Landwer, at the Big Mall, Petach Tikva

August 2023
The Landwer restaurant chain has some 60 branches throughout Israel. Not all of the branches are kosher. There are several branches in Petach Tikva but none of the other branches are kosher. Landwer in the Big Mall is not just the only kosher branch in the city, as of two years ago, it has Mehadrin Badatz hashgacha.

What is the difference between a dairy restaurant and a coffee shop?
Coffee shops generally offer a light menu ranging from salads and sandwiches to pizza and pasta. Hot and cold drinks with desserts are key at a coffee shop. A dairy restaurant qualifies as such if they offer the coffee shop fare plus cooked fish. By that definition Landwer in Petach Tikva is most definitely a full restaurant. Not only is there a very nice variety of starters. salads, pizzas, and pastas. There are also several very enticing fish dishes and specially marked vegan dishes.

All of these are clearly displayed with photographs and descriptions of the dishes, on an electronic tablet that offers the menu in both Hebrew and English. The tablet also has Birkat Hamazon, if you can keep it at your table till the end of the meal.

My companion and I visited Landwer at the Big Mall Petach Tikva for a late lunch mid afternoon. Landwer is a circular restaurant occupying the space on the first floor in the center atrium of the mall. The restaurant is in the pocket between the Superpharm, Zara and Laline anchor stores. Seating is pleasant, service is prompt and courteous. There is plenty of foot traffic around the circle.

Manager Lior suggests that diners choose several dishes from the menu to share so that each diner can enjoy a taste of several different dishes. Taking his lead, we shared a starter, a pasta and a fish dish. Landwer is in the process of transitioning to a new menu designed by Chef Yahaloma. The classic dishes remain on the menu plus there are several new dishes.

We started with the Mangold Fritters (latkes) of mangold (chard) and spinach, served with Greek yogurt and a green salsa. This was a refreshing dish to share while we considered which main courses to order.

We went for the recommended "Aqua Pacha" main course, a plate of two crispy fillets of Denis fish grilled in the pan with cherry tomatoes, in a sauce of basil, white wine and red peppers. It was a very nice combination that we both enjoyed, The fish was served with a side dish of buttery mashed potatoes, a perfect balance to the fish. We each had one fillet and one scoop of potatoes, for a very good main course.

The pastas are the signature dishes at Landwer, and the restaurant has several new pasta dishes on the menu. The rich Ravioli Mascarpone has a filling of mascarpone cheese in a light tomato sauce with a bit of basil and garlic slivers.

After the starter, the fish and the ravioli we had eaten and there was no need for dessert. The desserts are very tempting but there wasn't a chance.


From the Menu
Mangold and Spinach Fritters Starter NIS 42
Aqua Pacha Denise Fish NIS 105
Ravioli with Mascarpone NIS 76
Pizza Margarita NIS 62


Parking: Two hours free parking in the Big Mall Tower.