Our story, our cuisine
What Is Israeli Cuisine? Tita's Guide in Aix-en-Provence
Published July 7, 2026 — by TITA
We get asked all the time between services: "what exactly is Israeli cuisine?" The short answer is sharing — but it deserves a proper story. At Tita, our restaurant in the Bernardines quarter of Aix-en-Provence, this cuisine isn't a marketing concept: it's our family history, passed down through generations, from the kitchens of Alexandria all the way to our plates in Aix.
A crossroads cuisine, between Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean
Israeli cuisine wasn't born in a culinary vacuum. It grew like a mosaic, absorbing the culinary traditions of every community that shaped the country: Sephardic recipes from North Africa and the Middle East, Ashkenazi contributions from Eastern Europe, and above all the Levantine influences — Lebanese, Syrian, Palestinian — that dominate the street food we know today.
Add to that the Egyptian heritage, especially that of Alexandria, a port city where Mediterranean, Arab and European flavors mingled for decades. It's precisely this heritage that Célia, Dana and Gaël wanted to bring back to life at Tita: a family cuisine inspired by the recipes of their great-grandparents, who once ran a restaurant in Alexandria.
The result is a sunny, generous cuisine, meant to be shared around the table, where legumes, fresh herbs and spices take center stage.
The pillars of Israeli cuisine
Hummus, so much more than a chickpea dip
You can't talk about Israeli cuisine without starting with hummus. Ours is made fresh every day from organic chickpeas, slow-cooked and blended with tahini (the famous sesame paste), lemon and garlic. The texture should be silky, almost airy — that's what sets a good homemade hummus apart from the industrial versions. We serve it drizzled with olive oil, alongside warm pita bread straight from the oven.
Falafel, the undisputed star of street food
Falafel are chickpea balls (sometimes mixed with fava beans) seasoned with coriander, cumin and parsley, then fried until golden and crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. Naturally vegan, it's the very symbol of Israeli street food — eaten on the go, tucked into a pita with salad and tahini, or plated alongside the mezze.
Shakshuka, the ultimate comfort dish
Less known in France but just as iconic, shakshuka is eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce, seasoned with cumin, paprika and sometimes chili. Originally a breakfast or brunch dish across the Mediterranean and North Africa, it perfectly embodies this cuisine of sharing: one big pan in the middle of the table, everyone dipping their bread in.
Mezze, the art of shared tasting
Mezze refers to the small hot and cold dishes served at the start of a meal, meant to be shared. At Tita, you'll find baba ganoush (smoky eggplant dip with tahini), labneh (fresh cheese with zaatar and olive oil), and our finely diced Israeli salad, fresh and crunchy. It's the best way to discover the richness of this cuisine in a single plate.
Tahini and zaatar, the two aromatic signatures
Two ingredients keep coming back in Israeli and Levantine cuisine: tahini, the toasted sesame paste that adds richness and smoothness to countless dishes (hummus, sauces, even desserts), and zaatar, a spice blend of thyme, sumac and sesame seeds sprinkled over labneh, salads or bread. Together, they give this cuisine its unmistakable aromatic signature.
A generous cuisine, made for sharing
What strikes people most when they discover Israeli cuisine is how communal it is. You don't order a dish for yourself: you order several mezze, a big platter, stuffed pitas, and share everything at the center of the table. That's exactly the spirit we wanted to recreate in Aix-en-Provence — a warm, homely atmosphere where you take the time to taste everything.
Tita in Aix-en-Provence: Tel Aviv vibes in the heart of Bernardines
Our restaurant is located at 11 Rue des Bernardines, in the neighborhood of the same name, just a few minutes' walk from Cours Mirabeau. We've recreated an atmosphere reminiscent of Tel Aviv's lively streets: warm colors, fresh produce visible in the kitchen, and the conviviality that defines Israeli street food.
All our products are received and cooked on site every day, with special care given to organic chickpeas for our falafel and hummus. That commitment, paired with family recipes passed down from Alexandria, is what gives the restaurant its character.
Want to discover all our signature dishes, from hummus to our generous sharing platters? Head over to our menu for a full overview of our mezze, pita sandwiches and homemade desserts.
Planning an event around this cuisine?
Israeli cuisine is particularly well suited to group meals, birthdays or corporate events, thanks to its mezze format and generous sharing platters. If you'd like to introduce this cuisine to your guests or colleagues, our team can organize a bespoke event for you. Feel free to get in touch for a catering quote — we'd be delighted to talk it through with you.
See you soon at Tita, between Cours Mirabeau and the Bernardines quarter!