The new Terracotta by chef Omar Ilwan is the best Arab restaurant operating in Israel today
Ale Gefen, the restaurant that redefined Arab cuisine, closed nearly a decade ago. Now, chef Omar Ilwan is back with Terracotta on Highway 444, bringing his legendary dishes back to life.
Arab restaurants in Israel are currently undergoing an exciting evolution. Hamudi Oukla recently opened a new-breed skewer house, Lululish; Alaa Musa, who previously surprised diners with Lux and Crudo, launched Salt earlier this year, featuring modern street food with Arab twists; Mansoura has excelled with kosher-style home cooking; and at Mijana in Wadi Ara, we discovered a successful fusion of Arab and Italian flavors. These establishments are characterized by excellent atmosphere, modern design, and dishes that push Arab cuisine forward. Today, one no longer needs to travel far north to enjoy good tabbouleh, muhammara, Syrian kubbeh, or stuffed grape leaves.
Joining this trend is the new restaurant Terracotta, located on Highway 444 between Tayibe and Tzur Yitzhak, helmed by the beloved chef Omar Ilwan (Mijana). We first met Ilwan during the 2013 season of Chef Games. In 2015, he opened the groundbreaking Ale Gefen in the Krayot, which operated until 2017 and left a lasting impression on the culinary scene.
At Terracotta, named for the chef's connection to the land, Ilwan cooks in a magnificent kitchen built with a 3-million-shekel investment. The building, with its grand palace-like doors, feels more like a Dubai establishment than a roadside restaurant in Tayibe. However, the luxury of the setting is secondary to the food.
Terracotta's menu is divided into categories: appetizers, "Mom's doughs," "Galilee field," "Princess Italy," "450 oven," Josper-grilled dishes, and seafood. The meze platter (56 shekels) is a must-start, featuring the chef's signature muhammara, hummus, labneh, eggplant in tahini, and zucchini salad. The hot focaccia (38 shekels) is served with crushed tomato, velvety tahini, garlic confit, olives, and cornichons.
We highly recommend the "Chateau Caramel," a dish from the Ale Gefen days: fillet cuts seared in the Josper and served on a delicate salted caramel sauce (87 shekels). Also noteworthy are the original freekeh arancini with truffle cream (63 shekels) and the unconventional Syrian kubbeh—a patty of raw ground meat served with ice, offering a unique, smooth texture and delicate flavor (82 shekels).
The "Mom's doughs" selection includes a delicious lahmacun (77 shekels) topped with spiced meat, arugula, onion, pomegranate concentrate, and hot pepper. We also sampled the "Bab Hatta" (74 shekels), a massive pastry stuffed with cheese, za'atar, olive oil, and sumac, served with a refreshing yogurt-cucumber spread.
The "field" section features salads like the Fallahiya (58 shekels) and the signature Omar Ilwan salad. The Italian section offers ravioli, spaghetti with smoked sea bass, and pappardelle frutti di mare (78-126 shekels). Josper dishes range from steaks and lamb chops to the spicy Halabi kebab baked in dough (93-166 shekels).
Desserts are a highlight, with 10 options including nut-stuffed qatayef (54 shekels) and "Umm Ali" (54 shekels)—a baked puff pastry with kishta cream, cinnamon, coconut, and pistachio. It is a rare, perfectly balanced treat.
Terracotta is a sparkling new destination where marble and luxury meet professional service. While the design is inspired by the Emirates, the true star is Omar Ilwan's unique culinary signature. His dishes, rooted in tradition yet refined with modern flair, make the trip well worth it, especially given the reasonable price point.
Highway 444 between Tayibe and Tzur Yitzhak. Waze: Terracotta. Sunday-Saturday: 16:00-23:00.
