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Michael Solomonov’s Israel Restaurant Recommendations

The Zahav chef shares his favorite Tel Aviv and Jerusalem eateries with Unorthodox

by
Tablet Studios
June 10, 2022
Roxanne Desgagnés
Roxanne Desgagnés
Roxanne Desgagnés
Roxanne Desgagnés

On this week’s episode of Unorthodox, we talk to chef and restaurateur Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook. We last had Solomonov and Cook on the show back in November 2019, when our hosts and producer took a road trip to Philadelphia to interview them at Zahav, the crown jewel in their local Israeli restaurant empire. That episode, “Philadelphia Shel Zahav,” featured our hosts stuffing their faces with delicious food and an entertaining and insightful conversation with Solomonov and Cook about the powerful ways food can bring people together.

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Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook on Unorthodox Ep. 204
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Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook on Unorthodox Ep. 204

At the end of the interview, host Stephanie Butnick asked Solomonov, who was born in Israel, for his favorite restaurants in the Holy Land. He rattled off a list of the best spots in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and beyond:

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Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook's Israel Restaurant Recommendations
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Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook's Israel Restaurant Recommendations
  • Azura — Two locations, one in Tel Aviv and one in Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehudah Market
  • Dok — Restaurant in Tel Aviv
  • Itzik Hagadol — ​Upscale skewerhouse in Jaffa
  • Morris — Skewerhouse in Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehudah Market
  • M25 — Steakhouse in Tel Aviv
  • HaBasta — Restaurant in Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market
  • Hakosem — Falafel and more in Tel Aviv
  • Opera — Yemenite restaurant in Hadera (“The best Yemenite soup” - Solomonov)
  • Haj Kahil — Shawarma in Jaffa
  • Sabich Tchernichovski — Tel Aviv sabich stand (Solomonov took Phil Rosenthal here on Somebody Feed Phil)
  • Guetta — Libyan restaurant in Jaffa (“The couscous is unreal” - Solomonov)
  • Vitosha — Bulgarian restaurant in Jaffa
  • Shishko — Bulgarian restaurant in Tel Aviv
  • Port Sa’id — Restaurant in Tel Aviv
  • Hatzot — Jerusalem grill
Photo: Alex Markow/Getty Images for Food Network SoBe Wine & Food Festival
Unorthodox
Philadelphia Shel Zahav
March 29, 2024
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Tablet Magazine
Unorthodox
Mixed Grill
Ep. 320: Restaurateurs Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook bring their Israeli skewer house to Brooklyn, journalist James Kirchick uncovers Washington, D.C.’s ‘Secret History’
June 09, 2022
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Tablet Studios is the premier destination for smart and entertaining Jewish audio content. Our podcasts include Unorthodox, What Really Matters, Take One, and the limited-run series Gatecrashers, Adventures with Dead Jews, Radioactive: The Father Coughlin Story, and The Franchise.