Top Places To Sample Bourekas In Israel

An Israeli specialty, try bourekas. A delicious, flaky pastry made from phyllo dough, it contains many different fillings that settled immigrants brought to Israel from their native countries. Bourekas come in many different shapes and sizes, with fillings such as salty cheese, mashed potatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. They are often sprinkled with seeds, or other toppings like pizza sauce and their shapes are usually indicative of their fillings: a square boureka is filled with potatoes, while a round one is filled with salty cheese.

Freshly-made potato bourekas on sale at a stall in Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem

Turkish style bourekas with phyllo dough at Borekas Ramle

1. Bourekas Ramle

Cafe, Israeli

The impressive display of pastries at Bourekas Ima

At Bourekas Ramle you will find delicious Turkish-style bourekas with three types of fillings: cheese, potato with lots of black pepper, and fresh spinach. What makes this place unique is the shape of the pastry as well as the condiments that you can add to them – pickles, tahini sauce, a hard-boiled egg and a Yemenite hot pepper sauce called schug. Enjoy a cup of fresh lemonade to wash it down.

2. Bourekas Ima, Rivka Street

Bakery, Israeli

Located in the Talpiot neighborhood, Bourekas Ima sells a wide variety of bourekas, as well as fresh bread, cakes, and desserts. The bourekas can be bought either fresh or frozen. It’s one-stop shopping and well worth the trip.

3. Aroshatas Bakery

Bakery, Israeli

Aroshatas Bakery is a small bakery that makes different type of bourekas by using olive oil instead of margarine. Enjoy a kurkish Kada – a whole-wheat pastry made with olive oil that is filled with sweet potato, eggplant, or cheese. This bakery is a must-visit if you are near the center of town.

4. Bourekas Musa

Restaurant, Israeli

Bourekas Musa is a Jerusalem favorite. It is located under the Russian compound near the Jerusalem municipal building and here you can get a large assortment of bourekas that contain all types of fillings. All of the dough is made in-house.