Mediterranean & seafood · City Centre, Jerusalem · ₪200–₪350 per person
Among Jerusalem's Best 2025Modern Mediterranean & seafood$$$City CentreNamed among Jerusalem's best in Isrotel's 2025 guide
"Moshiko Gamlieli's seafood table in the old Bezalel academy, named among Jerusalem's best in 2025. Book it for a romantic dinner."
8Food
8Ambience
7Value
About Mona
Mona sits in a walled garden inside the stone building that was the first home of the Bezalel Academy of Art, on Shmuel HaNagid Street in central Jerusalem. Chef Moshiko Gamlieli has run it since 2013 and took it independent from the Machneyuda group in 2018. The cooking is modern Mediterranean with a strong seafood hand, the room is non-kosher, and a head runs ₪200 to ₪250 à la carte or ₪250 to ₪350 for the chef's menu with wine. Isrotel's 2025 guide lists it among the best in the city.
The Kitchen
Moshiko Gamlieli is one of Jerusalem's defining chefs, also behind Bar 51 and the Tel Aviv room Radler, and his hand at Mona pulls classical European technique toward local produce and the sea. The red tuna sashimi with chilli and the crab bisque are the dishes regulars order without looking at the menu; the hot foie gras with Concord grapes and a slow-cooked lamb shoulder with pomegranate carry the heavier end of the card.
The chocolate tart with fleur de sel has been on the menu in some form since the restaurant opened, and Gamlieli still calls his tomato consommé the most refined thing the kitchen makes. À la carte runs about ₪200 to ₪250 a head, while the chef's tasting lands between ₪250 and ₪350 depending on the wine. Mona is not kosher, which gives the kitchen its shellfish and its freedom, and it was named among Jerusalem's best restaurants in Isrotel's 2025 guide.
The Room
The setting is the draw. Mona occupies a high-ceilinged stone hall and a walled garden in the old Bezalel building, candle-lit at night, with white tablecloths and tables spaced for conversation rather than turnover. The sound level is easy, the lighting low, and in summer the garden is one of the most pleasant places to eat in the city. Service is professional and unhurried. Dress is smart-casual; most diners treat it as an occasion without reaching for a jacket.
Best for a Romantic Dinner
Book Mona for a first date, an anniversary or a proposal, because almost everything about it works in your favour. The garden and stone hall are quietly romantic, the lighting flatters, the tables are far enough apart to talk, and the long seafood-led menu gives the evening shape without demanding silence. Ask for a garden table in summer or a corner of the hall in winter. For more of the city's romantic rooms see our best restaurants for a proposal, and the wider guide to the best seafood restaurants worldwide.
Not for
Not for kosher-observant diners. Mona is non-kosher and the kitchen leans on shellfish, crab bisque and seafood, so it will not suit a strictly kosher table.
Frequently Asked
Is Mona worth it?
Yes. Mona pairs one of Jerusalem's best settings, a walled garden inside the old Bezalel art academy, with confident modern Mediterranean cooking from chef Moshiko Gamlieli. At ₪200 to ₪250 à la carte it is priced like a serious dinner rather than a blowout, and the seafood and the room justify it. Go for the atmosphere as much as the food, and book the garden in summer.
How do I book a table at Mona?
Book Mona online through its reservation page or by phone on +972 2-622-2283. It opens for dinner most evenings on Shmuel HaNagid Street in central Jerusalem and serves a Saturday lunch as well. Weekend evenings and the summer garden tables go first, so reserve a week or more ahead for those. Tell them whether you want the garden or the indoor hall when you book.
What is the dress code at Mona?
Mona is smart-casual; there is no jacket requirement. Most guests dress up a little for the setting and the price, but neat, relaxed clothing is perfectly normal. Given the garden seating and the candle-lit hall, people treat it as an occasion without going formal. Come as you would for a nice dinner out and you will be in step with the room.
Is Mona kosher?
No, Mona is not kosher. The kitchen serves shellfish, seafood and non-kosher meat, and it is open on Shabbat, including a Saturday lunch. This is central to how the restaurant cooks, from the crab bisque to the seafood plates. If you keep kosher, this is not the place; see our Jerusalem dining guide for kosher alternatives in the city.
What should I order at Mona?
Start with the red tuna sashimi with chilli and the crab bisque, the two dishes regulars return for. The hot foie gras with Concord grapes and the slow-cooked lamb shoulder are the standout mains, and the chocolate tart with fleur de sel has been on the menu since the restaurant opened. If you would rather not choose, the chef's tasting menu at ₪250 to ₪350 with wine is the easiest route.
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