7 Best Restaurants in Christian and Muslim Quarters, Jerusalem

This Viennese-style second-floor garden café in a guesthouse for pilgrims is a refined retreat from the chaos of the Old City markets down below. Lunch and dinner are available, and the deep burgundy walls, wooden tables, and classical music make this a lovely wintertime spot for light fare or dessert. Ask at reception about visiting the rooftop for a small fee: the views of the Old City are gorgeous.

Jaffar specializes in kunafe, the Nablus sweet made of goat cheese topped with syrupy semolina crumbles. You may be tempted to split your first plate, but the treat soon grows addictive. Jaffar also makes sheets of golden baklava topped with nuts. It's a landmark, visited by locals and tourists alike, so anyone in the Old City can help you find it.

In the heart of the Old City, this place has some of the best hummus in town, served fast to locals crammed around rickety tables under fluorescent lights. Enjoy the excellent falafel, eggplant salad, and labaneh (a slightly tart yogurt drizzled with olive oil and spices). Eat family style and don't order too much, as you can get additional portions on the spot.

This excellent authentic coffee shop in the Muslim Quarter serves traditional brewed coffee alongside a sesame cookie, as well as freshly squeezed pomegranate and other juices.

Steps from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Palestinians crowd into this tiny, bare-bones spot to tuck into hammam mehshi, or stuffed pigeon. It's a delicately flavored specialty served with salads and rice. You can also opt for stuffed chicken, grilled lamb chops, or fried liver, all made fresh by the friendly proprietor. Get here early—it closes at 6 pm.

With an upstairs dining area, Lina offers a respite from the hubbub of the Old City. Hand-ground hummus is the main event here, and you can order it topped with chickpeas, fava beans, or pine nuts. You can also sample the yogurt-cheese called labaneh and wash it down with freshly pressed fruit juice.

Just inside the Jaffa Gate, Nafoura offers a tranquil courtyard for alfresco lunchtime dining. Your table might even lean against the Old City wall. The pleasant if unremarkable interior is a comfortable refuge in inclement weather. Start with the traditional array of salads, enough for two people to share. Focus on the excellent local dishes (hummus, eggplant salad, tahini, and so on). Ask for the kibbeh, delicacies of cracked wheat and ground beef, or the Armenian sausage. From the typical selection of entrées, try the lamb cutlets or the grilled sea bream.