Sima, Middle Eastern restaurant in Machane Yehuda district, Jerusalem, Israel.
Sima is a restaurant in the Machane Yehuda market district serving traditional Middle Eastern meat dishes in a casual dining setting. The space offers specialties like kubeh soup and mixed grill combining chicken, lamb, and organ meats prepared with distinct spice blends and brought to your table.
The restaurant was founded in 1969 by an Iraqi immigrant who wanted to serve authentic home cooking to the market vendors around him. Its opening marks how immigrant communities shaped the eating habits and food traditions of Jerusalem in the mid-20th century.
The restaurant serves dishes rooted in Iraqi Jewish cooking traditions that have shaped Jerusalem's food culture for decades. The meals reflect eating habits brought by immigrants from Iraq and now woven into how locals eat in the market district.
The restaurant sits on Agrippas Street and is easily reached on foot from the market area. Service happens at tables, so you can walk in, sit down, and order without needing to navigate complicated procedures.
The owners have used a secret spice blend for their grilled meats for decades, which visitors often try to figure out. This blend is so tied to the place that many guests return mainly for the distinctive taste it creates.
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