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From a gourmet Jerusalem skewer spot to a Tel Aviv French bistro and a Thai eatery in Netanya - here are five of our favorite places to go for a family gathering or a night out with your friends / By Sharon Ben-David Around the table: 5 restaurants for a family meal or a friends’ night out

Photo: Guy Ashkenazi

Makom Shel Basar Diner, Kiriyat Ono

In recent years, the Tel Aviv suburb of Kiriyat Ono has become a little enclave of culinary excellence and abundance, with restaurants of every kind, from Thai, to Italian, French, and Mediterranean-fusion. Among all the new restaurants to have opened these past months, the Makom Shel Basar Diner stands out as one of the most well-designed, culinarily forward, and outright delicious. Sister establishment to Makom Shel Basar Neve Tzedek, a much-loved Tel Aviv meat restaurant, it maintains the same commitment to quality and meticulous service. The dining area is spacious, elegant, full of light and warmth - ideal for large gatherings, family meals, or meetups with friends and/or colleagues. The menu includes dry-aged steaks, juicy burgers, generous kids’ options, and more. There’s also an area that can be booked for private events, business gatherings, or formal occasions. dinerrest.co.il

Photo: Asaf Karela

Luciana, Rishon LeZion

Singer Eden Ben Zaken is a household name in Israel, so when her partner opens a restaurant at an investment of millions of shekels, you can expect heightened interest and curiosity. And as expected, the result of this substantial investment, a new Rishon LeZion “Luciana” establishment, is undoubtedly a flashier, more youthful version of the other longstanding “Luciana” restaurants in Jerusalem and Beer Sheva. The dining room is spacious and bright, trendy in its design and

aesthetics, while still exuding the warmth of a family trattoria. In a lively atmosphere, tempting plates of kosher, Italian-inspired dishes are served throughout the day, with the menu indeed drawing inspiration from the Italian table but reflecting the spirit of modernity and personal creativity at play here. Luciana is an ideal spot for a family meal, a romantic date, or a friends’ meetup - the kind of place you leave feeling you can’t wait to come back to. @luciana.rishon

24 ATMOSPHERE FEBRUARY 2026