Mona Restaurant illustration, courtesy the restaurant
Assaf Granit, Uri Navon, and Yossi Elad, the three culinary warlocks of Machneyuda, run a number of other Jerusalem eating spots (and in 2014 they opened London’s Palomar restaurant, which has taken the city by storm). Among their other Israeli gastro projects is Mona, a restaurant housed in the stately Jerusalem Artists’ House, the historic former home of the Bezalel art school.
“Assaf Granit, Uri Navon, and Yossi Elad, three culinary warlocks, run a number of Jerusalem eating spots.”
While Mona’s menu is every bit as satisfying as Machneyuda’s, the offerings here lean toward Mediterranean classics (burrata with tomatoes, basil, pickled eggplant, and basil oil; gnocchi with mussels, dried tomatoes, chili, and parsley; oxtail bourguignon with polenta; and more). This restaurant’s atmosphere is very different from Machneyuda’s: it is elegant and quiet, although also busy, with a healthy buzz of creative energy.
A recent addition to the team’s portfolio is Talbiye, tucked into a cozy space behind the Jerusalem Theater. A café by day and wine bar by night, Talbiye offers carefully selected vintages paired with simple but finely executed bistro fare.