Ono Valley Becomes a Hotbed for New Restaurants
The Ono Valley area around Kiryat Ono has become one of central Israel’s liveliest dining scenes, according to restaurateurs who say its mix of middle-high socioeconomic residents and frustration with getting into Tel Aviv are driving the boom. Shaguy Razmovich, co-owner of the new Mojo Sun in Ganei Tikva, called the area a place for former Tel Aviv residents who want bigger homes and still expect high-quality food. Gadi Granot, CEO of La Table Group, said the region is “very developing” and attracts families upgrading their housing and young people. He and others say traffic, road closures, protests and parking problems in Tel Aviv are pushing customers and operators east.
The article notes that major brands such as Delicatessen, Giraffe, Aharoniz and Nono Mini have opened branches in the area, while well-known chefs Moti Titman and Tomer Agai have launched venues there. A line-having burger spot, Jagger in Kiryat Ono, has become an online sensation. New openings continue quickly, including Sideways, an elegant wine bar by Einat Neumark in new Ramat Ef’al, joining long-time institutions such as Esther, Lechem Yayin and Kiso.
Among the newer standout places is Surin, a Thai restaurant in the G Mall in Savyon from Gal Cohen and Assaf Cohen of the Thai 148 group. They said they wanted a Tel Aviv atmosphere with loud music and low lighting, but tailored to a local audience. Chef Omi, who has lived in Israel for 20 years, created a 45-dish menu featuring items like pla pad pet, tuna prepared in his home-region style, and a reworked pad thai. Meals typically cost 170 to 220 shekels, depending on alcohol consumption.
Across from it, Lisa Cohen’s Toros serves meat cooked over fire, grill and smoke, with a lunch skewer offer and a smoke-house format centered on aged and smoked meats. Her nearby Dolce Milla gelateria offers seasonal ice cream, tiramisu in a tin box, cakes, cookies, chocolates and sugar-free options. In Kiryat Ono, Place of Meat offers a business lunch and a narrower menu focused on local beef, with main dishes at 97 to 124 shekels, steaks at 165 shekels and burgers at 86 to 96 shekels. Its co-owner, Nini Nof, said the restaurant uses only local meat from dairy and older cows aged for a month.
Also in Ganei Tikva, Mojo Sun is trying a no-service model with no host, waiters, tips, reservations or bill waiting, replacing them with hotel-style concierges. Its 45-item menu includes sushi burritos, noodle dishes and ramen. In Kiryat Ono’s Hadvashan complex, the Pomo group’s Milano bakery expands on the success of Cafe Napo with a more Italian-style pastry shop, featuring flat displays, savory and sweet pastries, sandwiches, focaccias, brioche, panna cotta, croissants and items by pastry chef Tal Mamlia.
