Chef Yossi Shitrit Opens New Grill Restaurant AFRIT in Tel Aviv
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Chef Yossi Shitrit has opened AFRIT, a new grill restaurant in Tel Aviv, focusing on fire-based cooking and shared plates. The menu features a variety of skewers, traditional and unique dishes, with prices ranging from NIS 28 to NIS 180. Shitrit stated the restaurant is inspired by childhood memories and aims to offer accessible, enjoyable food in a casual setting. The new establishment joins his other restaurants, HIBA and Bandit.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Chef Yossi Shitrit opened a new grill restaurant named AFRIT in Tel Aviv.
- AFRIT offers a menu focused on skewers, shared plates, and fire-based cooking.
- Prices at AFRIT range from NIS 28 for falafel to NIS 180 for lamb chops.
- The restaurant's name, AFRIT, is derived from the Arabic word for a demon or spirit.
- Shitrit stated the concept is inspired by childhood memories of accessible, enjoyable food.
- AFRIT aims to blend a casual grill house atmosphere with a Tel Aviv dining experience.
Chef Yossi Shitrit has opened AFRIT, a new restaurant located at 12 Da Vinci Street in Tel Aviv. This venture joins his existing culinary establishments, HIBA and Bandit. AFRIT focuses on the 'shipudiya' (grill house) concept, blending fire-based cooking with a communal dining atmosphere and a less formal setting, offering Shitrit's unique take on familiar cuisine.
The restaurant aims to provide a dining experience that unfolds gradually, featuring shared starters, various skewers, larger meat cuts, wine, and cocktails. The menu caters to both lunch and dinner, incorporating both traditional dishes and less common combinations. While classics like falafel, hummus, fries, and chopped salad are available, the menu also includes dishes such as stuffed 'sachana' with offal and arisa.
Central to AFRIT's offerings are its diverse skewers, including lamb and beef 'shishkebab', green kebab, kebab with kasseri cheese, chicken meatballs wrapped in beef fat, and a sea fish skewer. Additional meat options include lamb chops, lamb sirloin, and ribeye. Prices range from NIS 28 for falafel to NIS 180 for lamb chops, depending on the dish and portion size. Cocktails are priced between NIS 52-62, complemented by a selection of white, rosé, red, and sparkling wines.
The name AFRIT, derived from the Arabic word for a demon or spirit, follows the pattern of his previous restaurant, Bandit, with a short, characterful, and slightly playful name. Shitrit explained that his decision to open a grill house is rooted in childhood memories and a desire to make good food accessible to everyone in a relaxed environment. He aims to bring back the nostalgic experience of charcoal grills, simplicity, abundance, and warm hospitality, reinterpreting it with his current culinary vision.
AFRIT's opening represents a new direction for Shitrit, emphasizing fire-based cooking, skewers, and shareable plates. A key question will be how the restaurant balances its informal grill house ambiance with the dining experience and pricing expected of a Tel Aviv establishment.
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