Abu Hassan is one of the oldest and most famous hummus restaurants in Israel, rated as the best hummus in Israel by many food critics, tourists, and locals. The restaurant is famous for its loyal clientele of Arabs and Jews, laborers and tourists, sitting side by side and crammed to the same tables, and the long line that waits at its entrance every day at noon.
The hummus restaurant was founded by Ali Karawan, known as Abu Hassan. Karawan began by selling hummus from a cart in the Ajami neighborhood of Jaffa. In 1959 he opened his first restaurant on 60th Street, now Yefet Street, but that business did not last long. In the early 1970s he opened a restaurant on Dolphin Street, at the corner of Yehuda HaYamit, and this restaurant is still active today.
After decades in which Karawan refused to open additional branches, a larger hummus restaurant was opened on Shivtei Yisrael Street, not far from the original restaurant. The success of the branch, which despite its larger size is also characterized by a long line of diners at the entrance, led to the opening of a third restaurant, Pearl of Jaffa – Brothers Karawan, which also sells fries, falafel and salad. In October 2007 Karawan died and his son Ibrahim took over the restaurant.
