Like some holidays (Purim, anyone?) and in complete contrast to others (Shavuot, obviously, or Hanukkah), Passover also has to elbow its way every year into the holiday dessert conversation.
It’s probably due to the well-known Passover food restrictions, parve traps, and the substitution mistakes of the past—but those are just that: The past. Errors mostly left behind.
In their place, a joyful Passover tradition has emerged in recent years, centered on luxurious, uncompromising cakes, coffee-side hits, and trays that keep emptying until not a word is left—just crumbs. Good crumbs.
So, and because it’s always worth setting a sweet and tasty truth on the table—here are the standout stars of Passover 2025. Bon appétit, and happy holiday!
The Wow Factor: Mimi
First of all, because there’s no other way to start—wow. Not a single face failed to gape, no jaw remained unclenched, when Mimi’s holiday boxes were opened and the sweet wonders of her team were revealed this year.
Beyond the photogenic appeal, the flavors were also celebrated. You’ll find Passover cakes (NIS 49–68) like chocolate fudge and orange-polenta, poppyseed with chocolate ganache topping, nuts in toffee and caramel with baked hazelnut cream, as well as pears in caramel and white wine with pecan cream and shortcrust pastry.
Also starring are five display cakes (NIS 141–146)—baked cheesecake with crumble and delicate lemon zest, lemon tart with Breton sablé crust and perfectly torched meringue, “Noble Chocolate” with chocolate biscuit, chocolate crémeux and mousse, “Mimisiss” (chocolate nemesis with caramel toffee, peanut butter chantilly and chocolate crémeux) which gave up on calorie-watching, and a mixed-berry pavlova (vanilla Bavarian mousse, raspberry meringue, berry confit and streusel)—messy, inviting, and full of joy.
The Majestic One: Stefan
Stefan Macher’s ultra-thin strudel dough makes way—symbolically, at least—for Passover-appropriate desserts, but the grandeur remains, with a collection of flourless, Austrian-Israeli cakes and desserts (NIS 204 for 18 cm diameter), and handmade specialty ice creams that also scream spring.
You’ll find, among others, “Topfen Torte Lemon” (baked cheesecake topped with lemon cream and soft lemon meringue) that’s beautifully balanced, “Torta Caprese” (white chocolate and almond cake) soft and a natural coffee match, “Mon Himbeer Topfen Torte” (chocolate-poppyseed base, mascarpone-cream, raspberry purée topping), the nostalgic “Esterházy Torte” (almond and nut meringue layers with vanilla pastry cream), and a deep-flavored chocolate mousse cake (crunchy chocolate base, chocolate mousse, dark chocolate ganache) that even the thinnest slice can’t resist.
The Multi-Layered: Dallal
This wonderful Tel Aviv patisserie, led by Timor Lavi, celebrates another skillful, spring-filled, and excellent Passover, as usual.
Expect amaretto cookies and romantic lace cookies with Kinder crema latte between crispy layers (NIS 72 for 8 pieces), an orange-coconut cake with icing and wildflowers that almost (but only almost) looks too pretty to cut, Passover rolls and loaves, and two clear table-top winners: A rich Hennessy chocolate-cognac nemesis cake (NIS 198) and a layered pistachio financier, vanilla mascarpone and strawberry cake (NIS 192), tall, festive, and subtly tempting.
The Linzer Lover: Roladin
Gone are the restrained, modest days of Roladin’s approach to Passover limitations—now, the holiday is a wide and well-lit stage for a full-blown celebration.
The holiday collection includes parve options (a far cry from the old parve stigma) like “Chocolate Marquis,” “Crispy Praline,” and a caramel-hazelnut cake (NIS 79–175), dairy temptations like red fruit pavlova, chocolate fudge, “Chocolate Café au Lait,” Basque cheesecake, Dolce chocolate bar, and the Linzer bar (almond cream, red fruit marmalade, baked marzipan, NIS 75), which caused a blissful silence in the tasting room—plus fruity tarts (lemon meringue, pear and apple, for example).
Also available: Loaf cakes (marble chocolate, nut-cinnamon, surprisingly juicy traditional orange-coconut, or chocolate-poppyseed, NIS 55), fancy macarons, rolled cookies, meringue kisses, sablés, cream puffs, and chocolate balls. A real Roladin festival.
The Dazzler: Biscotti
Rosella Yona’s superb patisserie turns it up a notch for the holiday, with a dizzying panorama of options—sweet, savory, and all kosher for Passover.
Among them: “Toffee Crunch” (chocolate fudge cake, Nutella cream, chocolate-nougat crumble, vanilla chantilly, salted caramel with chocolate crystals, NIS 78–212), “Little Switzerland” (nut meringue, mascarpone cream with dark chocolate, white chocolate shards), cheesecake crumb or baked cheesecake, triple chocolate cake or “Chocolate Duet,” an all-out pistachio cake (crunchy pistachio base, pistachio cream, vanilla cream, white chocolate-pistachio ganache), and “Nocciolato” (layers of Belgian chocolate cream and praline hazelnut cream, chocolate-nougat base, chocolate glaze) that demands careful slicing and offers anything but a mild experience.
These are supported by loaf cakes and brownies, and a selection of savory quiches using matzah meal and potato flour (NIS 86).
The Dancer: Boutique Central
This large sweets and bakery chain celebrates Passover—from Seder night to intermediate-day picnics—kosher and without compromising flavor.
Expect, among others, “King of Nuts” (a grand vanilla and hazelnut cake coated in white chocolate and caramelized hazelnut chips, decorated with walnut cream piping and a white chocolate crown, NIS 172), “Ballerina” (a parve cake with two-layer flavors—chocolate-lemon and chocolate-pistachio—on a crispy Breton biscuit base, topped with cream swirls resembling a ballet tutu, NIS 182), a Saint Honoré cake packed with caramelized cream puffs, vanilla cream, dacquoise biscuit and hazelnut praline (NIS 82), and large financier cookies in three flavors—classic, with chocolate chips, and raspberry (NIS 16)—perfect, as the chain recommends, with the post-meal (or pre-meal) coffee.
Alongside these joyful launches, Boutique Central also brings back hits like chocolate Presburger, carrot-mascarpone cake, tiramisu, triple chocolate mousse, triple berry mousse, lemon pie, baked cheesecake or crumb cheesecake, Belgian chocolate mousse and chocolate fudge—plus colorful macarons, éclairs, and profiteroles.
The Mind-Blower: Miki Shemo
The beloved pastry chef celebrates a gluten-free and uncompromising Passover with an impressive collection considering the holiday’s constraints (and impressive even without any qualifiers).
You’ll find cookies for every craving and coffee—nougatine filled with praline cream (our go-to every Passover), flavored and colorful macarons, Florentines and snowballs, brownies and alfajores, as well as coconut and almond options—because, of course.
The cake fridges (NIS 75–240) offer “Japonaise” (dulce de leche with white chocolate and nut meringue) rich in flavor, “Mozart” with white and milk chocolate mousse and nut meringue, “French Kiss” combining white chocolate fudge, coffee mousse and hazelnut cream, cheesecake with fruit, and the stunning “Daytona” in milk or white chocolate versions.
Also available: Tarts and pie trays, loaf cakes (carrot, orange-coconut, marble, or the winning “Nanta” with a rum-almond-glaze combo), and dairy quiches made with cheese bases (NIS 69), somehow also kosher for Passover.
The Nostalgic One: De La Paix
This veteran dessert and cake institution celebrates a gluten-free but decadence-packed and temptation-filled Passover.
You’ll find De La Paix favorites like the multi-layered, creamy “Hedgehog” chocolate cake (NIS 144–234), a hit at any holiday table, the nostalgic and sweet “Milk Dome” (baked white chocolate base, coconut meringue, white chocolate mousse and dulce de leche), and “Carmella” which blends lots and lots of chocolate with liquid caramel.
Also waiting here: “Ya’ara” (berry mousse and white chocolate mousse on a baked white chocolate base, NIS 144–199), “Mozart” (nut meringue, dark and white chocolate mousses with orange zest), “Praline” (nougat mousse, nut meringue and chocolate coating), and parve options like the pistachio-dairy “Ispahan,” “Kiss” with vanilla mousse and berries, plus “Layla” and “Maya” that play with chocolate and nuts.
The Concord One: Haofim Haktanin
This veteran neighborhood patisserie in Tel Aviv welcomes Passover at its two locations with open arms and a full menu of tempting options.
There will be loaf cakes (NIS 54) and mousse cakes (NIS 72), tart trays and handmade cookies, rich chocolate nemesis, and two festive stars—sweet-tart pistachio-Caprese cake on an almond, white chocolate, and lemon zest base with torched meringue topping, and the “Concord Fusion” version stacking tall, wonderful cocoa meringue mounds over Belgian chocolate mousse.
In addition, Haofim Haktanin offers holiday salads like chopped liver, horseradish, matbucha, and tsimmes, savory kugels, and main dishes (pulled beef in onion jam, shoulder roast in red wine, Moroccan-style salmon patties).
The Classic: Ben Ami
This veteran patisserie chain welcomes spring and its holidays with a sweet, as-required, kosher collection.
You’ll find, among others, a classic-leaning baked cheesecake and an alfajores cake with dulce de leche mousse, “Ferrero” with chocolate-nut mousse, a rich, multi-layered triple chocolate cake, an indulgent Belgian chocolate cake, and a toffee crunch log that somehow also incorporates pistachio, plus the “Pink Lady” with berries and cheesecake brownies. Price: NIS 59 for loaf cakes, NIS 74 for Passover cakes, NIS 149 for round cakes.
