Eilat falafel stand found charging the highest price in Israel

A Mako Food review says the most expensive falafel meal found in Israel is sold in Eilat, despite the city’s VAT exemption. At Buteka Falafel, also known as the blue falafel stand, a pita falafel costs 29 shekels, one shekel more than the famed Kosem in Tel Aviv. The report was published on June 22, 2026, by Lin Levi.

The stand, which the article says has operated since about 1970, is described as a local institution. Owner Izhak Biton carries on the business his parents started 50 years ago, and he has worked there since he was 13. The shop is set in a small blue-tiled kiosk on Sderot HaTmarim 107, with a single table outside, a window for ordering, and an air conditioner inside.

The menu is expensive across the board, the article says. A falafel baguette costs 38 shekels, a single falafel ball costs 1.5 shekels and is handed out free while customers wait, and a falafel tray costs 45 shekels. The kiosk can hold only two workers, so even a short line can mean a long wait.

Despite the price, the review says the food is excellent, large and fresh. The falafel balls are unusually big, the pita is soft, and the falafel itself is described as bright yellow, lightly seasoned and airy, with fresh vegetables, tahini, hummus and tasty amba. The writer notes that online reports suggest the meal cost 24 shekels two years ago, a 20% increase, and concludes that the quality and heritage do not necessarily justify the price.