Jerusalem Journals

Josh's Year in Jerusalem

A May 2005 trip to Jerusalem by BarkinJ

memorial service at restobar Photo - Jerusalem, Israel

Quote: Observations on eating and walking in Jerusalem.

3 Photos

Restobar

Restaurant

Quote:

Restobar is a hip restaurant in the Rechavia neighborhood in Jerusalem. It has a comfortable dining room, a more "homey" dining area with couches and a fireplace, and some tables set aside for large parties. In addition, the restaurant features a beautiful patio for outdoor dining.

The food is a strange fusion of Jewish/French/Italian/American/Asian food. Recipes are creative, exquisitely presented, and feature only the freshest ingredients. (Definitely ask your server -- who will definitely speak English -- about the specials of the day.) Specifics: The menu has a choice of salad, sandwiches, hamburgers, sausages, chicken wings, fish, steak, desserts and drinks.

Your meal will cost between 40 and 120 NIS. All major credit cards are accepted. The restaurant isn't kosher, but it is closed for Sabbath (in deference to neighborhood norms).

Also: Free WiFi, creative and delicious cocktails, interesting beers on tap, fancy teas. A very posh (but mixed-gender... you've been warned!) bathroom. Great people watching. You'll almost never wait for a table.

Sometimes you'll be sitting at Restobar with a fat wifi connection (and the way-too-stylish bathroom) enjoying your delicious glass of coffee and the people sitting behind you can not stop talking about Iraq and the war and Hamas and so on and so forth. Then you turn around and realize they are diplomats. And journalists. And that this country is the intersection of all the corners of the universe and everyone cares about the minute details of every event here. And everyone has an opinion. And they are always talking. And Restobar is at the center.

I used to come here to study pretty much every day. The place is incredibly comfortable. They have an outlet for my laptop. The food is cheap (or, at least the coffee is, and it helps when the owners and wait-staff know you and bring you free stuff). The music is always good. When it's cold, there's a fireplace that has a fire in it. When it's sunny, we sit on the beautiful patio. The waitresses like helping us with our Hebrew homework.

Restobar is the site of the former Moment Cafe, the spot where 11 people were killed and 54 injured on the 9th of March 2002. The municipality has erected a stone plaque on the buildings exterior in memorial. Also, the restaurant hosts an annual memorial service for the victims' families.

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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on August 1, 2006

Restobar
1 Ben Maimon St.
Jerusalem, Israel
+972 (2) 5665126