Venya Bistro

I rarely leave negative reviews, but what I witnessed today was disturbing enough that I feel other customers should know about it. While sitting at the bar, I had a clear view of the kitchen and the final plating area. I watched the chef responsible for finishing and serving dishes repeatedly touch her face and mouth area during service and then immediately continue handling food with her bare hands. I also personally witnessed her biting (eating) her nails and then returning to handle food without washing or sanitizing her hands, although unfortunately I was not able to capture that specific moment on video. I did record video of her handling food with her bare hands after touching her face. I watched her touch focaccia, vegetables, and other ingredients that were being served directly to customers. This is not a matter of preference or restaurant style. Basic hygiene standards exist for a reason. Watching someone touch their face, put their fingers near their mouth, and then continue handling customers’ food without washing their hands completely destroyed my confidence in this restaurant. As for the food, it was fine. Not exceptional, not terrible. But no meal is good enough to compensate for poor hygiene practices. After what I saw today, I will not be returning. A restaurant can recover from average food. It cannot recover from customers losing trust in its hygiene standards.

Homey yet upscaled Israeli food in a cozy atmosphere in Haifa’s most vibrant neighborhood - a real keeper! This is the kind of restaurant you can go to every night and know that the food will be excellent without fail. Some of the standout dishes were the cauliflower tabbouleh, the crab gnocchi and the basque cheesecake with homemade strawberry jam. The one fault with the cheesecake is that a basque is meant to be exceedingly creamy, while this one was slightly too firm. But it was still a delicious dessert and I’d have it again! In short, a lovely neighborhood bistro with great service and reliable food. I’d recommend booking in advance as it’s a popular place.

Incredible quality food for seafood lovers. Very fresh and tasty. The staff are always very nice and never abbrasive. Food arrives quickly even when busy. One of my favorite restaurants in Israel.

Nice restaurant with great atmosphere. The range of dishes to choose from was okay, I don’t think it fits everyone. The food was well made and served beautifully. My complaints; my dish, which is the wide pasta with asparagus, bacon, pesto and Parmesan. It came really oily and my other one is of course the pricing. Overall, you can visit there if the menu is to your taste and I think you need to preorder your sitting there.

If you could describe food as sexy this is the right place to do it. Amazing freshly cooked food with a creative twist. Friendly and welcoming staff, we were offered a free shot which we had with the coolest staff member.