The 8 Best Rooftop Restaurants and Bars in Israel (2026)

Updated August 2026 · 8 picks

The best rooftop restaurants in Israel are the Mamilla Hotel rooftop and the Notre Dame terrace in Jerusalem, both looking straight at the Old City walls, and the Setai and Poli House rooftops in Tel Aviv for the Mediterranean. Israel's climate makes rooftops usable for most of the year, and nearly all the good ones sit on hotels. Eight worth the lift ride, below.

The list at a glance

Mamilla Hotel Rooftop Mamilla, Jerusalem
Notre Dame Rooftop Opposite the New Gate, Jerusalem
The Poli House Rooftop Nahalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv
The Setai Tel Aviv Rooftop Jaffa, by the port
Brown Hotels rooftops Several locations, Tel Aviv
Bat Galim and Carmel rooftops, Haifa Carmel Center and the German Colony, Haifa
Herbert Samuel rooftops, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Tel Aviv promenade and central Jerusalem
The Jaffa and Neve Tzedek hotel terraces Old Jaffa, Tel Aviv

1. Mamilla Hotel Rooftop — Mamilla, Jerusalem

The classic Jerusalem rooftop — Old City walls, Tower of David, sunset.

₪₪₪₪ Splurge

The Mamilla Hotel's rooftop restaurant and bar looks straight across at the Old City walls and the Tower of David, which is about as good as a view in Israel gets.

It is open to non-guests, serves a full food menu as well as drinks, and works equally as a sunset drink or a full dinner.

It is one of the most-photographed spots in Jerusalem, so it is neither a secret nor cheap. It is still worth doing once.

Good to know: Book for about 45 minutes before sunset — the light on the walls is the reason you are there.

Google Maps Website

2. Notre Dame Rooftop — Opposite the New Gate, Jerusalem

Wine and cheese on a terrace facing the Old City, for a fraction of the hotel prices.

₪₪₪ Upmarket

The Notre Dame Center, the Vatican-owned guesthouse opposite the New Gate, runs a rooftop wine and cheese terrace that looks directly onto the Old City walls.

It is calmer, cheaper and considerably less styled than the Mamilla rooftop, and many people prefer it for exactly those reasons.

The cheese comes from its own selection and the wine list covers Israeli producers properly.

Good to know: Seasonal opening hours — check before making the walk, particularly outside summer.

Google Maps Website

3. The Poli House Rooftop — Nahalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv

A rooftop pool bar in a Bauhaus landmark, right by the Carmel Market.

₪₪₪ Upmarket

The Poli House sits in a curved Bauhaus building at the top of Nahalat Binyamin, and its rooftop — pool, bar, loungers, city views — is the best-known hotel roof in central Tel Aviv.

The bar is open to non-guests even where the pool is not, and the position above the Carmel Market means you look out over the low Bauhaus roofs rather than at other towers.

It gets busy from late afternoon in summer.

Good to know: Check the current pool policy at reception; bar access and pool access are not always the same thing.

Google Maps Website

4. The Setai Tel Aviv Rooftop — Jaffa, by the port

The most polished rooftop in the country, over a converted Ottoman prison in Jaffa.

₪₪₪₪ Splurge

The Setai occupies a restored Ottoman-era building in Jaffa, and its rooftop looks north along the Tel Aviv coastline — the postcard view of the city skyline from the Jaffa side.

It is the expensive, well-dressed end of this category, with the service and the prices to match.

Best at sunset, when the light hits the towers up the coast and the whole reason for the location becomes obvious.

Good to know: Combine it with a walk through the Jaffa flea market beforehand — it is five minutes away and free.

Google Maps Website

5. Brown Hotels rooftops — Several locations, Tel Aviv

A small group of hotel roofs across the city, all open to the public and all reliable.

₪₪₪ Upmarket

Brown Hotels runs several small design hotels around central Tel Aviv and Jaffa, most with a rooftop bar or terrace, and most open to non-guests.

None has the single best view in the city, but collectively they are the easiest way to find a good rooftop within a ten-minute walk of wherever you are staying.

Prices sit a notch below the Setai and the big seafront hotels.

Good to know: The Brown properties differ a lot — check which specific rooftop you are heading to rather than the brand.

Google Maps Website

6. Bat Galim and Carmel rooftops, Haifa — Carmel Center and the German Colony, Haifa

The best-value rooftop views in Israel, looking down the Baha'i Gardens to the bay.

₪₪ Mid-range

Haifa is built up a mountain, which means the city gives away for free what other cities charge for: a rooftop or terrace bar in the Carmel Center or the German Colony looks down the Baha'i Gardens and across the whole bay to Akko.

The bars themselves are informal neighbourhood places rather than hotel roofs, and prices are well below Tel Aviv's.

It is the least glamorous entry here and arguably the best view.

Good to know: Aim for the Louis Promenade at dusk first, then walk down to the German Colony for a drink.

Google Maps

7. Herbert Samuel rooftops, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem — Tel Aviv promenade and central Jerusalem

Yonatan Roshfeld's kitchens on hotel roofs in both cities — the food-first rooftop option.

₪₪₪₪ Splurge

Where most Israeli rooftops are bars that happen to serve food, the Herbert Samuel restaurants are kitchens that happen to be on roofs, and the cooking is the reason to book rather than the altitude.

The Tel Aviv room looks out over the promenade and the sea; the Jerusalem one sits on the Herbert Samuel hotel with a view across the city rooftops towards the Old City.

Prices are fine-dining rather than bar-snack, and the tasting menus are the best way to see what the kitchen can do.

Good to know: Book the earliest dinner slot in summer — you get the sunset and the kitchen at its freshest.

Google Maps Website

8. The Jaffa and Neve Tzedek hotel terraces — Old Jaffa, Tel Aviv

Old Jaffa stone, the port below and the Tel Aviv skyline curving away north.

₪₪₪₪ Splurge

The boutique hotels in and around Old Jaffa — the Drisco, the Setai and the smaller conversions on the hill — have terraces that look back along the coast at the Tel Aviv skyline, which is the best angle on the city there is.

They are quieter and more expensive than the Tel Aviv beachfront rooftops, and the food is generally Mediterranean and seafood-led rather than bar food.

Sunset here puts the light behind the towers rather than in your eyes, which is why photographers go to Jaffa rather than to the promenade.

Good to know: Sit facing north — the whole point is the skyline, not the sea directly in front of you.

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best rooftop restaurant in Israel?

For the view, the Mamilla Hotel rooftop in Jerusalem — a full dinner menu served facing the Old City walls and the Tower of David. For the food itself, the Tel Aviv hotel rooftops are stronger, and for value the Notre Dame terrace in Jerusalem is hard to beat. They are three different evenings.

What is the difference between a rooftop bar and a rooftop restaurant in Israel?

Less than you would think — most of the good rooftops do both, serving a full menu at dinner and switching to drinks later. The practical distinction is booking: if you want to eat, reserve a table; if you only want a drink, you can usually walk up and stand at the bar.

Do you need to be a hotel guest to use a rooftop in Israel?

For the bars and restaurants, generally no — most hotel rooftops are open to the public and simply ask you to come up through the lobby. Rooftop pools are usually guests-only, and that is the distinction worth checking when a rooftop has both.

When is rooftop season in Israel?

Roughly March to November. July and August are hot and humid enough on the coast that the rooftops only really work after sunset. Jerusalem, being higher and drier, stays comfortable later into the evening and further into the shoulder seasons.

How expensive are rooftop restaurants in Israel?

Expect ₪160–₪260 a head for dinner at a hotel rooftop before drinks, and ₪55–₪85 for a cocktail. There is a clear premium over street level. Many run a happy hour in the early evening, which is also when the light is best, so going early is both cheaper and better.

Do you need to book a rooftop restaurant in Israel?

For a Thursday or Friday sunset in Tel Aviv, yes, and for dinner anywhere on the list. Jerusalem is easier except on Saturday nights. Weekday evenings are effectively walk-in everywhere here if you only want a drink.

Are there kosher rooftop restaurants in Israel?

Yes — the Jerusalem hotel rooftops are almost all kosher, including the Mamilla, which means no service over Shabbat and a menu that is either dairy or meat rather than both. In Tel Aviv most rooftops are not kosher; the Setai is the notable exception.

1. Mamilla Hotel Rooftop — Mamilla, Jerusalem

2. Notre Dame Rooftop — Opposite the New Gate, Jerusalem

3. The Poli House Rooftop — Nahalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv

4. The Setai Tel Aviv Rooftop — Jaffa, by the port

5. Brown Hotels rooftops — Several locations, Tel Aviv

6. Bat Galim and Carmel rooftops, Haifa — Carmel Center and the German Colony, Haifa

7. Herbert Samuel rooftops, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem — Tel Aviv promenade and central Jerusalem

8. The Jaffa and Neve Tzedek hotel terraces — Old Jaffa, Tel Aviv

Frequently asked questions

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