6 super pizza deals in central Israel
Review: One can enjoy great pizza in Israel at truly bargain prices, if you pay attention to the 'when and where.' You won’t save calories, but you will feel virtuous about spending less money.
You won’t save calories, but you will feel virtuous about spending less money. The food is not ranked; rather, the places are listed in alphabetical order. All have English menus, although, unfortunately, none are certified kosher.
Bellini
Ambiance: The restaurant, which shares a lovely square with the Suzanne Dallal center in Tel Aviv’s Neve Tzedek, has a large indoor room with a rustic feel, and a welcoming al fresco area shaded by aromatic citrus trees.
Beverages: Full bar with specialty cocktails, imported and domestic beers, wine and soft drinks
Deal Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 19.00-21.00.
The Deal: The aperitivo pizza birra comprises toasted rustic bread served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar; a generous heap of crispy nachos, served with salsa verde, sour cream, and a spicy tomato salsa; a pizza for two; and two glasses (1/3 liter) of draft beer.
The Pizza: A choice of four varieties, including the classic margherita; black olives and chili pepper; roasted onion and fresh spinach; and pepperoni and roasted pepper (slight extra charge).
Noteworthy: The unique pasta nachos, made from pappardelle pasta dough, steal the show; they are addictive, and make it hard to finish everything put on the table. The restaurant offers a full Italian menu, with excellent polenta and desserts.
Price: NIS 78 for two (NIS 39 per person)
Bellini . Yehieli St. 6, Tel Aviv. Tel. (053) 943-9619
Dizzy Frishdon
Ambiance: This is primarily a bar that attracts a younger crowd. What sets it apart from other bars on Dizengoff is that, in addition to its sidewalk tables and stools, it has a large indoor section, which is relatively well lit and does not allow smoking. The music is not too loud, either.
Beverages: Full bar with specialty cocktails, imported and domestic beers, wine and soft drinks
Deal hours: Every day except Friday, 15.00-19.00.
The deal: Happy Hour, when there is 50% off on alcoholic drinks and most foods, including select pizzas and toppings.
The pizza: There is a plain margarita (sic) pizza, with toppings available, and a delicious white pizza called Stephan’s, with a Parmesan cream, artichokes, truffles and arugula. Each pizza comprises eight slices.
Noteworthy: Sunday is also wine day, with all the red or white you can drink for NIS 65 (NIS 75 for some labels); the wine comes with a small complimentary plate of cheese. There is an expanding menu of bar foods and tapas, and one dessert (warm chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream).
Price: The plain pizza is NIS 18 instead of NIS 36, and toppings NIS 2 each instead of NIS 4 (premium toppings are NIS 3.5 instead of 7); Stephan’s Pizza is NIS 25 instead of NIS 46.
Dizzy Frishdon. Dizengoff St. 121, Tel Aviv. Tel. (03) 523-4111
Kofinas
Ambiance: Kofinas is a country restaurant located in a moshav in the Sharon. It is furnished with light woods and has al fresco seating surrounded by greenery. There is plenty of convenient, free parking.
Beverages: Full bar with specialty cocktails, imported and domestic beers, wine and soft drinks. In winter, there is warm sangria and hot cicer.
Deal hours: Mondays, all evening from 17.00. (Take Away orders excluded.)
The deal: 1+1 (buy one, get one free) on all pizzas, available to members of the restaurant’s loyalty club; it is free to join, online or in person (the restaurant prefers you register 24 hours in advance).
The pizza: There are nine specialty pizzas, each with six large slices, baked in the oven imported from Italy. The three distinctive house pizzas are the funghi, with mascarpone cream instead of tomato sauce, mushrooms, truffle, Parmesan and chestnuts; the Saloniki, with tomato sauce, mozzarella, spinach, feta cheese, Kalamata olives and Parmesan; and the Gyros, with tomato sauce, pullet, ground beef, pickled onions roasted onion, tehina, yogurt, olives and chili pepper.
Noteworthy: There is a full Italian-Mediterranean menu, with excellent appetizers and desserts. Membership in the Kofinas club includes its sister restaurant, Taya, an Asian restaurant with its own benefits for members.
Price: NIS 52 to NIS 68 for two pizzas
Kofinas. HaShibbolim St. 3, Moshav Tzur Moshe. Tel. (09) 772-2672
Pazzo Pizza Party
Ambiance: Located in a suburban industrial zone, the two indoor rooms are furnished simply, while the outdoor area is furnished with picnic tables. The philosophy of Pazzo is to combine the atmosphere of a bar with a food menu featuring gourmet pizzas.
Beverages: Full bar with specialty cocktails, imported and domestic beers, wine and soft drinks
Deal hours: Sundays, all evening from 18.00; Weekdays, Sunday-Thursday, 18.00-20.30.
The deals: Actually, two of them. Unlimited servings of pizza all evening on Sundays; 50% off on all pizzas weekdays until 20.30.
The wines qualifying for unlimited refills are one red and one white, both from Spain. The beers qualifying for unlimited refills are draft Tuborg and draft Carlsberg. Reservations are recommended for unlimited Sundays, especially from 21.00, when a D.J. comes on the scene. Waiters come around with pizzas, with the pace and variety picking up as the evening progresses.
The pizza: There are 12 specialty pizzas in addition to the plain Margherita, which can be ordered with toppings. The red pizzas come with tomato sauce and mozzarella, while the white come with a blend of creamed Parmesan, mascarpone and mozzarella.
Reportedly, the most popular in the red category is the cacciatore (with smoked goose breast, pepperoni, egg and broccoli), while the bestselling white is the Truffle Bianca (with three kinds of mushrooms and a truffle spread). There is also a vegan option, the Mercato, which is intriguing in its own right, with artichoke mash, spinach, eggplant, sun-dried tomato and toasted almonds.
Noteworthy: There is a limited menu of starters, as well as a few desserts, including two sweet pizzas—the Banana Loti (with caramelized bananas and dark and white chocolate) and the Nucciotella Oreo (chocolate, hazelnut and Oreo cookie crumbles).
Price: NIS 79 for unlimited pizza and wine (or soft drinks); NIS 89 for unlimited pizza and beer. Whole pizzas during the weekday half-price hours range from NIS 24 to NIS 34.
Pazzo Pizza Party . Ha-Yetzira St. 5, Raanana. Tel. (09) 741-8833
Pizza Porto
Ambiance: New, modern, stand-alone restaurant in the Airport City business park. Free parking after 16.00.
Beverages: Full bar with specialty cocktails, imported and domestic beers, wine and soft drinks.
Deal hours: Sundays, all evening from 18.00.
The deal: All You Can Eat Pizza, served by waiters who will bring assorted slices all evening long. The deal also includes one glass of house wine or ⅓ liter of draft beer.
The pizza: There are nine specialty pizzas, all but two based on the house blend of four cheeses: mozzarella cheddar, Gouda and Parmesan. The pizzas are the eponymous Porto (the blend plus fresh basil, with a choice of toppings), Carciofi (artichoke), Pepperoni, Greek (with black olives and feta cheese), Melanzana (eggplant), Anchovy, and Breakfast (with a fried egg); the two different pizzas are the Bianca, white pizza without tomato sauce, and the Vegan, containing no cheese.
Noteworthy: The restaurant offers a full Italian menu, with rather unique desserts. PIzza Porto is less than a year old, and it is constantly adding new dishes -- and pizzas -- to the menu.
Price: NIS 69
Pizza Porto . Golan 2, Airport City. Tel. (03) 800-0888.
Tito
Ambiance: Tito, which is modeled after family-style Italian-American restaurants in the USA, is situated in an Azrieli shopping center. It even has the feel of a North American casual dining restaurant, with booths and red leather banquettes.
Beverages: Limited bar with specialty cocktails, Tuborg and Stella Artois beer, two house wines, soft drinks
Deal hours: Mondays, 18.00-22.00. Reservations strongly recommended.
The deal: Pizza Night -- unlimited pizza, all you can eat, 1-2 slices at a time.
The pizza: The pizzas are rectangular, cut into squares, and served from the tray by waitresses who roam through the restaurant. There are six house pizzas, half of which are vegetarian: Margherita, just tomato sauce and mozzarella (without the traditional basil leaf): Bianca (bechamel porcini sauce, mozzarella, four kinds of mushrooms, asparagus and truffle oil), Artichoke (tomato sauce, artichoke and garlic mash, mozzarella, goose breast), Meatball (tomato sauce, mozzarella, meatball, arugula and provolone), Primavera (bechamel pesto sauce, broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, artichoke, mozzarella and provolone), and Pepperoni (tomato sauce, mozzarella provolone and pepperoni). Usually, there are also one or two different pizzas made especially for pizza night.
Noteworthy: One may also wash down the pizza with unlimited draft beer. There is a full menu of Italian dishes, served in portions for two or four persons. This is the only place I know of in Israel where one can get red velvet cake.
Price: NIS 69 per person; NIS 29 for beer with unlimited refills
Tito . Derekh Yitzhak Rabin 53, Givatayim. Tel. (03) 631-7080
