Muffin Boutique in Jerusalem, Israel: A Sweet and Savory Kosher Café on Ben Yehuda Street
- Mark Vogel
- Mar 8
- 5 min read
Jerusalem, Israel ✈
On a recent trip to Jerusalem, Israel, I had a chance to check out the acclaimed Muffin Boutique at 16 Ben Yehuda Street, a small kosher café known for its muffins and bagels.
I stepped onto Ben Yehuda Street just as the early morning light filtered through the canopies above the pedestrian mall. The street, closed to vehicles since the early 1980s, stretches from King George Street eastward to Zion Square, and it pulses with a mix of locals and tourists strolling beneath the rows of cafés and souvenir stalls. Known in Hebrew as the “Midrechov,” this open‑air promenade was paved with stone and lined with trees as part of a citywide effort to revive downtown Jerusalem in 1983. The contrast between the nearby traffic-filled streets and this calm, pedestrian‑only corridor is striking.
The history of Ben Yehuda Street feels woven into every storefront. Originally a dirt road skirting the Old City walls in the late nineteenth century, the thoroughfare gradually became the commercial spine of British Mandate Jerusalem. When the city converted it into a pedestrian mall, merchants worried business would suffer, yet the pedestrian zone attracted new crowds and street performers, transforming the character of the neighborhood. Today, the street carries the name of Eliezer Ben‑Yehuda, the man credited with reviving Hebrew as a spoken language, and it remains one of the city’s most visited urban spaces.
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“Their story begins in Montreal, where the two met and bonded over Saturday night trips to the local bakery.”
The Muffin Boutique is a modest shop. Inside, I noticed only two small tables set against a wall, barely enough for a couple of patrons. However, beyond the doorway, a row of outdoor tables under umbrellas provided most of the seating for customers who prefer to linger over coffee and pastries in the beautiful Jerusalem open air.
Despite its modest footprint inside, Muffin Boutique manages to feel welcoming. The shelves were lined with dozens of muffins, each labeled in neat handwriting, and behind the counter, the owners -Canadian‑born couple Shmarya and Lainie Richler - moved fluidly between ovens and display cases. They had chosen this busy stretch of the pedestrian mall for its visibility, reasoning that high rent would be offset by high foot traffic - a decision that paid off as soon as the shop opened.
I learned that Muffin Boutique was born from a combination of Lainie’s home‑cooking experiments and Shmarya’s taste for Montreal‑style bagels. Lainie, who grew up cooking in Montreal and later taught fitness classes in Jerusalem, developed muffin recipes that reduced oil and sugar while incorporating whole grains. Shmarya, a former computer programmer, tested those recipes and worked to perfect an authentic bagel, drawing on his own nostalgia for the slightly sweet, hand‑rolled bagels of his hometown.
Their story begins in Montreal, where the two met and bonded over Saturday night trips to the local bakery. Those walks home often involved finishing half a dozen bagels before reaching their apartment. Lainie’s muffins captured Shmarya’s heart long before he realized she had captured his affections. Within a year of dating, he proposed with a promise to one day open a bakery together.
After months of recipe trials and business planning, Shmarya proposed again - this time with a plan to launch a store in Jerusalem. He enrolled in courses at the Jerusalem Business Development Center and mapped out every cost factor, determined to avoid the fate of the many food startups that fail within their first year. In 2014, Muffin Boutique opened its doors on Ben Yehuda Street, marking the couple’s first foray into the restaurant world.
From the start, they offered both dairy and vegan muffins - flavors ranged from peanut butter‑chocolate to halva and pumpkin‑cream cheese, with around eight varieties baked fresh each day. Mini‑muffins and low‑calorie options appeared alongside richer selections, ensuring there was something for every taste and dietary need. Bagels arrived hot from the oven, with a dense, chewy texture that stood apart from New York–style versions.
When I returned to sample their signature muffins, I chose a blueberry streusel and a morning glory. The tops cracked gently as I broke into them, revealing a tender crumb that hinted at the whole‑grain flour hidden beneath the sugary crust. The butter in the streusel carried a subtle tang, while the carrot and spice notes in the morning glory muffin felt grounded rather than overly sweet.
I contrasted that with a classic Montreal bagel - rolled by hand, boiled briefly in date‑honey water, then baked to a golden sheen. The exterior snapped under my teeth, giving way to a dense interior with just enough chew. It was the kind of bagel that makes you question every other bagel you have ever tried.
As I sipped my coffee, I watched families, students, and tourists drift by. Some stopped to take photos of the colorful muffin display; others ordered bagels by the half‑dozen to go. The outdoor seating felt like an extension of the pedestrian mall itself, each table a small island of calm amid the bustle.
I spent time exploring their full menu before leaving. Their muffin selection includes more than thirty flavors, from classic chocolate chip to inventive combinations like carrot‑walnut‑raisin blends and seasonal halva swirls. Gluten‑free and sugar‑free options sit alongside dairy‑free varieties, ensuring every guest can find a muffin that suits their diet. Mini‑muffins offer a chance to sample multiple flavors in one visit, while the signature large muffins showcase the bakery’s craftsmanship in each generous bite.
Their bagel menu reflects the Montreal tradition they honor. Hand‑rolled daily, each batch of bagels is boiled in naturally sweetened water and then baked to a satisfying crust. You can choose from plain, sesame, poppy, everything, onion, cinnamon raisin, or rosemary with rock salt, all available in white or whole‑wheat dough. Bagel sandwiches feature house‑made tuna or egg salad, avocado, or cream cheese accompanied by fresh vegetables and optional lox.
Beyond muffins and bagels, Muffin Boutique offers a range of fresh items. Smoothie bowls blend acai or mango purée with berries, topped with house granola and nutty drizzles. Salads combine crisp greens, feta, roasted pecans, and sunflower seeds with a choice of homemade dressings. Individual quiches rotate daily, featuring steamed vegetables set in a delicate custard, and seasonal soups start with sautéed produce and develop into hearty bowls without any premade mixes.
To drink, they serve premium Italian Vero coffee alongside ceremonial teas that can be enjoyed hot or iced. Health shakes sweetened with medjool dates and thickened with banana offer a dairy‑free alternative, while fresh‑squeezed juices and water round out the beverage choices. For those looking to bring home a taste, gift boxes of muffins or bagels make thoughtful souvenirs or special treats.
Walking away from Muffin Boutique, I carried a bag filled with muffins and bagels that felt like souvenirs of both Montreal and Jerusalem. The space may be small, but the care behind each recipe and each loaf fills every corner. For anyone exploring the pedestrian mall, this shop is a reminder that even in a city as historic as Jerusalem, there’s always room for new stories baked fresh each day.
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