The Mateh Yehuda Rural Food Festival returns on two weekends, October 22-24 and October 29-31, with a special day of activity on October 27, Election Day. Dozens of home cooks, hosts, wineries, farms, bakeries and local producers will open their homes and businesses for meals, tastings and workshops. The culinary tour costs NIS 290 and requires advance registration, and the food truck evening at Yad Harif in Tzora is free.
The festival was originally planned for earlier this year but was cancelled because of the war with Iran. The Mateh Yehuda Regional Council, through its tourism department, decided to bring it back as a special autumn edition. The festival began about three decades ago, when home cooks opened their houses to the public, and it is still built around the people behind the plate.
What to eat in Mateh Yehuda
Restaurants, wineries, cafes, dairies, bakeries, farms and distilleries will serve experiences created especially for the festival. The range is wide: Kurdish and Moroccan cooking, local Arab food, traditional Ethiopian cuisine, Brazilian feijoada, sourdough pastries, chef dinners, local wines and beers, farm cheeses, foraged food and coffee.
At Shankalish in Ein Rafa, the special dish is lahm awarak, kebab wrapped in vine leaves and cooked in tomato sauce, alongside rotating dishes from the Arab kitchen. At Tsepaya in Neve Ilan, the experience includes traditional Ethiopian food, a coffee ceremony and a conversation about heritage and community. At Giuliano in Kiryat Anavim, the meal is Brazilian, with traditional feijoada and flan for dessert.
Local agriculture is central too. At Chips in Shoeva, a tasting meal features goat cheeses, olive oil, herbs and spreads made and foraged on the farm. At Meshek Segal in Tel Shahar, the menu includes Neapolitan pizzas, salads and desserts built partly on seasonal vegetables from the farm. At Nora, the forager at Moshav Matta, autumn evenings called "Under the Mulberry Tree" offer a menu based on what grows in the forest, the orchards and the farms, with regional wines on the side.
The producers also include Tzuba Winery, which offers local wines with wine-matched dishes and guided tastings, the Tavlin distillery, where visitors can join a workshop making a personal gin from choosing the botanicals to distilling, and the Sarigim brewery, which opens its doors on both weekends.
Bite on Wheels: a food truck evening at Yad Harif
On Thursday, October 29, the food truck event "Bite on Wheels" takes place at Yad Harif in Tzora, with food trucks from the region. The evening offers food, music and seating areas, and entry is free. According to the press release, the event runs from 17:30 to 22:00.
Election Day, October 27
On Election Day, eateries, hosts and producers across the council will open their doors throughout the day. Participants include Martha's tea party in Sarigim, with pastries, scones, marmalade and small British-style sandwiches, Giuliano's feijoada in Kiryat Anavim, Selva's kitchen in Ein Naqquba with seasonal dishes, stuffed vegetables and smoked meat, as well as Coffee Frisco in Ein Rafa, Tzuba Winery, Meshek Segal in Tel Shahar, Bradley Bakery and the Sarigim brewery.
Culinary tour: The Elah Valley on a Plate
On Friday, October 30, the tour "The Elah Valley on a Plate: Food with Soul" sets out. It passes through four stops that connect food, wine, pastries and local stories: Malka Coffee in Tzora, Underdog Winery in Givat Yeshayahu, Bradley Bakery in Sarigim and Yaara Yaakobi's Meshek 28 in Agur.
The tour leaves at 9:00 from the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council parking lot and ends at 14:00. The price is NIS 290 per person, including air-conditioned transport, a guide and tastings at all four stops. Space is limited to 20 participants, and advance registration is required.
Avishai Cohen, head of the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council: "The festival was born in local homes, kitchens and traditions, and over the years grew into an event that connects food, agriculture, wine, culture and community. After we had to cancel it earlier this year, it was important for us to return as early as October and let local businesses open their doors again. Behind every dish here is a person, a family and a story."
Practical details
When: October 22-24, October 27 (Election Day) and October 29-31. Bite on Wheels: October 29, Yad Harif, Tzora, free entry. The Elah Valley on a Plate: October 30, 9:00-14:00, NIS 290, advance registration. The full list of participants, opening hours and registration are on the Mateh Yehuda tourism site (in Hebrew).
Questions and answers
When is the Mateh Yehuda Rural Food Festival?
October 22-24 and October 29-31, 2026, plus special activity on Election Day, October 27.
How much does it cost to take part?
Entry to Bite on Wheels is free. The Elah Valley on a Plate tour costs NIS 290 per person. Prices for meals and tastings at the hosts are set by each business, so check the Mateh Yehuda tourism site for details.
Do I need to register in advance?
Advance registration is required for the culinary tour, and places are limited to 20 participants. For the other events, registration details are on the Mateh Yehuda tourism site.
Where is Bite on Wheels held?
At Yad Harif in Tzora, on the evening of Thursday, October 29.
Does the festival run on Election Day?
Yes. On October 27, eateries, hosts and producers across the council open their doors throughout the day.
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