Many Israelis enjoy taking advantage of the calm Friday mornings, when the kids are still at school, to sip a good cup of coffee to officially kick off the weekend.
Israel's top:
The current Friday trend (available throughout the week as well of course) is food trucks - mobile restaurants offering coffee, food and seating under the open sky, nestled in nature. These culinary carts can be found scattered across the country. We've rounded up some of the best recommendations for you, from north to south.
Northern Israel
Green Bus
Serving what founder and chef Eyal Heideman calls “Jezreeli pizza,” this food truck is located inside an old green-painted bus amid the pastoral fields of Moshav Hayogev in the Jezreel Valley. The main attraction is, of course, the lovingly crafted pizzas, but you can also enjoy good coffee, salads, beers and above all, a cozy, family-friendly atmosphere.
Children can frolic in the green fields or peek into the bus's kitchen, where thin, crispy pizzas are produced. The menu features personal, family or giant pizzas, focaccia with dips, a variety of salads accompanied by house-made vinaigrette and even oven-baked potatoes with toppings.
Open Sunday-Thursday, 4pm-9:30pm Moshav Hayogev; phone: 052-2977508
Babushcafe
Erez Schwartz's coffee cart in Caesarea serves excellent coffee alongside acai bowls with granola and fruit, salads, sandwiches, toasts, cookies and sweet as well as savory croissants like almond croissant, pistachio cream and forest fruit, pesto, roasted peppers and white brine sirne cheese, sour cream pastry, beetroot and greens, and more.
Open Sunday-Friday, 8am-3pm; HaRaduf Hanechalim 20, Caesarea; phone: 055-2533933
Abush Burger
Abush is a food truck located in Moshav Megadim, offering Smash Burger and other meaty dishes. The Smash Burger comes in three sizes, served on a soft bun with thin American French fries and sauces (NIS 43-65 for a burger meal).
The hamburger is served with toppings such as caramelized onions, roasted green pepper, rump steak, grilled mushrooms, vegan cheddar cheese, and more (NIS 6-13). Among the additional dishes are salads based on meat and vegetables such as seitan salad with grilled mushrooms, chicken on fresh lettuce, chorizo sausage, Sloppy Joe, rump steak or schnitzel sandwich (NIS 35-58), all accompanied by fresh vegetables and homemade sauces.
Meals are eaten at tables scattered across a quiet plaza, among children's play facilities, wide lawns and pleasant shade.
Moshav Megadim, Carmel Beach, phone: 054-4233123
Café Hama
Eran and Nofar dreamed of working with people in nature, which led them to open the coffee cart Café Hama in the community of Mevo Hama in southern Golan Heights. On-site, they serve coffee, handmade desserts, cold beer, and even Japanese fruit-flavored mochi sweets, all against the picturesque view of the Sea of Galilee.
Friday-Saturday, 9am-5:30pm Mevo Hama, phone: 050-7250101
Truck BaMoshava
In the heart of Bat Shlomo, Ella and Amit Even and their childhood friend Ziv Cohen established the Truck BaMoshava. The venue serves coffee, juices, cold infusions, croissant sandwiches, cheese burekas, vegetable bowls, mozzarella salad, corned beef gouda sandwich, Italian turkey and corned beef sandwich, smoked goose and gouda sandwich and more.
Monday-Thursday 8am-2pm, 4pm-7:30pm, Friday 8am-4pm, Saturday 8am-6pm; HaMeyasdim 2, Bat Shlomo
Central Israel
SusCafe
In the heart of Moshav Sdei Hemed, nestled within a therapeutic horse farm, you'll find the SusCafe coffee cart, owned by Gilad and Ruti Ben-David. On the menu, they offer coffee, sandwiches, croissants, savory pastries, salads, soups (in winter), gluten-free kashkaval burekas, vanilla Nutella cake, varying pies, cookies, chocolate balls and more. Between bites, you can enjoy watching the horses galloping around.
Sunday-Thursday 8am-8pm, Friday 8am-4pm; Shivat HaMinim 1, Sdei Hemed
Zelda
A coffee cart located in the center of Moshav Neve Yarak, offering shade and a breeze even during the summer. Gali and Moti decided to set up the cart out of their love for food and hosting - Moti (a graduate of Tadmor Culinary School) loves to cook, and Gali loves to host.
The cart is situated within walking distance of the Yarkon Stream, featuring playground equipment for young children, an adjacent park and grass where you can have a picnic and spend the entire day. At the cart, you'll find sandwiches, quiches, pastries, salads, toasts, pizzas, bagels with dips, gluten-free cheese fingers, and on Fridays, sabich in challah bread.
Monday-Wednesday 7:30am-2pm, Thursday-Friday 4pm-7pm; HaShaked Street 1, Neve Yarak
Café Vayam (Café and Sea)
Perched atop a sandy hill overlooking Shefayim beach, childhood friends Ofi Erez and Eyal Solomon, who previously ran a coffee shop in Costa Rica, founded café Vayam.
They serve coffee and refreshing summer drinks in front of the sea: juices, shakes, iced tea infusions, cold chocolate, and freshly squeezed orange juice. The food menu includes quiche with a small salad, watermelon, acai bowls, muesli bowls, savory pastries, mozzarella croissants, salmon croissants, pizza, warm chocolate cake and more.
Guests can sit on the on-site benches or comfortable chairs. On Thursday evenings, starting at sunset, there are DJ performances and rotating pop-up kitchens.
Sunday-Thursday 7:30am-10pm, Friday 7am-7:15pm; Shefayim, phone: 052-3720649
The Jerusalem area
Ithiela Hayat's ice cream truck
Ithiela Hayat, the winner of the ninth season of Master Chef, has a food truck in Moshav Matta, a must-visit destination for foodies and culinary enthusiasts. Now, she's introducing a new project for the summer: a mobile ice cream truck traveling around the country, stopping for short periods at different locations.
Ithiela makes the ice cream herself, using seasonal ingredients. She also excels in creating trendy, beautiful foods that photograph wonderfully for Instagram. The flavors are unconventional, such as roasted beetroot ice cream with sumac meringue, cooked watermelon ice cream with roasted, salted watermelon seeds, milk ice cream with amarena cherry syrup and caramel leaves, ice cream with fresh red strawberries from the Moshav, chai masala ice cream with salty roasted almonds, corn and polenta crumble ice cream, and tangy yogurt ice cream with olive oil, zaatar and Atlantic salt.
Please note that only two rotating flavors will be served each day. Although she makes the ice cream by hand, it is served with an American ice cream machine.
Friday 10am-2pm; Moshav Matta; phone: 050-2334317
Cafe BaYaar (Cafe in the Forest)
Situated on the road to the Jerusalem Forest from Beit Zayit, the coffee cart is operated by Avner Niv, a former executive chef for El Al. Beyond coffee, you can order freshly baked goods, salads, burekas, cakes, and unique breads here, such as sourdough beetroot bread with espresso and walnuts, or yeasted pastry with pistachios and lemon zest.
Not far from the cart, you can enjoy walks around Beit Zayit, the Jerusalem Forest or the national parks.
Sunday-Thursday 7am-11am; Beit Zayit; phone: 052-8931496
Southern Israel
HaShmura 215 (Reserve 215)
After years in agriculture, Benny opened a coffee cart at the entrance to the Pura Nature Reserve in northern Negev. The coffee cart is a place where you can stop amidst nature and sit under the eucalyptus trees to enjoy freshly brewed coffee, Malabi, Shakshuka, a schnitzel sandwich, an omelette in fresh baguette, Jachnun on Saturday, cookies and more.
After your stop, you can continue and tour the Pura Nature Reserve, Tel Nagila or carry on to Kibbutz Ruhama. There's also the option to call in from the road and order takeouts.
Sunday-Thursday 8:30am-3pm; Pura Nature Reserve; phone: 054-7920182
Geula Bar
During a trip to Australia, the idea of a food truck came to Dudu Boiman, a pest exterminator. He realized it was a great employment solution for winter, when insects go underground. Boiman and his brother Nitzan established Geula Bar, a kosher food cart in their parents' yard in Tekuma, a religious moshav in the Gaza border area.
The Boiman brothers, third-generation vine growers, converted an old caravan and set it up in front of the family vineyard. Later, they enlisted their wives, Ruth and Ella, who among other things, are in charge of design and social media.
It's enjoyable to sit in the vineyard among the vines and savor a seasonal menu based on high-quality, fresh ingredients from the Negev. Signature dishes include a croissant with smoked salmon and cream fraiche, a pita with an omelette, brownies, and a vegan banana cake. The place operates on Fridays and incorporates an artisan market and farmers' market.
Fridays 8am-2pm; Moshav Tekuma; phone: 050-2473266