Palestinian Cuisine

Palestinian cuisine is one of the great hospitable traditions of the Levant, built on the land's own harvests of wheat, olives, herbs and vegetables and celebrated for its generosity and warmth. Its signature dish is musakhan, roast chicken smothered in caramelised onions, sumac and pine nuts over warm taboon bread drenched in the region's superb olive oil. Equally beloved is maqluba, the dramatic upside-down pot of rice, meat and fried vegetables. The table brims with hummus and creamy dips, fresh za'atar, stuffed vegetables, grilled meats and salads, finished with the famous knafeh of Nablus, a warm cheese pastry in sweet syrup. It is food of deep flavour and heartfelt welcome.

What you actually see

• Musakhan - the sumac-and-onion roast chicken over taboon bread.
• Maqluba - the dramatic upside-down rice, meat and vegetable pot.
• Za'atar and olive oil - the fresh herb blend and superb olive oil.
• Knafeh - the famous warm cheese pastry in sweet syrup.

When to go

Year-round; Palestinian food follows the seasons of the land, with the olive harvest in autumn a special time, and it is enjoyed across the region and through the wide Palestinian diaspora. Musakhan and Nablus knafeh are the signature dishes to seek out.

Honest expectations

Some of the finest Palestinian dishes, like a properly layered maqluba or fresh knafeh, are festive, labour-intensive cooking best enjoyed in a home or a dedicated eatery rather than rushed. As a rich, sun-filled and deeply hospitable tradition of the Levant, from musakhan to knafeh, though, Palestinian cuisine is a genuine delight and a heartfelt expression of the culture.

Nearby

The markets and eateries of Ramallah, Nablus and Bethlehem, and diaspora restaurants, serve it.