Mahane Yehuda Market Food Tour: Self-Guided Tasting Route
Half day · 10 stops
What to eat in Mahane Yehuda Market (the Shuk): 10 tasting stops in order on a self-guided food tour of Jerusalem, all within a short walk.
By Amit Keren1 min walk
6 min walk
3 min walk
4 min walk
1 min walk
1 min walk
1 min walk
1 min walk
8 min walk
Route total: 1.6 km between stops
A Mahane Yehuda Market food tour is one of the best ways to spend a few hours in Jerusalem. You walk between the stalls, taste and share, from a warm cinnamon bun in the morning to the famous chocolate rugelach at the end.
The idea is not to order a full meal at every stop. Buy one portion to share, everyone gets a bite, and move on. That way there's still room for a mufleta, a cone of fish and chips and a scoop of gelato.
These are 10 stops for a self-guided food tour of the Shuk. The whole route is about 1.6 km, mostly inside the market lanes and along Agripas Street, so you can stop whenever you've had enough.
10 tasting stops in and around the market, from a morning cinnamon bun and Kurdish pastries to etrog juice and rugelach. About 1.6 km of walking in total.
Open route in Google MapsStart here · Café & dessert · Cinnamon bun and coffee
Sun to Wed 9:30 to 22:00, Thu 9:00 to 24:00, Fri 8:30 to 15:30, closed Saturday
Café on HaShikma Street known for its giant American-style cinnamon buns, glazed and served warm.
Tip: Start with a coffee and the glazed cinnamon bun, warm and huge. Ask them to cut it into a few pieces so everyone gets a share.
Stop 2 · Restaurant · Shamburak
Sun to Thu from 12:00 until late, closed Friday, Sat from 20:00
Kurdish restaurant known for shamburak, a pastry filled with slow-cooked meat that grew out of the chef's own family story.
Tip: Order a shamburak, the Kurdish pastry filled with slow-cooked meat. Ask for it cut to share, with the hot sauce on the side. It opens at noon, so plan the start of the tour around it.
Stop 3 · Restaurant · Sabich in a pita
Sun to Thu 9:30 to 23:00, Fri 9:30 to 14:00, closed Saturday
One of the best-known sabich stands in the market: fried aubergine, egg and salads in a pita, with a vegan version that swaps the egg for portobello.
Tip: One of the most famous sabich stands in the market. There's a vegan version with portobello instead of egg. Ask them to cut it into quarters so everyone gets a bite.
Stop 4 · Restaurant · Yemenite kubaneh
Sun 12:00 to 22:00, Mon to Wed 10:00 to 22:00, Thu 10:00 to 2:00, Fri 8:00 to 15:00, closed Saturday
Small Yemenite bakery serving hot kubaneh, the classic one or with fillings like cheddar, plus jachnun.
Tip: Try a hot kubaneh, the classic one or with a filling like cheddar. A simple, authentic stop.
Stop 5 · Shop · Kada and bourekas
Sun to Thu 7:00 to 20:00, Fri 7:00 to 15:00, closed Saturday
Bakery in the market since 1970, selling kada, a traditional Kurdish pastry, and warm bourekas.
Tip: A bakery since 1970. Try the kada, a traditional Kurdish pastry, or share a warm boureka.
Stop 6 · Restaurant · Mufleta
Sun to Wed 10:00 to 23:00, Thu 10:00 to 0:30, Fri 9:00 to 14:00, Sat from 21:00
Mufleta, the thin Moroccan pancake, made in front of you on the griddle to a grandmother's recipe, with mostly savoury fillings.
Tip: The mufleta is made in front of you on the griddle, to a grandmother's recipe. Most of the fillings are savoury, so this is the moment to pick one of those.
Stop 7 · Restaurant · Fish and chips
Sun to Thu 10:00 to 23:30 (Wed from 11:00), Fri 10:00 to 16:00, closed Saturday
Beer-battered fish and chips served in a cone, with fish from the owners' father's fish stall a few stands away.
Tip: Beer-battered fish and chips in a cone that photographs well. The fish comes from the owners' father's stall, a few stands away.
Stop 8 · Shop · Etrog juice
Sun to Thu 8:00 to 20:00, Fri 8:00 to 15:00, closed Saturday
Juice stall running for almost 20 years, known for fresh etrog juice and blends of herbs and fruit.
Tip: Drinks stop. Try the fresh etrog juice or one of the herb blends, and ask Uzi to tell you about the etrog. It's part of the experience.
Stop 9 · Café & dessert · Gelato and affogato
Market branch of the Israeli gelato chain, with gelato and sorbet made every day using fruit, nuts and spices from the market.
Tip: Gelato and sorbet made every day with fruit and spices from the market. If you need another coffee, order the affogato. Google lists this branch as closed, so check it's open before you count on it.
Stop 10 · Shop · Chocolate rugelach
Sun to Wed 6:00 to 24:00, Thu open all night, Fri until 17:00, closed Saturday
Bakery famous for Jerusalem's best-known chocolate rugelach, in the market for about 40 years.
Tip: Finish with Jerusalem's most famous chocolate rugelach, sold here for about 40 years. If nobody has room left, this is the easiest stop to take home.
Route total: 1.6 km between stops
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BookBefore you go
spotz.guide is a collection of travel maps and step-by-step routes, made to be opened on your phone and followed on the ground. Every guide is put together and checked by founder and editor Amit Keren.
Spots come from time on the ground and strong recommendations, and each one is checked before it goes on the map.
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