Choosing Between a Sabich and a Pita

While there is a large variety of cuisines and dishes eaten in Israel, there are certain dishes that stand out as standard “Israeli” food. Two of the most popular choices for food in Israel are pitas and sabichs.  These “traditional Israeli” foods can be found throughout the country in every restaurant, cafי, food stands, and in most Israeli homes.

Israel’s diverse population makes its cuisine very unique. People from many different countries around the globe have introduced their customs and foods to Israel.  Aside from hummus and tahini, Israelis also have their preference for pita and a sabich.  Israel’s most popular foods are derived from North African, Middle Eastern, and Jewish descent

Most people who live or have visited Israel have identified pita bread as the national bread of Israel. Pita bread has originated from the Middle East. Some may even consider pita to be the staple food in Israel. Pita bread has a hollow center that can be split open to make sandwiches. In fact, the most popular Israeli fast food is falafel, which is a pita bread sandwich filled with chickpeas, pickles and sometimes with chicken. While pita can vary from shape and size, the standard pita is thicker in Israel than it is elsewhere.

Pita is one of several favorites in Israeli cuisines primarily because is an easy-to-make flat bread. It is versatile and perfect for just about any meal. You can make sandwiches with it, use it as a pizza crust, dip it in hummus or salsa or use it as a side to a main dish. You can make pizza or spread some nutella for some added sweetness.

Sabich is practically a pita sandwich overflowing with fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, salad, and a mango pickle. It is another fast food item that can be purchased from local food stands throughout Israel. According to some sources however, the sandwich is not original to Israel but was brought to Israel by Iraqi immigrants. Some even go on to say that the founder of the first kiosk selling this Iraqi food did not know what the sandwich was called in Iraq, so he used his business partner's Iraqi name, Sabich. The local name caught on, and Sabich has attracted both Israelis and tourists with its unique taste.

In Israel today, sabiches are a common street food in almost every city, and local stands are fiercely competitive with one another. High-end vendors punch up the proletarian dish with whole wheat pita and organic ingredients, while value-oriented fast food operators stuff sabiches full of extra ingredients like feta cheese and deep-fried cauliflower. Regardless of how it's doctored, most people say that the sandwich's appeal is simple: its "delicious and great — filled with protein inside and vegetables." Like any other great food, the sabich is deeply connected to immigrant folkways and history's pathways. Although Baghdad may face its own problems these days, in both Tel Aviv and New York the sabich remains a little piece of Iraq.