See all
617 photos

Zahav

Israeli Restaurant$$$$

Center City East, Philadelphia

Save

Zahav

9.4^/10

747

ratings

Ranked #1 for a tasting menu in Philadelphia
Has a stamp of approval from Eater and Visit Philly
"Carrots and beets are my favorite small plates of salatim"(8 Tips)
"The Turkish hummus and fresh bread is to die for."(8 Tips)
"Whole Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Pomegranate and Chickpeas."(15 Tips)
"Tasting menu is amazing but make sure you're hungry when you come."(22 Tips)

226 Tips and reviews

Filter:

good for dates
tasting menu
salatim
trendy
mezzes
restaurants
lamb
tayim tasting menu
good for groups
happy hour
great value
desserts
bar
spacious
kofte
salads
orange sorbet
halloumi cheese
fried okra
eggplant
(15 more)

Sort:

Popular
Recent

EaterMarch 16, 2016
Bring a group for the breathtaking smoked lamb shoulder braised in pomegranate juice. No place else in America serves such a sensuous, transporting, and finely wrought feast. Read more
William ShriverJune 18, 2017
Truly amazing Israeli food. The Tayim tasting menu is a great value, and a great way to try a bunch of different foods on the menu. The Turkish hummus and Brisket Kofte were both out of this world.
Upvoted Feb 24
Chase GraySeptember 29, 2017
Everything is delicious here. Fully deserved reputation as one of the best restaurants in Philly. Worth the (2-3 month) wait for a reservation.
Johnnie SkywalkingJuly 30, 2017
Every experience here is amazing. Food, wine, service and even price. They even offer some complimentary dishes. I got lamb tartar and that was so great addition to all the ordered dishes.
Jessica RolandApril 4, 2019
Most popular place in Philly, for a reason! Food is amazing but it's very hard to get a reservation. If you go early, you can often get a seat at the bar. Also it is surprisingly cheap!
Molly SteinAugust 15, 2013
Start with the fava bean hummus for a different and amazing flavor. Mezze Indulgence: the crispy haloumi. Vegetarians MUST order the smoked eggplant and lentils. Beverage of choice: the sig lemonada
Vivek BhagwatAugust 3, 2018
The Tayim is a good deal for the amount of food! Get all the mezzes if you're down to eat some duck heart
GrantBwpgMay 23, 2014
The Tayim tasting menu was a great deal and provided for a ton of food! Turkish hummous was soooo tasty. Everything was great - you cannot go wrong. Wait staff are very attentive and knowledgeable.
Jake SmithOctober 19, 2018
Just do the Chef’s Tasting Menu (you have to ask for it). Let them make all the choices for you; sit back and enjoy.
EaterAugust 14, 2014
From Bill Addison:"After scraping the hummus bowl clean with shards of laffa, move on to gratifiers like griddled cubes of halloumi over molten date chutney with wisps of pickled onion & urfa." Read more
Lauren MacMarch 8, 2017
Grab happy hour at the bar & hope that Gabriel will be there to take care of you for cocktails (Z&T!) & recs. Don't miss the Branzino or fried cauliflower, but honestly, the fresh pita is the best!
Andrew CJanuary 28, 2019
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING... legit every dish was mouthwatering and amazing, but small (we wanted more lol)!!!! If you don't have reservations, show up at 430p and sit at the bar - you get the full menu!!!
Marie La RueNovember 24, 2018
Exceptional dining experience. The hummus and the 6 appetizer-sized salads are a must. Favorite dished were the raw tuna and cauliflower. Friendly, unpretentious service.
Emily WilsonFebruary 27, 2017
Splurge on the tasting menu, it's worth it (and as far as tasting menus go, not too pricey). Eat slowly and save room as you go. The service is exceptional, on par with the best. 10/10.
EaterJanuary 24, 2017
To best appreciate Mike Solomonov’s passionate, exuberant distillation of his Israeli heritage, bring a group, and prepare to feast on mezze and smoked lamb. Read more
Colin LeeMay 30, 2016
You can share the tasting menu at the bar ($45 for a lot of food!). Its great value way to try out most of the menu. Carrots and beets are my favorite small plates of salatim
KateApril 5, 2023
Excellent menu - fixed price and offerings, but the menu has a wide variety of food and is more than enough. Most people walk out with takeout containers!
Rachel LJuly 22, 2017
Some of the creamiest hummus I've ever had. Don't sleep on the Crudo or lamb kibbe. And the Israeli salad martini was great too.
Can KurtulAugust 11, 2014
Try $42.00 menu. You will get totally 16 courses and everything was really perfect taste. Waiters know how to serve and have knowledge about foods. One of the best restaurant in Philadelphia.
CITY GRITAugust 1, 2014
You can't go wrong with anything on Chef/Owner Solomonov's menu, but don't miss the Whole Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Pomegranate and Chickpeas. And the Sweetbreads changed our lives.
Shrikant JoshiAugust 17, 2018
Haloumi cheese is delicious. The tasting menu is amazing - although it is definitely on expensive side - I felt it was worth it. I think the quantity of food was more than enough.
Alex HennesseyJuly 7, 2015
Best restaurant in Philly. Probably the best meal of the year for me. Lemonana. Must try haloumi and cauliflower. Any of the al'haesh options. Worth staying for dessert too!
ReserveFebruary 10, 2016
Try great dishes such as a fried okra small plate and a luscious grilled Halloumi cheese dish served with peach, pickled mango, corn and pecan. Read more
Deniz SDecember 17, 2016
Not exaggerating so far one of the best lamb I ever had (manager told us that its been cooked for 2 days) which explains why its soo soft!! Get it: roasted lamb shoulder with pomegranate & chickpeas
Michael KauffmanSeptember 23, 2016
Salatim (salad/tapas assortment) with hummus and fresh-baked pita. Perfection. World-class.
Angela FemaleDecember 17, 2013
By far, the best food I've had in such a long time. I'm a picky eater, and I ate EVERYTHING they put in front of me. Simply delicious. And you get so much food! Highly recommend!!
Megan FilippApril 20, 2014
Incredible. I recommend the salatim, cauliflower, kofte, and chicken. Amazing meal and incredible service. They even brought us complimentary champagne since we were celebrating our anniversary.
Gregory WangSeptember 3, 2014
Zahav is Israeli cuisine at its finest. Go with a group to sample more dishes. It is difficult to go wrong with anything here. I always try to stop by when visiting Philadelphia.
Brendan RastetterAugust 10, 2014
It's all about the hummus. My personal favorite is the tehina. Then have fun with the small plates. The fried cauliflower, crispy Haloumi and grilled duck hearts are particularly good.
Marcia DunsmoreApril 12, 2022
Probably the best restaurant on the east coast. Unique in its vegetable offerings, and the lamb shoulder is the stuff of dreams. Great to visit with a group.
Nohra MuradAugust 15, 2018
The greatest meal of my life (and I grew up eating hummus and lamb shoulder). Peter, our server, is the best!
Sarah P.November 24, 2016
Tehina hummus with daily topping was great; branzino and chick were good grilled options. Favorite mezze was sweet potatoes!
AmateurConciergeNovember 12, 2019
Quite good but not sure it’s fully worth the hype. The taste of Zahav is a great deal. The custard for sure. Girl next to me gasm’d from the fried cheese. Cauli was good but not unreal
Michael CarrabineMarch 16, 2016
The Marbled Rye cocktail is very boozy. Try the Lemonnana for a lighter cocktail that still has Jim Beam in it.
Hannah GMAugust 17, 2013
Been here 5+ times
Try the Turkish hummus, smoked sable, fried cauliflower, haloumi, lamb tongue, kibbe naya ... or literally anything on the menu. Every item I've tried here (~10 visits) has been fantastic.
David RosenbloomNovember 24, 2014
Maybe the best restaurant in the city. The hummus, the laffa bread, the mezza, the lamb shoulder! Skip trying to get a reso and just get on the list for a bar seat.
Matthew SpectorNovember 17, 2013
Best food in Philadelphia, hands down. Do the hummus & salads sampler to start, and follow with the crisp-fried cauliflower and the branzino. Do *not* miss the haloumi.
Steve DouilletteMay 15, 2019
UNBELIEVABLE food! If you’re super hungry, get the tasting menu
Travel + LeisureNovember 2, 2012
At this citadel of worn wood and limestone in Society Hill, Michael Solomonov’s Middle Eastern combinations include mellow, musky, eggplant salad served next to nutty hummus with blistered flatbread.
Aviv GadotSeptember 4, 2016
Without a doubt, the best Israeli restaurant I've been to, in the US. Maybe even better than the ones in Israel.
Sandra RubinchikAugust 31, 2021
Didn’t get a reservation? Sign up for Resy notifications, put on your lucky underwear, and pray. The lamb is worth it.
Rachel ShifmanApril 25, 2016
The garlic butter hummus is the best I've tasted in America, and the service is excellent. Only shame is that it's not kosher, just Israeli style cooking.
Jeremy RiosApril 29, 2016
We grabbed one of the last spots available that night. The food was delicious and I wish I didn't order that second pitcher of spiked lemonade.
Grace LeeOctober 8, 2016
Haven't tried the famous lamb shoulder, but everything is delicious here, so get the Tayim or Mesibah so you can sample as much as possible!
Dave EisenbergSeptember 14, 2013
Astoundingly good. Go for the tasting menu and don't look back. Moroccan chicken and chicken liver mousse are standouts, as is the limonanna cocktail. Made me long for Israel
EpicuriousOctober 2, 2014
The restaurant's tayim menu allows solo diners (or large parties) to experience tastes from every section of the menu for just $42. Read more
HomeSpeakeasyFebruary 3, 2012
You always hear how great Zahav's food is, but what you might not hear is that the drinks are right up there with the hummus. Unexpected spices and flavors make for unique and delicious cocktails!
Farah VisslailliJanuary 20, 2016
Easily one of the best meals I've ever eaten. Go for the "Tayim" - you'll be incredibly full (like, for a few days), but not disappointed.
Omer ZachJanuary 19, 2016
Everything was truly phenomenal except the lamb shoulder—I'd stick with the mezze and skewers.
Condé Nast TravelerOctober 26, 2016
“The hummus and house-made laffa alone are worth the dinner price, as are the amazing salatim vegetable salads.”- Peter Jon Lindberg Read more

1 2 3 4 5

617 Photos

Zahav

Related Searches

You might also like

Places people like to go after Zahav

Appears on 1,247 lists

Top places in the area

More from CookNSolo

Is this your business? Claim it now.