In the unassuming sprawl of North Miami, Etzel Itzik Deli at 18757 Dixie Hwy is less of a restaurant and more of a portal. This isn't just a place to grab a sandwich; it’s a high-energy, "no-frills" institution that has spent over 25 years serving as the closest thing to a Tel Aviv neighborhood joint on American soil.
Founded by Itzik Younis, a veteran of the Yom Kippur War, the deli is famous for its "Grandma’s kitchen" soul and a pace that mirrors the bustling markets of Israel.
The Etzel Itzik "First Impression"
The Salad Barrage: The signature Etzel Itzik experience begins before you even open the menu. The moment you sit down, a "clatter" of roughly 10 small, complimentary salad bowls (Salatim) hits your table—pickled beets, spicy carrots, corn in cream sauce, cabbage, and chickpeas—served with warm, pillowy pita. It is the ultimate Israeli hospitality "welcome."
The Living Portrait Gallery: The decor is a rotating history of the neighborhood. Hundreds of photos of regular patrons—some faded and yellowing from decades ago—are tucked under the glass tabletops and pinned to the walls. If you eat here long enough, your face might just become part of the architecture.
Limonana Magic: Every table has one. Their signature Limonana (a frozen, emerald-green mint lemonade) is the local "cure" for the Miami humidity. It’s ultra-fresh, blended with mountains of mint, and perfectly tart.
Hebrew as a Second Language: The atmosphere is authentically loud and unapologetically Israeli. You’ll hear Hebrew floating across the room, see menus printed in both languages, and experience a style of service that is fast, direct, and incredibly warm—once you’re part of the "family."
The Culinary "Must-Haves"
While the menu is expansive, certain dishes have achieved legendary status among the Aventura and North Miami crowd:
The Sabich: A masterclass in textures—fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, Israeli salad, scallions, and pickled mango (amba) drenched in tahini.
Shakshuka: Served in a sizzling pan, their spicy tomato and poached egg staple is widely considered the gold standard in South Florida.
The Saturday Specials: If you visit on a Saturday morning, the Jachnun (a slow-baked, slightly sweet Yemenite pastry) and Cholent (a hearty Shabbat stew) are the traditional favorites that sell out fast.
Schnitzel & Pargiot: Their breaded chicken schnitzel and "Pargiot" (tender young chicken) are famous for being non-greasy, perfectly seasoned, and served in massive portions.
AUTHENTIC ISRAELI CUISINE
For those with pure Israeli food indulgence in mind, dive into our rich cuisine.
“This is the closest restaurant you can get to physically being in Israel, the food is incredible and the atmosphere is warm.”
LOTS OF FOOD OPTIONS
“Great place to stop in for lunch. It’s in a small rundown plaza so lookout for the sign. Lots of food options from chicken, steak, salads, pita sandwiches and it tastes good. As soon as you sit down, they give you the complimentary salad sampler plates. Service was efficient and fast. The mint lemonade is awesome”.
Etzel Itzik caters one-of-a kind events, designed to reflect warmth and good taste.
Our fine dining approach to catering ensures traditionally inspired, perfectly prepared menus that utilize the freshest ingredients and authentic Israeli cuisine.
From formal galas to backyard barbeques, Etzel Itzik strives to make you and your guests feel like in Israel.
The most interesting reviews
- Best kosher restaurant in south florida Issack shola and the stuff take care of my mom and aunt and my uncle the food was so good I will always recommend to all my friends thank you so much guys for best service
- Restaurant israélien familial sur Miami,
très bon. Le service est très bien et la nourriture est très bonne
- Brings me back to Israel. The place is cool. Also, he takes pictures of people and puts them on the wall. That's fun.
Jachnoon was fluffy! The tomato sauce needed a bit more salt, but I like a lot of salt. The salads are always good and everything I've had here is always on point (Sabich, and shakshuka).
- The jachnun on Saturday is frozen, not fresh like they said on the phone. Overall the service is quick but the food seems cheap and priced at a premium.
- Excellent 10 stars Resturant
Good Food Fresh Food . And excellent delivery service Arrived early great messenger.
- The food was good. Ordering was a bit tricky because sometimes the menu said sides came with something and it did not, so it made ordering a bit confusing. Overall the chicken shawarma with hummus was great! The Israeli salad was diced cakes, tomatoes, parsley and onions- it was ok, lacked some salt and wasn't a full serving for a large. The picked cabbage/carrot side was bland, but I'd return to try some other items, maybe.
- I’ve been to itzik ever since I was a little kid, a real home vibe with great food!
- A real Israeli spot with delicious authentic food! It's super casual (think classic deli vibes), but the service is very good and attentive
- Restaurant israélien familial sur miami,
très bon. Le service est très bien et la nourriture est très bonne
- Simple, delicious food.
The place looks like a no frills hole in the wall but that’s a part of the charm. The place is usually very busy Big portions great service. We love the salads they serve on the house as soon as I sit down. They have delicious specials they have on different days. The small chicken (pargiyot) and kebab is a favourite. Highly recommended if you like simple, well prepared, home-cooked, Middle Eastern food Without all the fluff.
- Delicious food, fast & friendly service. Great atmosphere; it feels more Israeli than some places in Tel Aviv.
- Most delicious food in a restaurant I’ve tasted in awhile. The service is really good and the place is packed, that tells you the food is delicious.
- Excellent food!
This place gets very busy, and for good reason. The menu has everything you could want. Everything is like eating a home cooked meal. There is outdoor seating but someone was smoking out there, so we ate inside. We ordered the Snitzel with mashed potatoes and an Israeli salad, and the falafel pita with fries. The pita was obviously freshly made.
The fries were also homemade (not frozen), and delicious! The Israeli salad was a little plain, but I added some salt and we put it on the pita. The snitzel (breaded chicken breast) was good. I really liked the mashed potatoes. We also ordered the frozen limonado. It’s a lime juice blended with fresh mint leaves. It was delicious! Everyone in the restaurant had one. They bring out an entire tray of yummy sides to eat before your meal comes. We ate all of it. I didn’t get pictures of the rest of the food. The food is very reasonably priced. They also have daily specials that I’d love to try. We will definitely be back again soon. I highly recommend.
4.0
