topped with sugar and baked until golden and crispy.