Teva Restaurant — Restaurant in Deal

Recently, I heard about an amazing authentic Italian restaurant that opened in Deal over a year ago called TEVA. We arrived at the DSN building about half a block from the boardwalk. Teva is located on the top floor (the 3rd) and is a beautiful modern space which can easily fit over 200 people. The restaurant is under JSOR supervision. After speaking to the operating manager Matias, we started our authentic dining experience. It started with a piece of their famous homemade Focaccia bread. I have had sandwiches with Focaccia before, but nothing prepared me for the freshness, softness and salty top of this amazing bread. It takes them 72 hours to make and they bake 17 pans at a time. It’s also Pas Yisrael, a BIG plus. Matias also brought me something not on the menu to try. It was an Italian cracker with lime sour cream and smoked salmon pastrami. This bite was packed with flavor and was delicious. Our first item off the menu was the multi cauliflower called Cavolfiore. It’s basically roasted cauliflower with whipped ricotta, gremolata, hazelnuts and currants. The dish was fresh and aromatic, simplistic yet delicious. We tried the Funghi Fritti. It consists of breaded ‘two river organic mushrooms,’ topped with parmigiana reggiano, and the most tasty lemon aioli. The truth was it wasn’t as meaty as I expected and then lemon aioli was amazing. It’s like a mushroom carpaccio. Next was one of my favorite dishes of the night. No, it wasn’t a fish dish or pasta. It was called Caponata. Image the most delicious pieces of roasted eggplant, tomato, zucchini tossed with some pine nuts, raisins and add some balsamic vinegar. The ingredients really spoke for themselves. It was sweet and yummy. We continued with one of the most popular dishes, the classic Eggplant Parm. The eggplant was cut nice and thin and the mozzarella nice and crispy after being under a salamander. It was by far one of the most delicious Eggplant Parm dishes I ever had. Needless to say, we had not leftovers of this dish. For our next course was the Chopped Romaine Salad and the Radicchio Salad. The chopped salad had romaine, radicchio, endive, cucumber, lemon confit, onion, vinegar peppers (for kick), with small cubes of parmigiano reggiano and topped with a red wine vinaigrette. I never had a savory salad with little cubes of cheese. It really added another dimension to the salad. As for the Radicchio salad, it was sweeter and had radicchio tardive, pomegranate, balsamic glaze topped with walnuts and goat cheese. Now for the pasta. We started with the Penna Spicy Vodka which was made from chiocciole pasta and a spicy blush sauce. I honestly asked if I could buy a container of the Sauce, it was THAT good. Plenty of vodka in the sauce and really delicious with perfect al dente pasta. Next was something I have never seen before called Tagliolini Al Forno. It’s oven baked tagliolini pasta with a béchamel sauce, topped with parmigiana reggiano that was broiled til crispy. Literally like four ingredients but so flavorful. Matias brought us a little bite a tasting sample of one of their seasonal Raviolli called Ravioli Di Zucca. It was ravioli filled with butternut squash, mascarpone, hazelnuts and sage. Wow! So soft and delicate with sweet flavors. Highly recommend. It was time to try two of the most popular fish dishes. The first was Sogliola Al Limone, which is pan seared sole in the most delicious lemon butter with capers. It also came with the creamiest potatoes I have ever had. The fish was delicate and buttery soft. I loved this dish. The second was the Branzino which was Mediterranean sea bass with the crispiest of skins and Italian herbs over lentils. The fish was perfectly cooked, crispy skin and moist fish and the lentils really added another dimension to the dish. For dessert it had to be the Tiramisu. It was light and creamy and full of that coffee flavor. The perfect way to end the perfect meal. If you are looking for a well-priced delicious dairy restaurant, check out Teva and tell...

What a pleasure it is to be here, every time we come. I discovered Teva on one of Dani Diamond's videos and I was absolutely blown away by the in person experience, which was even better than he could have possibly portrayed.

The food is something completely unique to kosher dining. Everything made from scratch in the open kitchen right in front of you- from hand made pasta to mascarpone cheese.

Every dish I tried was not only a delight to the senses, with balanced tastes and fresh, fresh ingredients - but also distinctly lacked the usual heaviness that I equate with most dairy restaurant food.

The ambiance is perfect, sitting right over the ocean in a sunny, welcoming area. The decor in the whole building is beautiful, but the restaurant tops even that with beautiful painted tile, wooden slat ceilings, wicker lamps and cozy cushions - and the staff is SO friendly and welcoming! I literally don't ever want to leave when I come.

I have returned time and again, made my friends come in from Brooklyn just for lunch - and they agreed it was worth it. What a gem we have right here in Deal!!!

My favorites here: Citrus fennel salad (WOW!), anything pasta related- every dish is SO flavorful, the Highlands mocktail- light & lemony with a subtle kick, and the desserts really surprised me. I'm not a huge dessert fan, I find them too heavy and sweet- but both that I tried- the lemon pistachio cake & tiramisu - were INSANE. The difference in the ingredients they use is immediately apparent. Fresh, fresh, fresh, beautifully rich, yet still light and lacking that distinct heaviness, as I've said before.

As you may have noticed, I cannot stop raving about this place. Go there....

Before getting into the food, this might be one of the worst-valued restaurants I’ve ever been to. I spent $90 (with tip and tax) on a small tuna carpaccio and a spaghetti arrabiata. The fish runs around $60 for modest portions. It only makes sense to come here if you’re not price-sensitive or you’re with a group looking to enjoy the vibes—with good food as a bonus. Otherwise, you’ll leave frustrated.

The pastas are satisfying but nothing special—your typical upscale Italian dishes. I like the arrabiata sauce when it’s done right; it’s got a nice fiery kick. Which to order really just depends on your pasta preference.

As for the fish, the sole almondine is the clear standout - fresh, buttery soft, topped with crunchy almonds and served with mashed potatoes. It’s a great dish, but still not worth the price. The bronzino is subpar—nowhere near the delicate, melt-in-your-mouth kind from better spots. The snapper’s pretty good - fresh and well-seasoned, but still not amazing.

Where the place really shines is the starters. The crostone (occasionally served a bit stale) is excellent - creamy, tangy ricotta under a pile of fresh diced tomatoes (add balsamic). The eggplant Parmesan is flavorful and easily the best value on the menu. Just make sure to ask for a fresh one, since they sometimes serve ones that have been sitting out. The tuna carpaccio and caponata are also fresh and tasty. The Dubai chocolate ice cream is a fantastic dessert.

Overall, it’s a fun spot, great ocean-view rooftop, good music, and occasional DJs. Come for the vibe,...