Longtime Sephardic Jerusalem cuisine restaurant ‘Ima’ catches fire on Thursday

The iconic “Ima” (mother in Hebrew) restaurant in Jerusalem caught fire on Thursday.

The restaurant Ima opened in 1981 and has had several generations of managers, however, on Thursday evening, the iconic restaurant in the city caught fire. Alexander Chek, a city resident for over 30 years, spoke with Maariv about the restaurant, its uniqueness, and what attracted many tourists over the years to come and eat there.

"The 'Ima' restaurant is considered iconic in Jerusalem, as a recommended place for those unfamiliar with dishes like Jerusalem mixed grill," he noted, as he added, "The restaurant is located at the entrance of Agrippas Street in the city."

Authentic cuisine and unique experience

Chek further said, "It is considered a landmark and a legendary place in the city. Something special, a place known for its 'mother's cooking.' Among other things, they serve chraime, hummus, Jerusalem mixed grill and salads. Back in the day, as a new immigrant who arrived in Israel from Ukraine, I was exposed to Middle Eastern cuisine for the first time at 'Ima.'

“The place had an original menu based on Sephardic Jerusalem food, even before it became a trend in the country. They even poured wine in a unique way, from a barrel and not from a bottle."

Chek also spoke about what brought many tourists to eat specifically at the that Jerusalem restaurant, "At 'Ima,' people from all walks of life ate, including tourists who wanted something different from restaurants abroad, and it was considered very authentic. I myself brought some tourists who came to Israel there."