Dessert consensus, emotional sweep, and indulgence with no limits.
By YANIV GRANOT/WALLA! Lehamim Bakery(photo credit: Daniel Lila)
Lehamim Bakery
At this stage of our lives, we could already call these happy days by their true name – everything happening at Lehamim Bakery straight to our table, please. It might be less catchy and require a bit more effort, but it's also the truth.
Uri Scheft’s baking empire celebrates the harvest in the format of “all the goodness from the produce of the land” and truly lives up to that promise. There are special editions and joyful comebacks, touching tributes, and decadent desserts. A one-stop-shop – and maybe a diet starting Tuesday.
Lehamim Bakery’s Shavuot collection includes, among other items, a large white challah (1.2 kg, NIS 75), which is a consistent showstopper – and rightly so – with its decorations, twists, and the ability to impress without compromising the bread itself. There's also a spinach and cheese spanakopita by Yaki Sagie (NIS 115), a sweet potato, mascarpone, and gouda quiche (NIS 77), cheese and raisin blintzes filled with cream cheese (NIS 72 for a tray of eight), a crumb cheesecake with lemon cream (NIS 154), and also the classic baked one (NIS 155) – elegant, delicate, and one of the best in its genre.
Besides those, there’s an excellent tiramisu tray with dark chocolate shards (NIS 154) that cut nicely through the thick creaminess, an “old-school” cheesecake, ricotta babka with streusel, chocolate cheesecake, and a wild half-meter-long “vegetable garden puff pastry” with onions, leeks, cheeses, olives, and herbs (NIS 165), clearly meant to be shared – though it practically vanishes on its own on the way to the table.
This Tel Aviv baking and hospitality group has been playing Monopoly with this holiday for years, collecting a toll from every one of us passing their Basque street. The deal continues in 2025, and we’re happy to keep taking part.
WLYT’s Shavuot collection, however, is far more than that cake. There’s an herb, garlic, and cheddar challah (NIS 26), two galettes (zucchini and goat cheese or leek and bûche cheese, NIS 84) rustic in appearance and sophisticated in taste, three quiches (onion, mushroom, tomato-artichoke, NIS 87) with very rich flavors, and also a cheese tart (buttery crust, cream cheese and almond filling, streusel, NIS 104) with depth and a careful dance of textures.
Eventually, as always, the queen will appear. A Basque cheesecake that’s truly Basque (NIS 180), caramelized not just by name, soft inside, diva outside, and criminally delicious.
The Yokneam stop of Livnat Peretz has increased its magnetism and pull with a collection of classic cheesecakes – and much more than that.
Liby Patisserie’s sweet holiday menu includes a Basque cake (NIS 220, NIS 30 per slice), brown and creamy exactly as its inventors intended; New York cheesecake with a buttery crust, baked cream cheese, and mascarpone cream that won this category with strong vanilla and perfect texture; a biscuit cake (with the biscuits baked on-site, of course) with diplomat cream, cheese, and dark chocolate ganache (NIS 76); and ricotta cream brioche (NIS 46) that reminds you what we do with dough here – Shavuot or not.
The Tel Aviv bakery led by Timor Lavie celebrates a rustic, local Shavuot – indulgent when necessary and romantic in between, sometimes simultaneously.
Dallal’s “white collection” includes, among other things, a kadaif pastry (NIS 28) on croissant dough with cheese and pistachio bits, a lemony ricotta and raspberry pound cake (NIS 79), a white roulade (white chocolate ganache, cream cheese, white chocolate, coconut, NIS 115) that brings back childhood memories (though much improved), a Basque cake (NIS 160 for 15 cm diameter), and a special version of that Basque with a central delicate inner layer (NIS 180). Also, a flan tart (almond crust, vanilla cream, NIS 175 for 23 cm) that plays with creamy and crunchy textures at will – and ours.
Before or alongside those, there’s also a savory “sneik” (NIS 22) with roasted cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, feta, and pesto, an excellent quiche (NIS 125), made properly, with royal cream and caramelized onions or roasted sweet potato, sourdough flute with herbs de Provence, seeds and grains or Kalamata olives, and addictive parmesan cookies (NIS 56 for 26 pieces seasoned with paprika, thyme, and oregano).
At the same time, Dallal has composed holiday packages in a “basket full of stars” format. These include boutique cheeses from the Galilee’s Flora Farm, chocolates and sweets by Oded Saida, olive oil, spreads, and jams from Pitora Farm, cold cuts and sausages from Ofer Stauber, dried flowers from Shani’s studio, and other first-fruit surprises from Dallal’s ovens.
One of the holiday stars—every holiday, if you think about it—has managed to stick to her guiding principles (no excess, and making everything else as fine as can be) and to shine once again.
Nono Mimi’s Shavuot collection, under the wonderful theme “Cheese, Honey, and Love,” was created with a thoughtful blend of past and present, rural and modern, and with a very evident attention to aesthetics. It’s not just beautiful, and not beautiful just for the sake of being beautiful—ultimately, this might be one of the loveliest we’ve seen this time around.
It includes a Basque cheesecake (NIS 144) based on the well-known cardiological combo of cream cheese and mascarpone, with excellent caramelization and a creamy interior; a mascarpone and blueberry tart (NIS 146) on an almond sablé base with a model-like appearance and a sweet-sour balance; a flourless baked cheesecake with a hint of lemon zest (NIS 141) that felt sane—in the best sense of that word; a carrot cake with cream cheese and honey frosting (NIS 68); ricotta and amarena cherry krantz (NIS 51); cheese brioche (NIS 51); and savory items like sourdough breads, cheese sticks, challahs, cheeses, and pastrami.
The excellent Tel Aviv bakery of Stefan Macher brings together an Israeli celebration with Austrian creative joy, in a bright and unstoppable collection.
Stefan’s Shavuot menu includes a comeback of classics with a thoroughly modern touch, like the “Topfen Torte Lemon” (a base of crisp biscuit, baked cheese cream, lemon cream, and a soft meringue garnish, NIS 214 for 18 cm diameter)—stunning and sweet only in a hint of elegance; “Cardinal Schnitte” (an Austrian roulade of sponge cake and soft meringue wrapped in vanilla Chantilly cream and homemade raspberry jam, NIS 250), which makes you entertain sinful thoughts about guests managing without dessert just so you can have more; “Topfen Strawberries” (baked cheesecake topped with strawberries and strawberry jelly) and a blueberry version (NIS 214 for 18 cm diameter) with a distinctly European flair; “Topfen Strudel” in apricot or cherry (NIS 198 for 40 cm, NIS 38 per slice), perfectly suited for the holiday—and even a promise of ice creams in festive flavors.
As usual, the veteran patisserie offers a dizzying range of holiday options. As usual, Rosella Yona ensures this dizziness doesn’t distract from the point of it all—deliciousness first, beauty second.
Biscotti’s Shavuot menu, under the justified theme “White in a Sweet Dream,” features four limited-edition cakes (NIS 76 per slice, NIS 154 for 20 cm diameter): “Mocaccino” (butter crumble, cream cheese layer, latte macchiato crème brûlée, topped with caramelized pâte sucrée crumbs), striking in both flavor and look; “Caramelina” (Lotus cookie crumble, New York–style baked cheesecake, salted caramel ganache, cinnamon crèmeux topping), decadent and rich; “Basque Brownies” (thin streusel, milk chocolate brownies, Basque baked cheesecake, vanilla anglaise glaze and caramelized pecans), which was slightly less classically Basque—but no one at the table seemed to mind; and sweet ricotta-filled yeast roses that seem to patiently await your post-holiday coffee with joy.
In addition, festive savories are offered: “Carpatka” (a shell of buttery puff pastry filled with cherry tomato confit and a cheese blend, NIS 146), “Rosetta” rolls based on yeast dough with manchego and sun-dried tomatoes or mushrooms and mozzarella (NIS 76), lasagnas, quiches, and countless pastries.
Ruti Brodo’s delightful ordering hub celebrates Shavuot with countless options and a few standout stars.
The white collection from the bakery and delicatessen includes, among other things: Bavarian cake with nectarines, pistachio, and white wine aroma (NIS 128); pistachio mousse cake with hints of orange and orange blossom water; yogurt and blueberry mousse cake with an almond sponge base and white chocolate ganache glaze (NIS 128); vegan cheesecake (pâte sucrée and hazelnut base, topped with vanilla and lemon zest notes, NIS 98–108) that completely fooled—in a good way—a seasoned and well-versed family table; and a Shavuot anchor stronger than the Scroll of Ruth itself, in the form of the Coffee Bar cheesecake (NIS 124–238)—modest in appearance, mighty once you dig in.
The café—that has long since become much more than just a café—of Haim Cohen celebrates Shavuot with a white rustic array, very elegant in its lines and stunning beyond them.
Pitzi’s collection includes: cheesecake on a chocolate brownie base with whipped cream and chocolate flakes (NIS 150 for 20 cm diameter), gentler than expected and generally addictive; Basque cake (NIS 85 per slice, NIS 150 for 20 cm diameter); and New York–style cheesecake with sour cream and white chocolate (NIS 120), perfectly balancing sweet and tangy, leaving nothing and no one behind.
Alongside these, they offer holiday arrangements and pick-up items such as appetizers, cheese and raisin blintzes (as well as an intriguing tiramisu blintz version), parmesan sticks, sweet challah, family- and personal-sized quiches, bursting filo spirals, lasagna, stuffed grape leaves, latkes, salads, and spreads—as much as your table can handle.
Pitzi Boutique Central (credit: TAL SIVAN-ZIPORIN)
Boutique Central
The bakery-patisserie chain is celebrating Shavuot with a charming countryside vibe, based on sheep's milk cheeses and under the guiding principle of Farm to Boutique.
Boutique Central’s holiday collection includes, among other items, a delicate and wonderful baked sheep cheese and honey cake (NIS 74 per loaf, NIS 162 for a 19 cm cake), a sheep cheese cake with hazelnut crumble featuring a successful texture combination between cream and crunch, mascarpone carrot cake, Basque cheesecake, Philadelphia cake, St. Honoré, and classics such as baked cheesecake, crumb cheesecake, tiramisu, biscuit cake with vanilla cream, yeast cake, a sugar-free version, and Shani Jackson’s cheesecake, which won the Israeli Lotus competition.
Additionally, there will be richly flavored quiches with onion, leek, and camembert (NIS 116 for 22 cm diameter), eggplant, pepper and Sainte-Maure, and a puff pastry roll with spinach and feta.
The veteran cake house—over three decades old—celebrates Shavuot properly, with a collection of rich, sweet, and popular gifts.
De La Paix’s cheesecake menu includes, among other offerings, ricotta and raspberry pie (NIS 109), vanilla crumb cheese loaf (NIS 79), and two notable, deservedly in-demand stars: an apricot-yogurt cake (pistachio biscuit base, apricot crémeux, buffalo yogurt mousse, apricot-raspberry glaze, NIS 199) with a superb balance and lightness, and a baked cheesecake with 30% cream cheese in American style (NIS 199) — the anchor of the holiday table, dense and decadent in the best possible way.
The patisserie chain makes a sweeping entrance to the Israeli holiday table, offering a stunning collection with options from the first course to dessert, and even the day-after cake.
At Roladin you’ll find, among other things, a cheese and olive flute (NIS 14), spelt challah with silan, artisanal sourdough breads, and quiches (NIS 95) rich in texture and color — like “Labaneh Chili Pepper” seasoned with za’atar and local flair, à la Romana with pesto artichoke cream, chard and roasted artichoke, polenta and forest mushrooms, onions, zucchini-spinach, and the ever-popular sweet potato.
From there, you naturally move to the Basque cheesecake (NIS 159) that delivers on its promise with cream cheese and mascarpone, “Royal” with white chocolate chantilly and berries, “Black Cookie Cream” bringing Oreos to the party, and the “Crack Pie Cheesecake” (oat crumble, caramel vanilla flan, baked cream cheese, NIS 129) that’s incredibly effective even in small slices.
Loaf cakes (NIS 75–85) here range from tiramisu and vanilla mille-feuille to St. Honoré, crumb mousse cheese, and a basbousa with cheese and pistachio cream that even won this category with some original kick. More? Yes — yeast cakes (NIS 49–54) like ricotta-praline pistachio kranz, cheese strudel, French-style brioche, and something called “Cheese-Amarena Tiger” — fierce indeed.
A local gem up in the indulgent bakery of the town of Shakhnin reveals a spectacular holiday dessert and a traditional-modern dance.
Lotem Deree’s baked cheesecake is made with a crispy base layer, a cream cheese filling, and a cream topping that quickly becomes a successful combination of textures and flavors — creamy and rich, buttery and crunchy where needed, with a slightly tangy top. All this is crowned with mulberries, blueberries, and raspberries — photogenic and excellent as part of the whole slice. Price: NIS 245, NIS 45 per slice.
The veteran patisserie chain once again gathers the people under the banner of “A Land Flowing with Milk,” delivering on the promise with a rich and varied menu — sweet and savory, decadent and even more decadent.
Miki Shemo’s Shavuot collection includes, among other items, an eternal-bestseller baked cheesecake (NIS 69), loaf pans with lemon or peach, round yeast cake (NIS 49) that somehow always finishes first, cheese-raisin kranz, standout refrigerator cakes (NIS 69–200) with streusel, blueberries, brownies, or biscuit-mascarpone versions, sponge cakes, sugar-free desserts, and stars like cheese-apple, kadaif tart with plum or apricot (NIS 69), cheese tart with red fruits, tiramisu, and blintzes with raisins.
Before all that, you can stock up here on crispy parmesan cookies, Safed cheese dumplings, colorful quiches (NIS 69), sourdough breads, cheese flutes, focaccias, and savory pastries.
The bakery chain of indulgences led by Mimi Ne’eman Sheikh celebrates Shavuot together with Miri Cohen in what quickly became a joyful feast of desserts and crumbs.
The joint “Crumb Collection” (NIS 69 per loaf cake) cleverly dances on the beloved classic cheesy base, adds to it, elevates it, and doesn’t stop until everyone finds something. It includes, among others, Lotus, Oreo, pistachio, raspberry, and granola versions, doesn’t forget the essential base, and manages to create that creamy-crunchy connection.
Beyond those, Ma’afe Ne’eman will offer countless other options — citrus-scented cheese brioche and one with Belgian chocolate, crispy lemon tart with meringue kisses, chocolate-cheese tart, berry, strawberry or blueberry fillings, sugar-free stars, beloved cream puffs, golden-crispy bourekas, and colorful quiches with mushrooms, sweet potato, onion, broccoli, and spinach.
The veteran and expanding family bakery of the Talbi family — nine branches including a brand-new one in Rishon Lezion — celebrates Shavuot with a beautiful blend of tradition and innovation, as far as the eye can see, and then some.
Jacob's Dream’s cake collection includes, among other things, “Brooklyn meets Dubai” (New York-style cheesecake with baked kadaif noodles, pistachio, and milk chocolate, NIS 79 per loaf) — a viral hit perfectly adapted to the holiday calendar, “Philadelphia” rich and creamy (NIS 72 per loaf, NIS 125 for 18 cm), “Brooklyn Strawberry” (New York-style cheesecake with strawberry confiture, NIS 74), “Choco-Cheese” baked with added milk chocolate ganache (NIS 135), “Passion Cheese” (cheese mousse with passionfruit, NIS 74), “Fromage d’Été” (cheese mousse with layers of strawberry, lemon, and white chocolate, NIS 74), and also a three-flavor Basque option (NIS 26 per piece, NIS 74 for the full set).
Besides those, there are also warming ricotta and raisin pastries, brioche filled with pizza sauce and cheese (NIS 49 per unit), pesto pinwheels with croissant dough, and cheese sticks.
The veteran vegan restaurant is celebrating Shavuot without needing to prove anything to anyone—and with plenty of offerings that prove exactly that.
Here you’ll find, among other things, a thick and rich vegan cheesecake, based on cashew and coconut with spelt or rice flour crumbs (NIS 89–94 per slice, NIS 189 for a 20 cm cake), as well as a family-sized tiramisu tray, designed for sharing and inevitably devoured that way, based on vanilla sponge, coffee and espresso, and cream (NIS 219).
Alongside these, there’s a family lasagna featuring three homemade cashew cheeses and a mushroom-sweet potato ragout, excellent spelt flour quiches with mushrooms, leek, or sweet potato (NIS 18–79), and also the option to build a festive cheese platter with cashew brie with apricot, sun-dried tomatoes, black pepper or pecan, cashew labneh, almond feta, and smooth cashew cream with or without olives.
This Tel Aviv patisserie is celebrating Shavuot with a diverse collection of options and temptations, with a seductive Scandinavian wink.
The "white menu" of Haofim Haktanim offers cheesecakes (classic baked, vegan, Basque-style in individual or family sizes, with crumbs, lemon and blueberries in combination, Lotus-flavored, New York–style creamy and dense as it should be, mascarpone-based and chocolate, and in the popular biscuit format), blintzes (both savory and sweet), profiteroles, fruit pies and kremšnita, quiches, lasagna and cheese trays, savory strudel, and also "the Swedes"—a new series of cakes with a yeast-dough "closure" and great combinations like brownie-cheese-cherry and carrot with pastry cream. It’s different—and fun.
The veteran patisserie is celebrating Shavuot with an extensive menu, both sweet and savory, and one standout star.
Shany Bakery’s Dubai Cheesecake (NIS 169, NIS 89 per slice) rides one of the strongest trends currently sweeping the world and aims to land it successfully on the Israeli table without forgetting its main mission. It does so with a blend of pistachio paste and chocolate ganache, a baked cheesy center, and a topping of kadayif threads. Middle Eastern to the core.
Alongside this indulgence, you’ll find cheesecakes with dulce de leche, “exotic” strawberry, fruits, yeast bun pans with pistachio or in cinnamon-roll style, and cheese and cranberry brioche.
The patisserie chain led by Ran Ben David is celebrating Shavuot with a rich and creamy collection—and one star that insists on surprising.
Biga’s gluten-free baked cheesecake (NIS 72) caters to celiacs, avoiders, and health-conscious customers without sacrificing anything for these audiences. It has a good, creamy texture, the necessary density, and a relatively mild sweetness for the genre—and the only thing it doesn’t have is flour.
