8 Great Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in Jerusalem

It shouldn’t be any surprise that the vegetarian/vegan trend is quickly catching on in Jerusalem. After all, some of the most popular foods in Israel are already vegetarian, including falafel, hummus and Israeli salads. And if you’ve ever seen Israelis shopping in the shuk checking every single bit of produce they buy, you know they take their fruits and veggies quite seriously.

Luckily for vegans and vegetarians, you can find falafel, hummus and salads at just about any local eatery, but if you want to get deeper in your exploration of Jerusalem’s herbivore cuisine, here are some suggestions that span a pretty broad culinary spectrum.

Recommended Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in Jerusalem

Village Green

Jerusalem’s oldest vegetarian establishment, Village Green has 3 locations — one in downtown Jerusalem on Jaffa Street, another in the German Colony on Emek Refaim and a new 100% vegan location on Yoel Solomon Street in Nahalat Shiva.

Walking into Village Green, you’ll be greeted by a pleasant atmosphere and a menage of salads, grains, cooked and baked vegetables, quiches, pies, lasagna,and soups that you can pick and choose from to create the perfect healthy meal.

The new Village Green in Nahalat Shiva serves not only as the city’s first strictly vegan restaurant, but also a community center for the vegan and health-conscious community. In addition to the restaurant, there is also a shop that sells medicinal plant products, natural products made by community members and holds vegan and health-oriented classes, workshops and lectures, as well as the occasional live concert.

Where: 8 Yoel Solomon Street, Jerusalem
Contact: 072-328-1909

PIPS

Even Italians will tell you that PIPS is the place to go in Jerusalem for the most authentic and delicious Neopolitan pizza. Owner and head pizzaiola Rachel Dabah spent months in Italy learning the art straight from the source to make sure of it.

If you eat dairy, you definitely won’t want to miss out on the pizzas with amazingly fresh mozzarella and made-in-house pasta from durum wheat and eggs with perfectly flavored sauces.

Pips also offers vegan options such as a marinara pizza that allows you to enjoy the perfectly baked dough and flavorful sauce without the cheese, as well as a simple focaccia and a pretty divine health salad with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, artichoke, roasted vegetables and pesto (skip the pesto to make it vegan).

Where: 5 Hahavatselet Street, Jerusalem

Tmol Shilshom

One of Jerusalem’s favorite dining institutions, the cafe-bookstore Tmol Shilshom’s meatless menu is also a haven for vegetarians and vegans. Their shakshuka borders on legendary, and as an added bonus, they’ll happily make a vegan version without eggs if you ask for it.

Hashawarma HaTzimchonit (The Vegetarian Shawarma)

Whether you’re a lifelong vegetarian who has always wanted to taste shawarma or a former meat-eater that misses flavors, HaShawarma HaTzimchonit’s expertly spiced and grilled seitan shawarma with all the fixings is a perfect alternative to the real deal.

Te’enim

Te’enim has been a top choice for vegetarian fare in Jerusalem for over 20 years thanks to a creative menu and a stunning location in the historical Yemin Moshe (Mishkenot Sheananim) neighborhood with an unbeatable view of the Old City walls.

Ha’agas 1

One of the hidden treasures of the Mahane Yehuda Market, Ha’agas 1 is a small restaurant that serves only organic and vegetarian fare and stakes a claim to having the best hummus in the city.

Nagila

Nagila is a kosher dairy restaurant down a small alley between downtown Jerusalem and the Mahane Yehuda Market that caters to vegetarians and vegans alike. The restaurant focuses on offering an eclectic menu inspired by cuisine from South Asia to the Caribbean and using only the freshest ingredients source from the nearby shuk. Most of their dishes that include cheese or eggs also have a vegan option.

Halitate

Probably the least flashy of the bunch, Halitate is mainly a tea house, but they have plenty of healthy vegan and vegetarian salads and sandwiches to go along with a massive selection of teas prepared with attention to every detail from how long they leave the tea in the water to serving in the proper cup.