Pardes Hanna–Karkur has long since stopped being just another sleepy town along the coastal highway. It has become a destination, a lifestyle, and a true scene. A place that attracts vegans, artists, young families, culinary entrepreneurs, and quite a few Tel Avivians looking for quiet without giving up on quality. This influx has transformed the once-drowsy area into a celebration of food and worthwhile boutiques, making it easy to take a day trip within Israel and feel like you are abroad. Because if you thought culinary tours existed only in Levinsky Market in Tel Aviv, or in London or New York, think again.
Whether you decided to head out for a trip in the Carmel Mountains or to the ancient ruins of Caesarea, you can now add depth and wonderful flavors with a stop in Pardes Hanna–Karkur. We turned to Tali Eshhar Gottlieb, a culinary editor and foodie who has lived here for seven years and leads culinary tours through the town, to reveal all the secrets and favorite spots that locals love most and that have become a true must-have for those in the know.
The Beating Heart of Pardes Hanna
The first stop on any visit is the colony center. Haoranim Street, known locally as “the wadi” because of the sunken boulevard running through its center, is the beating heart of Pardes Hanna. A renewing street that manages to preserve a local character with a contemporary twist. In the Old Market complex, once the town’s legendary marketplace, life has been revived. Today you will find a performance stage, a creative cocktail bar, a nursery that decorates the area with lush greenery, a beautiful jewelry shop, and a rotating lineup of markets, shows, and family-friendly activities.
Just a few steps away is Tali Lama, a colorful and joyful Indian-style Israeli restaurant born out of a young couple’s life change after the pandemic. A little further on is Laffa, the café of chef Danielle Kitzis, offering pastries and sandwiches in the morning and, at noon, a creative and character-filled open-table experience. Neuland, a large and stylish café, combines food, a deli, gifts, and accessories by boutique producers, and Shamna, the ice cream shop that has already earned nationwide fame thanks to gelato made daily from local ingredients and unconventional combinations, including many vegan options. Secondhand lovers will not want to miss Pula Boutique, a shop packed with clothing and accessories in excellent condition at surprising prices.
Continuing on to the parallel Dekalim Street reveals another avenue of special shops, including Pelaot, a toy and creative store that even adults find hard to leave, the HaMossad complex where several female artists work under one roof, and Lady of the Spices, a shop where it seems you can find every spice imaginable and then some.
From there, the path leads to the Yadit complex, a place for those in the know. You cannot stumble upon it by accident, but those who arrive discover a quiet, simple space full of charm and authentic Pardes Hanna character. Here you will find Blooms Coffee Cart with local roasting, Guy’s Burger serving hamburgers and fries that make you want to come back, the Good Witch mysticism shop, Davidson Natural Apothecary with cosmetics made on site, Koala Studio by artist Galia Simchai, and the studio of painter Naama Segal. Above them all operates Shevet Brewery, a local brewery and distillery with excellent beers and a beer garden open in the evenings. It is also possible to arrange a guided tour with tastings.
The Artists’ Stables
The next stop is the Artists’ Stables complex. What once served as horse stables for the agricultural school has become one of Israel’s most creative hubs. More than one hundred businesses operate here, including galleries, unique shops, cafés, restaurants, pubs, live music, and an atmosphere unlike any other. Among the standout spots are the veteran Cafe Hatzvi, Olika the local roastery, the coffee cart Cafe Hadibur, Kamado restaurant specializing in ramen, Ananda the vegan Indian restaurant, Saison 02 by chef Naomi Giat, Paka Paka with grilled chicken, and Bari Li Bar with smoothies and bowls. On Fridays, the Paralelo Market takes place here with food, art, fashion, and live music, and on Thursday evenings the complex fills with partygoers coming for events and performances.
Alongside all this buzz, Pardes Hanna also offers more intimate and profound culinary experiences. One of them is the hosting experience of chef Daniel Katz. Not a restaurant and not catering, but an evening that begins around one long table, with no menu and no prior knowledge of what will be served. Katz cooks by listening to the people and the moment, with unapologetic abundance, dishes that surprise even when based on classics, and an experience that returns food to its most basic place, a connection between people. Katz brings with him a career of over three decades in hotel kitchens, memories from his Romanian grandmother Fanny’s kitchen, and a philosophy of live creation that does not cling to rules. He hosts meals inspired by diverse cuisines, including vegan and kosher options, initiates holiday meals for the community under the title “No One Stays Alone,” and offers a different model of hospitality, one that prefers listening over overplanning.
And if you do not feel like wandering and searching for these gems on your own, Tali Eshhar Gottlieb’s tour ties all these worlds together. Between food and story, between place and people, between history and the waves of immigration that shaped Pardes Hanna into what it is today. The tour lasts about three and a half hours, in the morning or evening, and is intended for anyone who wants to taste the town from the inside.
So why Pardes Hanna–Karkur. Because it manages to combine quiet and nature with a vibrant culinary scene, community with creativity, and simplicity with depth. Because here, between coffee and ramen, between ice cream and local beer, between art and a long table without a menu, a town is revealed that is far more than a destination. It is an experience.