Pedro

Pedro is the reference restaurant of modern Eilat. Chef-owner Tal Hershkovitz opened the room a decade ago in a hidden garden compound in one of the marina's older residential neighbourhoods; it has since become the single most-cited restaurant in Eilat by Israeli critics and the destination room for proposals, anniversaries, and visiting sommeliers.

The compound is a walled garden with a low-lit stone courtyard, bougainvillea draped over the pergola, and a dining room that opens on two sides to the garden. Tables seat two and four; a chef's counter of six faces the open kitchen. The cooking is Israeli-Mediterranean in the pure sense: the produce is Negev-grown, the fish is landed that morning at the marina, the cooking technique threads French, Lebanese, and North African traditions. Signatures include the Moroccan-style fish ravioli, the couscous royal built from first principles, the slow-cooked lamb shoulder with apricot, and the tuna tartare that rotates weekly.

The wine programme is the deepest in Eilat. The local red — a private selection from the Red Sea Winery — is poured by the glass alongside Israeli heavyweights (Margalit, Tzora, Yarden, Domaine du Castel) and a full Lebanese white sleeve. The sommelier is happy to run a six-course pairing for the tasting menu.

Service is unhurried, hands-on, and informed. Chef Tal is usually in the kitchen and visits the room between the main and the cheese course. Reservations are essential for dinner, especially in peak season (April, September, Sukkot, Passover) when tables book out a week ahead.

Pedro is Eilat's first-date room. The walled garden, the candle light, the unhurried pace, and the chef's counter for couples who want engagement rather than privacy — every element is calibrated. Book the courtyard two-top for a proposal; request the chef's counter for the first date that wants cooking-as-theatre. For a close-a-deal dinner where the signal is 'I take food seriously', the indoor four-top at the back is the quiet choice.