We’ve long known that Acre’s Uri Buri seafood restaurant and the Efendi Hotel are a must on any foodie or traveler’s list, and now it seems that so does the rest of the world – the two landmarks recently landed top spots on TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best list.
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The two establishments are owned by Uri Jeremias, who’s been serving visitors to the mixed Arab-Israeli city his signature fish and seafood dishes for decades, and, more recently, offering them a stay in a beautifully renovated luxury hotel.
Both the restaurant and the hotel made headlines this spring for less celebratory reasons when they were torched during the wave of violence that struck Israel during the latest military round with Hamas in Gaza.
Jeremias has since vowed to rebuild what was destroyed and continue to serve as a model of coexistence in the city.
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The Efendi Hotel came in No. 1 in the Top 10 Small Hotels – Middle East category , with TripAdvisor recommendations noting that the “perfect weekend getaway” “makes you feel like Ottoman royalty.”
It boasts 12 rooms with views either to the sea or the Old City, as well as an authentic 400-year-old Ottoman hammam and a wine bar located in a Crusader cellar. Israeli hotels made it to the top five spots on the list: Following Efendi were Gordonia Private Hotel in Ma’aleh Hamisha, Rothschild 71 in Tel Aviv, Cnaan Village Boutique Hotel & Spa in the Golan Heights and The Rothschild in Tel Aviv.
Uri Buri came in 19th in the “Best Fine Dining Restaurants – World” category. TripAdvisor recommended its “great seafood with clever and tasty combinations” and urged visitors to “get the tasting menu and just enjoy the dishes as they come.”
The Best of the Best list was drawn from the recommendations of travelers who cited their favorite location on the popular online travel company, and includes an array of categories including national parks, things to do, beaches and emerging destinations.
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