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Eat

Haifa is not a gourmet center like greater Tel Aviv, but it still has plenty to offer.

Falafel and other street food. Some good falafel can be found in: Falafel Michel and Falafel HaZkenim, both in the Wadi Nisnas area; Falafel HaNasi (locations in the Carmel Center and Horev Center); and at Paris Square, the lowest Carmelit station. Wadi Nisnas has many restaurants and food stalls for shawarma, falafel, and Middle Eastern sweets like baklava and knafe.

There is a huge concentration of falafel and shawarma stands downtown on Yafo Street, near the old Bat Galim Central Bus Terminal building (about 400 m from it). The food is cheap and authentic (about ₪10-15 for a falafel, and around ₪20-22 for a shawarma in a pita).

Another cheap street food is the Bureka—a Turkish phyllo dough, filled pastry—which is almost as common as falafel. Price is also cheap, and it usually comes filled with cheese, potatoes, spinach and feta, or meat.

Further up the food chain are the Middle Eastern/Arabic restaurants. Most are located downtown: Abu-Yousef (there are two with no relation), Hummus Faraj, Hummus Abu-Shaker (on HaMeginim St.), Abu Maroun (in the flea market), Matza (a good place 10 minutes walking distance from the shopping mall "Grand Canyon"). They are all famous for their high quality hummus (which is regarded as the "best of the best" in Israel). Expect to pay ₪50-80 per person for a complete meal.

There are several Romanian-style restaurants; in actuality this is a hybrid of M…

Drink

Central Mount Carmel offers a decent selection of mid-class cafes and bars. Popular cafes are Greg and Tut (Strawberry), which are right next to each other in Kikar Sefer.

Closer to the Horev Center, 'Frangelico' and 'Barbarossa' are considered to be the most popular bars. They are often very crowded, but if one can't get in, there are many other bars in close walking distance, such as Brown, Levinsky, Maidler, and Duke.

The beautiful street of Yefe Nof also boasts a cluster of pubs, including a popular Charliebar and Irish-style pub.

Downtown there are some more pubs, including the legendary old-fashioned 'Maayan HaBira', which is more popular among adult crowd; the "Martef" (Basement), where you might also catch an open-mic night; and up the street from HaMartef is Jack and the Beanstalk, a more intimate pub with a great selection of appetizers. Another downtown happening place is the Syncopa bar.

Go next

Haifa is the gateway to Israel's north and northeast. Akko – The Shrine of Baha'u'llah, the holiest place for the Baha'is can be found here. Nahariyya – Founded in 1934 by German Jews fleeing Nazi oppression, which boasts the crusader Montfort Castle. Do not miss Rosh Haniqra, a short drive further. Tiberias – A large Israeli town in the east and great starting point for the Sea of Galilee and Golan Heights. Nazareth – The largest Arab city in Israel and best known as the home of Joseph and Mary. Jezreel Valley – Famous for Tel Megiddo (Armageddon) National Park and Mount Gilboa overlooking it. Druze Villages in the Carmel Range: 30min by service taxi (monit sherut) or longer by bus, line number 37א, to the closer village of Isifya or the more distant village of Daliyat el-Carmel. The tourist-oriented bazaar has inexpensive shops and you can top off the visit in one of the excellent Mid-Eastern restaurants. Caesarea & Zarqa Bay – Extensive archaeological site along the coast, and beautiful but not crowded beaches.