Everyone is standing in line: Israel’s most talked-about pastry awaits you in Binyamina

Adi Peretz, who began his career as a food photographer and later moved into the world of baking, did not plan to establish one of the most talked-about pastry brands in Israel. But nearly seven years after founding Mattarello in Ein Zivan, after a war, closure, a move to Hungary and a return to Israel, the lines are back. This time in Binyamina.

Peretz founded Mattarello in 2019 in Kibbutz Ein Zivan in the Golan Heights, where he grew up. According to him, the decision to open a bakery came after a personal crisis, when he essentially started without formal professional training.

“I didn’t study under anyone. Every night I would think of another recipe and that’s how I basically learned the entire field on my own,” he said. What began as a small bread bakery gradually expanded according to customer demand, until croissants became the most identified product of the place. “It took me about two years to reach the result I really wanted,” he said.

According to him, the COVID period actually accelerated exposure for the brand, as seating restrictions created lines outside the place and made them part of the conversation around Mattarello. But then came the events of October 7, and reality in the north changed. “At first there were still soldiers who came to the Golan Heights, but later people stopped coming. For months we opened every morning despite the sirens, but it became difficult,” he said.

In July 2024, the Ein Zivan branch closed. Months later, Peretz moved with his family to Hungary and opened a branch in Budapest, but the operation closed after a short period. He later decided to return to Israel, and on March 24, 2026, the new branch in Binyamina opened.

Almost two months after opening, it seems the interest around the place has not faded. On Friday morning, unusually long lines formed outside, with customers splitting between a take-away line and a seating line. Even later in the morning, the queue stretched along the street, a sight many local residents did not recall seeing around a new business opening.

The new branch operates in a building overlooking an eucalyptus grove, with a covered seating area and a take-away section, so you can also rest in the grove. The patisserie kitchen was built with glass walls allowing visitors to watch the team working in real time. In charge of the pastry display is pastry chef Ella Weinberg, who has worked alongside Peretz for the past two years.

Peretz explains that one of his core principles is daily work with fresh ingredients. “There is not a single artificial product in the kitchen. Everything is made from scratch every day,” he said. According to him, some of the suppliers and producers have continued working with him since the northern operation.

Alongside the success story, Peretz also criticizes the state’s handling of businesses in the north during the fighting period and claims he did not receive sufficient compensation. “I understood that I have nothing to expect from the state. If you want to survive, you need to adapt to reality,” he said. According to him, the decision to return to Israel and choose Binyamina was also influenced by the desire to operate in an area that could continue functioning even during periods of security uncertainty.

The place offers a menu ranging from breakfast pastries and coffee to elaborate brunch dishes and plates suitable for a light lunch. The menu itself lists the suppliers and producers from whom some of the raw ingredients come, including farmers, cheesemakers, and local producers.

In the tasting section, we started with the signature scrambled egg croissant, loaded with eggs and Parmesan (NIS 44). In this case, the hype is probably justified. The croissant is buttery, the filling is generous, and the combination works very well.

Next came a Camembert croissant with kohlrabi jam and Camembert cheese (NIS 55). This is a less predictable dish, with flavor combinations that move between sweet, salty, and a subtle acidity. The price is not low, but it is one of the more original items on the menu.

The lighter dishes also leaned toward creativity. The seared asparagus with corn vinaigrette and yogurt (NIS 64) was a refreshing dish that stimulates the appetite, while the tomato salad with strawberries, ricotta, green pepper, and red onion (NIS 59) managed to combine an unusual mix that worked better than expected.

The surprise of the meal was actually the charred green salad on a labneh base (NIS 66), which disappeared quickly from the table and managed to turn relatively simple ingredients into a dish with a lot of depth.

In the end, Mattarello in Binyamina is not just a place that generates queues or online hype. Behind the closure in the north, the move abroad, and the return to Israel, there also seems to be food that in most cases manages to meet expectations. Prices for some dishes are high, but those who come are probably not just looking for coffee and a croissant, but also for the story, the creativity, and the feeling that someone is still making everything from scratch. And yes, that is also noticeable in the flavors.