Butchery

July 2023
Butchery is a quality high-end meat restaurant, a cut above (no pun intended) other restaurants in the city. This is the restaurant for celebrations, be it birthdays, anniversaries, or just celebrate the marvelous meats available today in Israel. But don't wait for a special event to visit Butchery. It is well worth a visit any time. We chose Butchery to celebrate our grandson’s successful completion of his first year at Ben Gurion University. Nothing is more celebratory for a young student then a high-end meal that is covered by his grandparent’s who are not on a student's budget.

Butchery Restaurant is a landmark in Beer Sheva. Now in its 9th year, the restaurant is known for its quality meat, fine service and old-world ambiance. This is not an eat-and-run restaurant. Slow down. There is plenty of time. Savor every last bite of the amazing foods.

We met with Rafi, one of the owners, who told us the story of the restaurant. Butchery was conceived as a quality restaurant charged with the task of providing the best kosher meat in the world – no matter where it has to come from. Rafi and his partner Izo scoured the land, from the north to the south, choosing the best meat suppliers. The meat at the restaurant comes from the Golan, from Nebraska, fresh meat from South America. According to Rafi, if it is quality, they’ve got it. The meat is aged at the restaurant while carefully monitored, sometimes as long as 38 days. It is then grilled over coals for that delicious BBQ flavor. Meats are under the hashgacha of the Rabbanut and there are usually 3-4 choices of glatt meats.

For a warm up we started with meat-filled and vegetarian Empanadas, and a platter of grilled eggplant. Then to the serious business. The young man will have the Texas Burger: 250 gr of Entrecote meat sourced from Ramat Hagolan, served with a side of smoked beef slices, a sunny side up egg and crispy French fries. This generous portion was attractively presented on a wood board with chips and fresh cut vegetables.

A few big bites later the burger was gone, and the young’uns attention turned to his grandfather’s meal.  The Hunters Combination platter consists of 300 gr of grilled meat and some grilled vegetables: Butcher’s Cut (Hanger) Steak, Mullard Breast and Lamb Chops. The meat was delivered to our table on a portable charcoal grill laden with the sizzling meats. This was an overwhelmingly generous portion with a good variety, and far more than any single person could eat.

Saba went straight for the large lamb chop, and ate it down to the bone. Next came the goose breast, covered with a thick layer of fat. Both were tender and delicious. Just a taste, said the young’un, as his knife severed a healthy chunk of each type of meat. With his help not a scrap remained. We all agreed that we don’t remember a meal as satisfying as this.

A restaurant should focus on what they do best, and clearly the meat is Butchery’s specialty.  Desserts are sourced from Biscotti, the folks who know desserts. The only one of us who could eat a dessert without opening our belt buckles was our student, and together we agreed to pass. 

While the city of Beer Sheva continues to grow both horizontally and vertically, the downtown area has retained its quaint and folksy atmosphere. Narrow but well-kept streets and low buildings contain a fair amount of history. Downtown Beer Sheva is the Neve Tzedek of the Negev. 

The restaurant is located in a heritage building constructed in the 1930’s. The architecture was modern for its time, with straight lines instead of the classic arches of the day. In 1948 the majestic building became the home of Michael Hanegbi, the Israeli Military Governor of Beer Sheva, and was thus dubbed Hanegbi House.  Refurbished and then refurbished again, Hanegbi has housed restaurants for the past two decades.

The current Butchery Restaurant has the vibe of a quaint European bistro. Simple wood tables and chairs are nicely spaced in the two-room dining area. Black & white photo/posters of Israel of yore and others from the 1960’s decorate the walls. The high ceilings, original wood windows and elegant chandeliers. Large property with a spacious garden for events. Even weddings.  

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From the menu:
Eggplant starter NIS 46.
Empanadas NIS 42 and NIS 48
Chopped liver starter NIS 48.
Texas Burger NIS 94
Hunters Combination (300gr) NIS 136
Argentina Combination 400 gr. NIS 174.
Ramat Hagolan Combination NIS 174.
Childrens menu NIS 48.

From Our Members:
Date: 28 October 2024 By: larry L.
Comment: My wife abd i just had a fabolous dinner at the butchery in Be’ersheva. We happened to be in the city on some business and looked up on eLuna where to eat. That’s how we found this great restaurant. It is located in a building from the 1930s and beautifully restired and furnished. The waitress was friendly and helpful in selecting our meal and from start to finish the meal was delicious. We shared a beef carpaccio, an 800 gram combination meat platter and finushed with a caramel cake. All in all a truly great culinary experience. It is worth a trip just to have such an enjoyable meal.