Jerusalem hotels, restaurants, attractions, tours & events. Helping since 2008

With the weather getting warmer, it feels like all of Jerusalem is now out and about, dining in the great outdoors. The Holy City's green spaces are dotted with picnic blankets, the cobblestone pedestrian-only streets and plazas are lined with people drinking coffee and beer at tables, and the garden courtyards and verandas of top restaurants are filled with patrons enjoying unbeatable atmosphere, views and mountain air alongside their meals.

The options for enjoying Jerusalem outdoors while eating are numerous and varied - read on for our staff recommendations on where to go, as well as commentary from some of the city's top restaurateurs.

Self-catering on the green

There's no better time to stroll through the alleys of the Machane Yehuda market to pick up some fresh Bukharan-style bread, boutique wine and delightfully pungent cheeses for a picnic in nearby Gan Sacher, or in the adjacent Rose Garden, with its tranquil and shaded Japanese waterfall.

Prefer for someone else to pack your lunch for you? Grab takeout at any of downtown Jerusalem's cafes, short order stands or restaurants, and head over to nearby Independence Park.

Cobblestone and airy havens of central Jerusalem

 
In historic and scenic Yemin Moshe, Montefiore offers amazing vistas, as well as authentic Italian food. Not far from there, Sakura and Adom have outdoor seating in the relaxing Feingold Courtyard.

On the newly cobbled and increasingly trendy pedestrian mall of Ben Shetach Street, "sibling" restaurants Gabriel (meat) and Gabriela (dairy) offer high-class food and street-side seating where diners can enjoy the passers-by without the headache of traffic.

Closer to Ben Yehuda Street, in the alleys of Nachalat Shiva, Tmol Shilshom offers its dairy offerings on a small stone porch, in keeping with the restaurant's charming old-school design. And at the bottom of Rivlin St., Gourmet's front patio allows classic French fare to be enjoyed in classic Champs Elysees street-side style.

It's not Morocco, but Darna, in the Russian compound area, provides the illusion, especially in the summer when diners can enjoy tagines in the decorated, canopy-covered courtyard.

On nearby Rav Kook Street, Little Jerusalem at the Ticho House is a charming restaurant in a Turkish mansion with a glorious garden, book-sized menu and regular live music events. Owner Nava Bibi knows that her restaurant's outdoor seating areas are boast-worthy. "The restaurant is in the middle of the city, but with the veranda and large garden, you feel as if you were sitting outside the city," she tells GoJerusalem.com.

"You don't hear the noise of the city, but you are still centrally located. We also have live music [in the courtyard]: Tuesday night is jazz night, on Thursdays we have Israeli music, and on Saturday nights we have Jewish songs."

Those looking for outdoor dining and traditional Middle Eastern hospitality in eastern Jerusalem can find it at Azzahra, where grape vines provide both shade and atmosphere.

The picturesque and swanky Alrov Mamilla Avenue outdoor shopping mall offers plenty of outdoor dining opportunities amongst the shops, both at high and low altitudes. At the Mamilla Hotel's Rooftop restaurant, the design and views just might trump the food for attention. Nearby Kedma offers similar views towards Jaffa Gate and beyond, while Herzl is on the avenue level itself, affording diners great people-watching opportunities along with Israeli-style comfort food, European bistro classics and Mediterranean specialties.

"In addition to two balconies, there is seating for about 40 on the avenue that passes through the Mamilla mall," says Mirit Waiss, Herzl's manager. "It's wonderful - you can enjoy the environment, the stores and the shoppers. It feels like a European street." Waiss says that Herzl's Friday brunch is especially popular for outdoor dining, with its special menu of homemade dips, tapas dishes and drink specials.

Amid pastoral hills and suburb-like enclaves

 
Over in the valley, Emek Refaim St.'s Sushi Rechavia boasts a large front yard where diners can eat al fresco and check out the scene. On nearby Beit Lechem Road, Café B'gina boasts a spacious - and shaded - garden which is perfect for brunch.

Those who prefer to be a bit further from the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem's streets can enjoy a nice meal at Caffit in the Botanical Gardens, where diners are surrounded by the birds and the bees.

Still further from the center, Ein Kerem's Karma restaurant has outdoor seating overlooking the picturesque area.

David Shabo, one of Karma's owners, notes, "We have a veranda upstairs with spectacular views of the churches, the hills, the forest and the surrounding village. It's the most beautiful thing we have here in the restaurant."

And while Shabo insists that Karma's food and vibes would make for a major draw even without the surrounding views, "There's no equivalent," he tells GoJerusalem.com. "When it comes to atmosphere, vistas, the landscape - no one has what we have in Jerusalem. It's like a Tuscan landscape."