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Stopping in Mitzpe Ramon on the Way to Eilat: The Best Places for Coffee, Food and a Lookout

Driving to Eilat on Route 40? Instead of stopping at a petrol station, turn into the Spice Route Quarter and the cliff in Mitzpe Ramon: boutique bakeries, cafes, restaurants and an ibex lookout on the way south.

Meetzpe Editorial6 min read

Anyone who drives down to Eilat on beautiful Route 40 knows the mid-journey dilemma: after two hours on the road from the centre or from Jerusalem, it is time to stop for a coffee, a fresh pastry or lunch and stretch your legs.

But instead of stopping at yet another generic petrol station on the main road, a quick turn into the Spice Route Quarter at the northern entrance to Mitzpe Ramon puts you in a completely different world, with European-standard boutique bakeries, cafes full of character, excellent restaurants and a breathtaking lookout over Makhtesh Ramon that turns the drive itself into part of the holiday.

This is how to make a perfect one-to-two-hour stop in Mitzpe Ramon on the way to Eilat (or on the way back north).

1. A Morning Stop (08:00–11:30): Boutique Bakeries and Coffee in the Spice Route Quarter and on the Cliff

The Spice Route Quarter sits right at the entrance to Mitzpe Ramon off Route 40 (you don't even need to drive into town if you are in a hurry), and it has convenient parking:

  • Pastries and breads worth the drive:
  • Lasha: A boutique bakery in the Spice Route Quarter. Sit down for a coffee and a pastry warm from the oven, and stock up on sourdough breads, focaccias and sandwiches for the rest of the way through the Makhtesh.
  • Man Desert Patisserie: A meticulous patisserie with croissants and pastries that would not shame Paris — and right inside operates Sansana, a desert-made clothing boutique.
  • Cafes in the Quarter and on the Cliff Edge:
  • Cafe Gina and HaRova Café: Beloved neighbourhood cafes with pleasant courtyards, excellent coffee and light meals.
  • UMA and Backstage Art Cafe: At UMA you will find coffee and a walk-in open art studio (ideal when stopping with kids!), and at Backstage an art cafe with a video and art gallery.
  • Kiosk Cafe Ramona and Little Ramona (on the cliff rim): Want to drink your coffee looking straight into Makhtesh Ramon (including on Saturdays)? Stop on the cliff promenade for coffee, sandwiches, pastries and ice cream facing the view.

2. A Lunch or Afternoon Stop (12:00–17:00): A Good Meal and a Short Wander

If you reach the Mitzpe Ramon area around midday, or on the way back north from Eilat, these are the places where you will eat genuinely well (see also our complete food guide to Mitzpe Ramon):

  • In the Town Center: Hummus Yona for warm fresh hummus that restores your energy right away; Paco ve Nany pizzeria for Italian stone-oven pizza (evenings); Sumsumyia for rich Mediterranean grilled meats and vegan dishes; HaHavit (The Barrel) for a full bar-restaurant menu; and the HaAgala Cooperative to stock up on fruit, nuts and natural road snacks.
  • In the Spice Route Quarter and on the Cliff: Café TZIN, a desert trattoria serving local seasonal dishes; BOTZ Restaurant for creative seasonal plates (lunch on Fridays, dinner on other days); HaKatze for homestyle stews; and Ramona Kosher Restaurant for a full meal overlooking the crater.
  • A short wander through galleries, boutiques or nearby farms: While stretching your legs after the drive, peek into Itzu Rimmer Gallery, the studios of Osnat Raichman Ceramics & Maya Clay and Capelluto – Desert Tailor, Ethno Center and Tozeret Mizpe, and the Asif and Viv Vintage shops — or stop just outside town at Kerem Shezaf, Noam Farm and the Alpaca Farm.

3. Stopping on the Way Back from Eilat in the Evening? Or a 15-Minute Lookout before Descending into the Makhtesh

  • The cliff lookout and the ibex (15 minutes): Before you descend Ma'ale HaAtzmaut into Makhtesh Ramon, stop for 15 minutes on the cliff promenade by the Ilan Ramon Visitors Center. You will see from above the whole winding road you are about to cross, and you will often meet the Nubian ibex there too (just remember not to feed them!).
  • An evening stop on the way back north: Returning from Eilat in the evening? Stop in the Spice Route Quarter or Town Center for dinner and a live show at HaBerech Pub and Rehem, at HaHavit, or for a glass of wine at Midbar Wine (for passengers who are not driving, or for anyone staying the night at the quarter's boutique hotels such as Adama Hotel, Jacob Hotel, Dunya Hotel, Ibex Hotel and Spice Quarter Inn).

On your way to Mitzpe Ramon now and want to know what is open and what is on in town? Just before you arrive, open Meetzpe: check opening hours on Meetzpe, and you might even discover a show or an event that makes you stay a little longer.

Passing through Mitzpe Ramon on the way south or north? Open Meetzpe and make your stop the best part of the drive.

Meetzpe Editorial6 min read

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