Savida

“Fresh and local produce is our focus. We serve freshly caught fish that we source daily; we never freeze it or use frozen fish. We buy only fish and seafood caught by local fishermen. As far as we know, we are the only fish restaurant in Israel that sources its fish this way, and we hope to inspire others. Captain Saado Saadi is our fisherman, fishmonger, hero, and friend and the one that makes sure we have enough fish. Also, we only use a wood-fired grill and oven for cooking, and we serve local wines only.”

Charcoal grilled fish; Spanish mackerel cured in salt and lemon; and mahalabia.

Although Israel stretches along the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the fish served at most of its fish restaurants is imported or produced by aquaculture. Chef and restaurateur Dan Smulovitz was born in a Western Galilee kibbutz, and studied cooking in the United States. His restaurant serves only local fish caught by small-scale fishermen, and the menu changes daily according to the fishermen’s catch and the time of year. Savida offers a selection of mezze and salads inspired by local Arab cuisine and Ottoman-Turkish cuisine – fish and seafood roasted without frills on a charcoal grill. On days when the catch is sparse, a more constrained menu offers fish that’s smoked and cured in-house.