The 10 best Haifa nightlife spots

Experience Haifa’s first brewpub, in their expansive new Port Street location, and fall in love with the cool modern-industrial atmosphere, as you sip on their 5 varieties of thoughtfully brewed unfiltered craft beers.  A passion project of former engineer Leonid Lipkin, and his beer brewing partners and friends, it is a place where you’ll want to cozy-in and spend your evening with an ice cold pint and a satisfying burger.  Watch for the monthly guest beer options (some more controversial than others), and inventive rotating menu from in-house chef Roy Avraham.

The new Fattoush complex in the port offers food, a bar, music, live performances and an art gallery.  The massive space is two floors and offers an eclectic patio – ushering in completely new blood to the Port. You can see the investment and attention paid to the design, down to the smallest detail. 

For those who crave an upscale twist on Israeli comfort food, and an exceptionally rich wine and spirits list to match, Sasson Bar is the place to spend your evening. This urban bar with a homey, yet elegant, atmosphere has endless options of good food and drink, and is perfect for a special outing in the upper city. Try their calamari – served seared and not fried, with a dollop of crème fresh and baby greens (a definite winner), or their shrimp risotto flavored with yellow turmeric to remind you how good Israeli fusion cuisine can be. If the wall of whiskey or tempting wine cellar options are not your thing, try one of their craft cocktails, which err on the side of light and refreshing, made with high-quality liquors and delicate garnishes. 

After dark pub, with its 24 beers on tap and wide menu featuring house smoked meats, fish and other specials, is your landing pad for catching up with a good friend or on your beer education. Owner Natai Tolochinsky not only loves his beer, but appreciates the unique subtleties found in the different varieties and boutique brews that he keeps in the pub. Try out the rotating specials, or let Natai and his son, Nadav, guide you through the best of their collection of tap beers, which are kept meticulously at the optimal temperature in their refrigerated beer storage room. Work your way through the menu one beer at a time, or enjoy a sampler of 3 or 5 different drafts in one go.

Not your typical Irish pub, The Duke has it all. With plenty of beer flowing on tap, including a rotating selection of local Israeli craft beers (and complimentary salted roasted peanuts to whet your appetite), craft style cocktails and a variety of high quality hard liquors, it’s easy to find something to suit your every mood. Settle in at the comfy bar to take in the big soccer game, or nestle into an intimate corner next to the beautifully exposed brick wall or decorative wine barrel décor, and enjoy the expected (and done well!) pub fare. You can also opt for more refined dining options, such as salmon ceviche served with seasonal fruits and garnished with thinly sliced scallions. 

Jet down the Downtown’s newly renovated Natanzon/Yafo street to this classic Haifa live music establishment of 13 years, Eli’s Pub. With a full agenda of weekly jazz and blues jam sessions, often including owner Eli Ifrach himself, and live band concerts (both acoustic and non), this warm neighborhood pub is the place to move and feel the rhythm with soulful Haifa music lovers. Check their Facebook page for the daily schedule, or peer though the bar’s window as you pass by to get a sample of what’s being performed on the stage.