St. Peter's Restaurant - Kinneret, Israel

Along the Sea of Galilee is a tourist stop called St. Peter's Restaurant. Located at Hof Amnon, Kinneret 1511800, Israel, the restaurant is perched on a high point adjacent the Sea of Galilee, offering exceptional views of the water (and easy access after you finish eating). The restaurant specializes in "St. Peter's Fish" which is Tilapia, one of the most common fish found in the Sea of Galilee. The name of the fish in Hebrew is Amnon (mother fish) but is also commonly known as St. Peter's fish. As it is native to the Sea of Galilee, it is certainly one of the species the ancient fisherman hunted.

This restaurant is designed to attract Christian pilgrims. That's okay. When you are part of a large tour group, it is convenient to have restaurants that specialize in large groups. You want a place that is easy for buses to get in and out of. You want a place that captures the essence of the region. You want a place that can cater to large groups and serve them quickly. When touring, the pace is often frenetic. The quicker groups can get in and out, the more they can see. Given these parameters, St. Peter's Restaurant has all bases covered. The final qualifier is that the food actually be good. They have that covered as well.

We arrived at the restaurant early enough to beat the crowds. As the first large group of the lunch crowd, we were offered the opportunity to sit on the outside porch overlooking the water. It was a beautiful morning, although a bit overcast. There was a mild wind coming off the water, but not enough to chase us inside. The menu consists of several options, the tilapia being their specialty, served with the head still intact. For those who don't want their meal to stare at them while they are eating, they have headless fish as well. I don't eat seafood, so I opted for the chicken, which was delicious. Although the portion was way too big to finish. Particularly since we were given the opportunity to visit the salad bar first. The salad bar was spread over two large bars that offered a wide variety of Mediterranean options. The salad bar would have sufficed for a full meal without gilding the lily.

Where there are fish (and fish scraps) there are bound to be cats. The cats are part of the scenery at *St. Peter's Restaurant." They are ubiquitous. And not considered to be pests. After finishing our meals, as if that were not enough, the owner visited us with hot coffee and dates. It was a nice treat to finish off the meal and not excessive. We had a few minutes to spare, so our guide gave us time to go down to the water. It was far too cold to go into the water (even if we were prepared for a swim), but it was nice enough to dip our toes in the water. The scenic backdrop gives this restaurant an ambiance that would be hard to duplicate. No doubt, it is a tourist spot. It is designed for that purpose. But the food was good, the scenery amazing and the service quick and friendly. They have this tourist thing down. In and out with a good meal while infusing the experience with the flavor of the region.

This meal was included in the cost of our tour, so I am not positive what this meal would have cost travelers doing an a la carte tour. But it is definitely a stop I would recommend for the Christian pilgrim. I saw a review that suggested the price is twenty dollars for lunch. That sounds about right. Not an inexpensive lunch. But you are on prime real estate, you can eat as much as you want from the salad bar, the portions were huge and the service was efficient. Tourist places tended to be overpriced. I would say, at twenty dollars, you are getting what you pay for. I wouldn't consider that to be excessive for the experience. If you get the chance, stop by and grab a meal. It is a relaxing respite on a tour-filled day.

A Christian Guide to Israel

Hotels
Cinema Hotel Tel Aviv, Israel
Ron Beach Hotel, Tiberias, Israel
Prima Park Hotel, Jerusalem, Israel

Attractions
Caesarea National Park Caesarea, Israel
Mount Precipice Mount Kedimum, Israel
Sea of Galilee Boat Ride Tiberias, Israel
Yigal Alon Museum (Jesus Boat) Ginosar, Israel
Capernaum, Israel
St. Peter’s Restaurant Kinneret, Israel
Caesarea Philippi Banias Springs, Israel
Israeli 6-Day War Memorial
Jordan River Baptismal Site, Yardenit, Israel
Beit She’an National Park, Beit She’an, Israel
Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel
Garden Tomb, Jerusalem, Israel
Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel
Western Wall Tunnels, Jerusalem, Israel
Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem, Israel
Bethlehem New Store Gift Shop
Pool of Bethesda, Jerusalem, Israel
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, Israel
House of Caiaphas the High Priest, Jerusalem, Israel
The Upper Room, Jerusalem, Israel
Tomb of King David, Jerusalem, Israel
Masada National Park, Masada, Israel
The Dead Sea, Masada, Israel

Churches
Discalced Carmelite Monastery Muhraqa, Israel
Basilica of the Annunciation Nazareth, Israel
St. Peter’s Church Capernaum, Israel
Church of the Multiplication Tabgha, Israel
Church of the Beatitudes Tabgha, Israel
Church of All Nations, Jerusalem, Israel
Church of Saint Anne, Jerusalem, Israel
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem, Israel
Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, Israel

These photos are my own. They may be used with permission.