6 Israeli restaurants ranked among top 50 eateries in Middle East

In the first-ever list of its kind, six Israeli restaurants have been ranked among the top 50 best dining establishments in the Middle East and North Africa.

The highest-ranked Israeli venue was OCD Restaurant, which was third overall on the top 50 list released Monday, by the website theworlds50best.com. This is the first time they have ranked the region.

OCD, run by chef Raz Rahav, exclusively serves tasting menus that draw “inspiration from the local culture, raw materials, history and ‘chutzpa,’” according to its website.

In rating OCD, the theworlds50best.com called the food an “Israeli fusion extravaganza.”

“Rahav combines Israeli-inspired dishes and raw materials in OCD’s menu, giving them an unexpected interpretation. Don’t miss the Israeli sturgeon black caviar combined with cauliflower pancakes, Ashkenazi dumplings, kasha buckwheat puffs or Rahav’s very own amba – Jewish-Iraqi mango pickle paste,” it said.

The other Israeli restaurants on the list were George & John (9), HaBasta (14), Animar (17), Pescado (24) and Milgo & Milbar (40).

With the exception of Pescado, a fish restaurant in the southern coastal city of Ashdod, all the Israeli eateries included on the list are in Tel Aviv.

The top restaurant on the list, which is sponsored by San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, was 3 Fils in Dubai. The highest-ranked restaurant worldwide was Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark.