Chef Yossi Haib Showcases Galilee-Golan Culinary Heritage at Rose Restaurant
Rose is a local chef-driven restaurant located in the Pra Hotel at the historic Beit HaMekas junction in the Golan Heights. The hotel, housed in a restored French customs house from 1911, reopened as a boutique hotel in September 2021 after extensive preservation work. Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, the hotel has intermittently closed and reopened due to security concerns in northern Israel. During this turbulent period, chef Yossi Haib replaced Roy Dori in the kitchen. Haib, a native of the region and protégé of renowned chef Erez Komarovsky, leads the restaurant with a focus on seasonal, local Galilean and Sham cuisine using regional cheeses, vegetables, and wines.
Haib, 39, grew up in Kiryat Shmona with a Bedouin father and English mother, blending Arab and English culinary traditions. His cooking style reflects this heritage, emphasizing shared dishes and local terroir. After working in various northern Israeli restaurants and collaborating with Komarovsky, Haib took over Rose in spring 2024 amid ongoing conflict, despite initial hesitation. He describes the restaurant’s menu as a personal interpretation of traditional dishes, such as musakhan-style shishbarak and eggplant-filled anellotti, combining Arab flavors with French culinary techniques.
The restaurant offers three menus daily, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with prices ranging from 36 to 255 shekels per dish. Signature dishes include shishbarak stuffed with confit trout, anellotti with charred eggplant and tahini sauce, and a unique roasted kabocha squash brulee dessert. Rose also features a wine list focused on Israeli wineries, primarily from the north and Jerusalem hills, curated by sommeliers Hagai Hess and Benia Katziru. Guests can participate in daily wine workshops and occasional tastings with guest winemakers.
Rose defines itself as a fine-casual dining experience with complex dishes served in a warm, relaxed atmosphere without formalities. The restaurant successfully conveys the culinary story of the Galilee and Golan through its plates, making it one of the most intriguing and affordable fine dining options in the region. A meal for two typically costs around 600 shekels excluding drinks and tip.
