6 Best Restaurants in Eilat and the Negev, Israel

At this authentic Italian restaurant, the flavors of Tuscany star on a menu offering fish, meat, seafood, and handmade pasta. The casual dining room and outdoor patio fill up fast, so it's best to call ahead for a table. Try the Trio (entrecôte, beef fillet, and goose liver in red wine sauce) or the spaghetti de mer with shrimp, calamari, and mussels in olive oil and white wine seasoned with sweet chili and herbs.

Locals hold this fish and seafood restaurant (known in Hebrew as Hamiflat Ha'acharon) in high regard and take their guests from "up north" here as a real treat. The dining room, with dark paneling and nautical motifs like ships' wheels, spills out onto a spacious balcony where diners eat beside the water, looking at Jordan across the way. Presented with a flourish are fish or crab soups, freshly caught charcoal-grilled Red Sea fish, and creamed seafood served in a seashell. A specialty here is stir-fried sea crabs, prepared with a bit of spice in olive oil and garlic. Weekends tend to be extra busy, so it's smart to reserve several days ahead (and to ask for balcony seating).

This crowd-pleaser began serving in 1986 from a boat in the marina before occupying a striking, nautical-looking building (it resembles a ship) with walls of windows overlooking the water. The fusion of South American, Asian, and Mediterranean influences creates interesting menu options. Seafood soup or seaweed salad makes a good starter, and seafood main courses include Brazilian moqueca, a fish stew made with coconut milk, and shrimp and calamari gratin with artichokes and garlic. Steak and sushi lovers have good options, too. Pair your meal with a bottle from the impressive list of regional wines.

Accessed directly from the promenade, this kosher steak house distinguishes itself from the pack with service as solicitous as its steaks are juicy. Wooden tables and comfy chairs set the stage for a meal that will have you begging for a doggy bag. Appetizers are named after American states: "Texas" is a serving of crispy, honey-barbecued chicken wings. Steaks, including a copious rib eye, are cooked to order and arrive with a tangle of crispy fried onions and a side of spinach that isn't quite creamed, but is delicious nonetheless. The wine list is diverse and offers several reasonably priced selections.

The husband-and-wife chef--owners of Whale draw foodies from all over the country to what has become one of Israel's top seafood restaurants. Salt-baked beetroot salad or zucchini blossoms makes a nice starter; for a main course, try the shrimpburger, and, for dessert, don't miss the salted-caramel tart with ice cream. Browse the cookbooks on the shelves while you wait for your order. 

On a sleepy corner in the Old City, this classic Moroccan restaurant—decorated with traditional textiles, hammered metal, and ornate tilework—has been run by the same family since the 1960s. The food is exceedingly fresh, creative, and delicious—just say the word, and chef Bebe will order for you, starting with a house-made salad featuring seasonal ingredients like fennel, dates, and candied oranges and followed by a simmering tagine of tender meat and vegetables (even local specialties like kmehin, a tuberlike desert root). For dessert, a local baker prepares a host of delicate petits fours, delivered to the table on a tiered metal tower alongside steaming mint tea.