May 2025
So I am thinking this is going to be yet another pizza/pasta restaurant. Aren't there enough of these in Rehavia?

But I was surprised. Maimon Place is a celebrity restaurant. Back in the day, Alon Asraf, former soccer player and owner of this restaurant, was a household name in Jerusalem. Chef Chani Piro made her name on TV and at various restaurants. Together they make a great team. Chani's creative ideas and her delicious dishes set this restaurant apart. Owner Alon knows when to step back and let the chef do her thing.

Much has been said about owner Alon Asraf. This is a guy who doesn't do anything half way. About ten years ago Alon, successful soccer player, became Shomer Mitzvot. He hung up his cleats and began to learn Torah. He continues to this day, learning in a kolel for several hours a day. Torah is his only distraction from his business. Otherwise you can find him at the restaurant from early morning till late at night.

Alon opened Maimon Place as a pizza pasta restaurant. But Master Chef Chani Piro, has other ideas. Not just the food, Chani is putting her stamp on the concept of the restaurant, and on the dining experience. The restaurant now offers a modern take on the classic Middle Eastern and Italian kitchen. You're gonna love this. Maimon Place is a restaurant in development. Watch it as it evolves. From time to time, as Chani is inspired, new items will be added to the menu.

The restaurant is located at the traffic circle on Ben Maimon St. where it meets Arlozorov St. This prime space laid derelict for several years. Alon and his group changed all that, and with a major renovation, turning an abandoned space into a lovely restaurant.


The restaurant is bright and friendly. There is a semi-open kitchen, comfortable seating indoor and on the outdoor patio. A modern tabun oven with a rotating turntable is used not just for the crispy pizza, but for many other of Chani's favorite dishes.

"Come out Chani!" Alon called the chef out of her kitchen. "I want you to meet the people from eLuna." And we had the great pleasure of meeting the charming and vivacious chef. This came with the added pleasure of tasting some of her delicious foods.

Top of the chart for me was the fresh salad that they call by the misleading name "Watermelon Salad." This is an amazing combination of fresh crunchy vegetables and cubed watermelon, topped with grated cheese. A smear of cream cheese around the side of the dish is garnished with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It looks more like a dessert than a salad. I was not alone in my enthusiasm for this dish. Another diner at Maimon Place apparently ordered the same salad. She loved it so much, she talked it up to other diners as they mulled over the menu.

One of Chani's specialties is fish Arais. Arais is a classic Middle Eastern dish that has made its way into the Israeli kitchen. It starts with a fresh pita filled with well-spiced, ground meat. Chani's modern version of Arais, adjusted for the dairy kitchen, uses ground fish, flavored with fresh herbs instead of meat. The filled pita takes a spin in the Tabun oven, becoming a roasted, crispy pita with a smoked aroma and is then served on green techina with a side salad. This is a flavorful exotic dish and Chani's variation is unique at Maimon Place.

Maimon Place invites you to visit the restaurant with a 20% discount from 12 noon to 5pm. Take a 10% discount with your eLuna coupon valid from 5pm to 7pm.

From the Menu: Salads approximately NIS 75 Pizza NIS 60 - 80 Pasta approximately NIS 80