Lavan at the Cinémathèque

You have to be exceptional and affordable to be the restaurant of Jerusalem’s world-class Cinémathèque. Lavan fits this bill and comes with dramatic views of the Old City walls to boot. The menu is dotted with toothsome salads, focaccia, cheeses, and sandwiches to be snacked on by film buffs. But people mostly come to enjoy the extraordinary panorama and to try the delicious, seasonally changing dinner choices—yam soup, lamb and walnut ravioli, veal fillet with wild mushroom risotto, or a finely prepared fillet of salmon were some recent choices. There’s a schedule of live music some nights, a full bar, and tempting desserts to accompany after-show conversations. Tip: Call ahead to reserve a view-rich terrace table. Advance arrangement must also be made for those who cannot climb the Cinémathèque’s many access stairs.