12 Chairs Cafe. An Authentic Israeli Spot In West Village

When you go out to dinner, it’s easy to pack on the pounds, and fast. With holiday season in full swing, every meal seems to be jam packed with high calorie foods that are fattening AF. When you need a break from all of that, you’re too lazy to cook healthy, and you’re over Just Salad, Mediterranean food is your best option and more specifically 12 Chairs Café.

Located in the West Village, 12 Chairs is an authentic Israeli Spot. When you walk in you feel like you could be sitting in a café in Tel Aviv. I was pleasantly surprised when our waiter told us he had just moved here from Israel because I knew he’d have great recommendations for us.

Starting with hummus is a must, whether you want to go plain, with falafel or with mushrooms is your call. Every bowl is topped with olive oil, spices and chick peas with your choice of white or whole wheat pita. The pita is warm and cooked to perfection and even the girl who swore she wouldn’t eat carbs this meal, had to dig in because it smelled so good. As an added bonus, the hummus comes with a side of Israeli pickles that could put a smile on anyone’s face.

The Israeli salad is made fresh and chopped fine, exactly what you’d be expect. It’s a nice sized portion, something great to add if you’re splitting small plates for the table. Also be sure to check out the specials. The cauliflower dish is lightly fried with tahini, onions and peppers and is another dish that will make your meal at 12 Chairs.

For anyone who isn’t into doing small plates for the table because they’re #selfish you could always get a variety of salads or sandwiches. I’d personally suggest the Grilled Vegetable sandwich but then again I’m vegetarian so that’s somewhat of a given. The veggies are evenly grilled served on a nice Panini bread with pesto and a small side salad.

So if you’re on a tight budget, your pants are getting tight and can’t hop on a plane to Israel for dinner, 12 Chairs Café is your best move.