SouPizza, a friendly Italian neighborhood restaurant on Yehuda Halevi 56 is the kind of place that will get you humming “bottle of red, bottle of white…”  as you take your seat at one of their red and white checkered tables.

This is one of my favorite spots in the city, and with friendly staff, Kosher certification, gluten-free options, and tasty, hearty meals it is easy to figure out why they have such a devoted clientele.

Owners Liam and Segev, friends since the IDF, always dreamed about starting a business together.  Three years ago, they seized their chance and SouPizza was born. This is a great place for a casual meet-up with friends, a low-key date, or you and your book.

SouPizza specializes in Italian pasta dishes, pizza, and especially soup. Their soup selection varies daily, and they often have up to seven soups to choose from (NIS 18 small/ 28 large). Fennel soup is a big hit-- smooth and slightly sweet-- as is their cream of tomato.

Their minestrone is also a go-to comfort dish. A big bowl accompanied by their warm, chewy, yeasty breads and spreads (5 NIS) might inspire a round of “that’s amore’!” in your best attempt at an Italian- Israeli accent.

We might all tempted to linger in the soup course, but do make sure to go for their pastas and generous personal pizzas.  My part of two found it best to order one of each and share. Pizzas (NIS 38-48) come in both classic standards and also with more edgy toppings and sauces, and their thin crusts and excellent cheese/sauce balance are sure to impress you in the 7 short minutes you’ll have after the pizza arrives and before it's totally inhaled.

Order a glass of white wine to go with dinner and you’ll soon be discussing the great art you saw in Florence and dreaming of your next Roman holiday.

Pastas are generous, well-cooked, and appropriately saucy (NIS 35-52). They also have a selection of homemade pastas, including in their lasagna (not available everyday). More like a casserole, the lasagna comes in a personal sized dish and is best eaten with all three utensils: fork, knife, and spoon. Their saulcellino penne (kalmata olives, sun dried tomatoes, thyme, butter, and white wine: NIS 42) should not be overlooked.

For the gluten sensitive among us, they offer gluten-free pasta. Celiacs be warned: they don’t keep a separate kitchen for their gluten free items.

Their business lunch special is worth investigating: you get a starter, main course, and a drink for the price of the main course. 

I certainly don’t have room for dessert after all that, but if you’d like to try something sweet, their halva-chocolate mousse (NIS 30) is heavenly.  Add a short espresso: simply belissimo!

SouPizza
Yehuda Halevi 56

Hours:
Sun - Thu:
11:00 am- midnight
Summer hours: close at 6pm
Fri: 10:00 am- 4:00 pm
Closed on Shabbat - 8:00 pm- midnight

English menu: yes

English speaking staff: yes