Photographs by Jessica Abramsky
By Jessica Abramsky | MediaLab@FAU
Apr 2, 2025
Boca Raton’s food scene just got a little sweeter with the opening of Motek Cafe, a Mediterranean restaurant, known for serving fresh, authentic Middle Eastern food.
Motek opened Wednesday to the excitement of many. Its most popular dish is shakshuka, which is an Israeli breakfast dish made with eggs and spicy tomato sauce. Their hummus and pitas are also very popular items. They serve schnitzel, falafel, shawarma and more.
The first Motek restaurant opened in downtown Miami in 2020, and quickly became a staple for Israeli kosher-style food. Motek is a Hebrew word, meaning “sweetheart.” The menu channels food influences from Turkey, Lebanon, Morocco, Yemen and more.
The restaurant’s Regional District manager Alexander Odishelidze said the Boca location will have its own aesthetic, creating an elevated atmosphere. The restaurant was designed by the same company that designed Motek’s other locations and the greenery with white decor and photos reminiscent of Israel line the walls.
The menu of this seventh location will be the same as the other locations, and will also include experimenting with new dishes.
“We are also adding a couple of items that we're going to be experimenting, like rotisserie chicken, and other unique things that we will be bringing,” Odishelidze said, with the hustle of servers speaking and setting tables in the background.
Motek’s staff hopes to create an environment where customers feel welcomed. Odishelidze said they serve fresh and clean foods, produced daily.
He said that at Miami locations, guests told staff daily that they drove from Boca just to eat at Motek so staff knew Boca was the perfect place for the next Motek.
“We ensure that we offer the best steaks, fresh ingredients, everything produced on a daily basis,” he said.
Motek serves Glatt kosher meat in all of its dishes but is not a “certified” kosher restaurant for numerous reasons. Some include being open on Shabbat and most Jewish holidays, serving dairy items and not having a separate kitchen, prep area or utensils for dairy products, Motek’s website says.
Odishelidze, who’s been with Motek for almost 18 months, said the next location to welcome a Motek location will be New York City, the first time the restaurant is expanding out of state.
Many in the local Boca Raton community are excited to have Motek closer to home. Odishelidze told MediaLab that customers would drive to Motek’s Miami locations just to eat. He said they have been trying to make reservations already.
Ashley Bentov, an FAU art major who was born in Israel, is extremely excited to check out Motek’s new location.
“Motek has been a staple at the Aventura Mall for delicious Israeli-style food, and I’m so excited that it’s now in Boca. I’m certain it’s the perfect addition here,” Bentov said. “I, along with many others, am so excited to try it. The Aventura Mall location is very popular, so I’m sure this one will do just as well. I know many of us are looking forward to it!”
Like Bentov, Paula Onychir, a Boca Raton resident, is extremely excited to check out Motek’s new location on Town Center Rd.
“I’m super excited for Motek to open up in Boca. Growing up, I always had Middle Eastern friends and I always ate the best food at their houses,” Onychir said.” There’s not really an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant here in Boca and so I’m super excited to try all the different flavors and dishes. I was going to literally travel all the way to Miami to try it so I’m super excited that there’s a new location in Boca. I know the restaurant won’t let me down with the ambiance and the best fresh authentic food.”
