Warm your soul at one of these five soup spots
Better than Rome or Barcelona! Indulge in the winter remedy, with some not-so-traditional flavors
It’s freezing out there, and it’s going to rain and storm across Israel for the next four days. Wherever you live, the particular Israeli cold air that seeps into your bones and chills you from the inside out has everyone running for cover and some cozy consolation amid the storm.
What’s really needed, however, is soup.
Soup is the answer. It’s a Jewish grandmother’s remedy to a cold. It’s a poor student’s solution to rainy day blues. It’s a heart-and-mind warmer that many are craving these days.
Here are some spectacular soup options to keep in mind while weathering the storm:
1. Marakei and Felafel Gabai, Tel Aviv: This hole-in-the-wall establishment on Bograshov Street has locals raving about its marakim (soups) year-round. With no preservatives and a high turnover of customers, the soup is always fresh. The owners feature a host of staple soups, such as minestrone and vegetable, as well as ethnic specialties, like dandush, an Iraqi soup with a slightly bitter broth, or chrira, a Moroccan bean and lentil medley with soft, short noodles. Both are extremely popular. If you can’t make your mind up, they will let you try the soups — and taste them again if you’re still not sure — to help you find your perfect match.
Haim Eliyas, a Tel Aviv resident originally from Iran, claims the shop has the best soup in all of Israel. “I even think it’s the best food in the world,” he exclaimed, while tucking into a bowl of chrira. “I’ve been to Barcelona and Rome, and their food is good, but the food here is authentic and really healthy. Plus, it’s cheap. Indeed, a huge bowl of soup comes out to NIS 20 (slightly over $5).
The place is small. It has a bar to sit at and a few tables in the side room, and an outside tent area; but mostly it’s an in-and-out type of place where a quick bowl will fix any lingering cold.
Address: 25 Bograshov Street, Tel Aviv
2. Hamarakia, Jerusalem: People don’t just come to The Marakia (The Soupery) for the soup, although it’s delicious. They come for the dimly-lit ambiance and poetic vibe. With mismatched silverware, antique-y tables and eclectic chairs, Hamarakia is a Jerusalem experience. While eating you can often listen to live music, sip a beer or try a myriad of other dishes on the menu. The potato leek soup is not to be missed. It’s creamy and hearty — perfect for a dreary winter day. Come and stay a while if you’re lucky to find a table, or join another group already seated (as often happens) at the long wooden table in the center, because the mood is festive and friendly. It’s located on Koresh Street, almost hidden among the shops off Shlomtzion Hamalka in downtown Jerusalem.
Address: 4 Koresh Street, Jerusalem
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3. Azura, Jerusalem: In the midst of the stalls and flavors of Jerusalem’s colorful Mahane Yehuda Market, you will find Azura, a gem of a soup place. Located smack in the center of Mahane Yehuda, Azura serves authentic Iraqi-Kurdish kubbeh soup to hundreds of hungry customers daily. Azura may be considered a budget restaurant because it’s cheap and fast, but its patrons, many from traditional Iraqi families, are among the toughest to impress.
Their kubbeh soup — dough balls made from semolina dough filled with ground beef, which are boiled and then simmered in a lemony beet-filled broth — is simple perfection. While kubbeh can be enjoyed without the soup (in that case it’s generally fried), the soup has a rich flavor from the beets and other vegetables. The only catch? They close early, so try heading there for lunch instead.
The famed Ima restaurant is just down the street from Azura on the corner of Agrippas and Ben Tsvi Streets. It’s more of sit-down situation that specializes in other Iraqi and Kurdish treats, but their kubbeh soup is what makes them famous. Ima also has a soup bar in the market itself; a narrow shop that has a variety of kubbeh options for you to try while shopping.
Address: Azura: 8 Mahane Yehuda Street, Jerusalem; Ima Restaurant: 189 Agrippas Street, Jerusalem
4. Ticho House, Jerusalem: To enjoy French onion soup served in a hollowed out loaf of bread at the Ticho House cafe is the ultimate rainy day treat. The house, now part of the Israel Museum, was one of the first homes built outside the Old City walls in the late 19th century. It is located in downtown Jerusalem on Harav Kook Street, a short walk from the museum’s main building, nestled among trees and flowering plants.
The historic charm of the surroundings could almost detract from the taste of the food, except that the French onion soup is divine. With a mound of extra shredded cheese on the side — and piping onion broth that is slowly absorbed into the massive bread bowl — you’re sure to leave happy (and quite stuffed).
Address: 9 Harav Kook Street, Jerusalem
5. Aroma: This illustrious cafe chain may not have the indie vibe apparent at other soup joints, but their regular feast of soup options offer a perfect staple for any time of day, all year long.
Their vegetable medley soup or their Tuscan vegetable blend always hits the spot. Their menu keeps expanding to include new varieties and to match the seasons, such as tomato-based options and lentil soups. The orange-colored vegetable soup (sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot) mixed with ginger and a dash of cinnamon, creates a thick blend that is hot and soothing and also spicy and refreshing.
Many variations of soup from around the world — be it Asian ramen noodles or Ukrainian borscht — are making their way into the Israeli soup market. Because even in unexpected places, soup is an ageless tradition that brings people together, no matter what the flavor or the consistency.
The Times of Israel Community.