What do you feel like having: a juicy hamburger or fast-food Chinese? Want to sit at an Italian restaurant in the marina or snack on the beach? The food options in Israel's vacation capital are endless. The range of food and restaurant types is so vast you'll never have to suffer an empty stomach.
The city is replete with veteran culinary institutions and sees new eateries springing up every year. Eilat has a long list of recommended restaurants with offerings from the Israeli and newest fusion kitchens. International and Western-style eateries aren't in short supply either. The city has many Italian and Asian restaurants, hamburger joints, restaurants specializing in fish and seafood, and kosher restaurants. There is also a wide range of low-cost eateries in town. The city is full of fast food places offering hamburgers and pizza, as well as the perennial Israeli favorites of falafel, schwarma, and hummus. If you have a sweet tooth, Eilat is the place for you with its ice cream parlors and decadent dessert places.
Most of the restaurants and fast food outlets are located on the promenade, in the tourist center (Derekh Yotam), and at the shopping centers and malls. There are also some classical establishments in the industrial zone at the city's entrance suitable to a night of drinks and good food. Those choosing to eat at the hotel or vacation rental can take advantage of the many places offering deliveries, whether by the restaurants' own services or by dedicated delivery companies. Those who keep kosher need not feel left out, as there are plenty of kosher eateries in the city.
Even the beaches have excellent restaurants. Most of them offer extensive menus with large beach servings, such as fish platters, appetizers, salads of all kinds, and desserts. At most beaches, you can order and drink alcohol of all kinds, and breakfast menus can be enjoyed for a good part of the morning. Some of the beaches, such as Mosh's, serve vegan and vegetarian fare.
The large deluxe hotels cater to walk-ins, not only guests. At some hotels, non-guests can, for a flat fee, walk into the dining room to enjoy the breakfast buffet. The breakfast buffets at the Eilat hotels are among the largest and most varied anywhere. Most of the hotels also operate international restaurants where one can have lunch and dinner.
In the evening and at night, the bars in town serve a nighttime menu of mostly fried items to go with the alcoholic drinks and happy atmosphere. Most restaurants that are open at night hold themed evenings – sports broadcasts and stand-up shows – with suitably paired drinks. More than a few junk food places are open until the wee hours of the morning to satisfy party-goers' cravings. Some are even open around the clock.
