Mounka, the iconic Bulgarian restaurant in Jaffa, is set to close at the end of June after serving diners since 1948, when it opened alongside the founding of the state. The restaurant became a gathering place for Bulgarian Jews, longtime Jaffa residents, and fans of Bulgarian food, and was long seen as part of the neighborhood’s fabric.
Its menu featured classic dishes such as shkembe chorba, a sour tripe soup, goulash soup, musaka with meat or eggplant, kapiolo, lamb soup, kidneys in sauce, and one of its signature dishes, Bulgarian kebabs with a springy texture. The place also stood out for its nostalgic atmosphere and its role as a “home away from home” for generations of customers.
The closure drew emotional reactions in the Facebook group “All of Us Are Bulgarians.” One member wrote that he had been eating at Mounka since age 5, for more than 65 years, and had brought his children and grandchildren there. Another said that in the 1950s Jaffa was full of Bulgarians, and Mounka was the first restaurant in the area to provide familiar food and atmosphere.
Micha Halfon, the third generation of the family behind the restaurant, said he decided to reclaim the business after years of neglect and no investment. “I am taking back Mounka to the family,” he wrote, adding that he plans to use his grandfather’s recipe book to restore the original flavors and “bring back the dignity to Bulgarian cuisine.” He said he wants a simple, good workers’ restaurant, not a gourmet chef restaurant. It is still unclear when, where, or in what form Mounka will reopen, but until the end of June customers can still visit Yehuda Hayamit 15 in Jaffa.
