Hungry In Tel Aviv - Restaurants

Eden

2011-10-25T08:48:00.001+02:00

Type: Persian
English Menu: No
Average price: 55-70 NIS
Address: 16 Neve Shanan st.

If food surfing is one of your goals in Tel Aviv, so Eden is the place. This Persian restaurant provides a great Persian food experience and feeds its loyal clients for many years now.

The waiter will happily detail all the unique dishes and styles of the kitchen. We remained solid this time and ordered the Kebab, highlighted also by the restaurant itself as one of their best dishes. Indeed, not many restaurants in Tel Aviv serve such flavorsome grilled meat, let alone the great Persian rice served with it - spiced up with spicy and sweet herbs. Very palatable. We also ordered the Gundi, which is a mixture of chicken and chick peas, cooked in chicken soup (a bit like Matzah balls). This one was a bit less impressive than the former (indeed tasted too much like a giant Matzah ball).

How to get there
Not only located in today's poor neighborhood of the old central train station, you will have to find the right path inside Neve Shaanan. Follow the map and recognize the sign above in the picture below:

* Detail: Don't be afraid of the Persian basil and radish given to you as a tiny starter, it's quite yummy after couple of bites!

Bet Ha Hummus

2011-06-11T15:51:00.001+03:00

Type: Hummus
English Menu: No
Average price: 35 NIS (Fattah)
Address: 1 Ben Avigdor st.

Bet Ha Hummus (The Hummus House) probably won't appear in your Lonely Planet or any other (food) guide. It's too local. Yet this place serves one of the tastiest delicacies of the Lebanese cuisine - Fattah.

the Fattah

Fattah is made by soaking pita bread in 'chickpeas water' (water in which chickpeas were soaked) until they get soft. After that, the pita bread is mixed with hummus, tehina, larified butter, chunks of lamb meat which was fried in the butter and then on top of this all: fried pine nuts and freshly chopped parsley. WOW!

This dish is absolutely amazing - you'll probably not find something that unique and local anywhere else in Tel Aviv. By the way - the normal/ plain hummus is not such a home run, so you can pass it (quite weird that's the case at this place, but rest assured we tried both).

How to get there
The fastest way to reach the place is by taking bus from Ben Zion Blvd. (near Dizengoff Center) and then going down on the second stop of Hashmonaim st. Then walk according to the map and you're there. (you'll recognize the place by the hole above the door - see picture)

Click here to view location of Bet HaHummus and walking direction on the map

HaPina shel Hayim

2011-05-27T16:36:00.002+03:00

Type: Local eatery, Home cooked food

English Menu: No

Average price: 40 NIS

Address: 33 Basel st.

Hapina shel Haim (Haim's Corner) is by definition a local home cooked food restaurant. Fortunately, it's a bit more than that, as Haim offers great flavorsome dishes which are all worth a try, even though it's a bit more expensive than other local eateries (well, Basel street is also not a slum area either).

All main dishes are served with two side dishes of choice.We ate beef meatballs which were absolutely amazing, with great white rice (it's not that easy to make rice that good) and beans.
It's a good place to have your lunch, after window shopping on Dizengoff. After eating at Haim's you can enjoy the great ice-cream of Vaniglia nearby, or sit in one of the many crowded cafes in this area.

How to get there
Basel st. is located in the north of Dizengoff and connects all the way down to Iben Gvirol. You can reach it by going north on Dizengoff and then taking right to Basel; or by walking on Iben Gvirol - Basel st. is across of Bahadonas Hummus.

Click here to view location of Hapina shel Haim on the map

Black Bar & Burger

2011-05-13T22:55:00.001+03:00

Type: Burger
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 55 NIS
Address: Azrieli Center ("Black To Go")

Black Bar & Burger surprised us very much. Being relatively new, we didn't realize that it will challange the other good old burger places in Tel Aviv, like Moses or Agadir. But it did, actually.

The meat is absolutely great - Full of flavor and good texture. The fries are also crunchy outside and soft inside - exactly how we like it. Like other burger places they serve steaks, chicken wings, spring chicken and etc. The only downside - is the location in the Azrieli center. Who likes to eat it in a mall?

Between 12pm-5pm there's a business deal - You can combine the lunch there with shopping in the mall or going up to the great view point of Azrieli buildings.

How to get there

Take bus 63 - it runs from Ben Yehuda through Bograshov straight to Azrieli center.

Aba Gil

2011-03-19T13:07:00.001+02:00

Type: Organic vegan food
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 40 NIS
Address: 55 Yehuda Halevi st.
Tel. number.: 03-5663320

Even if you are not into organic vegan food, you should go to Aba Gil and try their dishes. The dishes are simple, pure and healthy, everything that a hungry body needs. Although Buddha Burger, the other organic competitor in Tel Aviv, has more sophisticated and bigger variety of choices on their menu, Aba Gil's menu isn't inferior.

The flag dish of Aba Gil is the "full plate", which includes hummus, tehina, brown rice, red lentils, cooked green peas, cooked vegetables, and vegetable quiche or vegetable patties. It's hardcore organic and healthy food and no less tasty (maybe except the cooked veggies, but not everything have to be perfect). We especially liked the hummus (which is also served as a seperate dish), and the quiches.

How to get there
Take bus 5 and go down on the first stop after Rothschild Blvd., than go back to Yehuda Halevi st., then go a bit foward on Yehuda Halevi st. towards Allenby. Or you can take a bus which go through Allenby (24,25) and ask the driver to go down next to Yehuda Halevi.

Click here to view Aba Gil location on the map

* Detail: The take out boxes are environmental friendly.

Carmella Banachala

2011-02-12T19:12:00.000+02:00

Type: Bistro Restaurant
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 80-100 NIS
Address: 14 Rambam st.
Tel. number: 03-5161417

Carmela banachala is located next to the bustling Carmel market and you can tell it by the market inspired ingredients in their dishes. This semi-poshy bistro/ restaurant gives your palate a special tour through France, Eastern-Europe until the Middle-East with their well-prepared dishes.

We ate a menu-set, which contained some vegetable appetizers, side dishes, fish and meat dishes. Unfortunately, not all of the dishes were equally delightful. The simple, fresh parsley, coriander salad and the roasted eggplant salad were Mediterranean-ly good:

The carpaccio was a bit disappointing, lacking the delicate flavor and was actually a bit bland. The warm chickpeas salad, as ordinary this dish might sound, was surprisingly delicious and made a good local impression on the taste buds.

The fried sardines and steamed white fish fillet with creamy mashed potatoes also didn't impress us that much, but we really liked the pictures :-) :

The grilled spring chicken fillet was quite tasty, but it just didn't have the "wow-factor". Our favorite was the three small pieces of perfectly cooked beef sirloin in the most amazing red wine sauce:

The meal was topped off with a combination dessert of: creme brulee, "krembo", brownie, and a mousse:

How to get there
Walk on Nachalat Binyamin St. till you hit Rambam st., the second street on your right. Turn right and go 20 meters till you see the extraordinary of the place.

Click here to view walking directions to Carmella Banachala on the map.

Jamila

2011-02-12T13:43:00.002+02:00

Type: Moroccan
English Menu: No
Average price: 40 NIS
Address: 31 Gruzenberg st.
Tel. nr.: 03-5166123
(Sun-Fri 12:00-18:00)

Jamilla offers delicious hearty dishes from the flavorsome Moroccan cuisin. It's a cute and small eatery-style place with a wide range of tajines, warming soups and couscous.

The menu is different for each day of the week. But from what we ate it seems that you can have good meal each day of the week. We tried the chicken tajine with potatoes (served with delicious soft bread and some small salads of the day and tehina) and the couscous with chicken. Both great!

Jamila is not open in the night and in the weekend, unfortunately, only until 6.00pm, so be sure to drop by during the day to try out their heartwarming dishes.

How to get there
Walk on Nachalat Binyamin St. all the way down until you hit Gruzenberg. It's right on the corner.

Location of Jamila and walking directions from King George on the map

Gedera 26

2011-01-14T18:52:00.001+02:00

Type: Mediterranean Fusion
English Menu: No
Average price: 40-60 NIS
Address: 26 Gedera st.
Tel. number: 03-5100164

Gedera 26 restaurant is exactly the type of restaurants which we like to see in Tel Aviv. Combination of great meat and seafood and pungent cold salads, all which taste amazingly good and made from fresh ingredients (and its location next to the Carmel market helps a lot with the latter).

It's hard to define Gedera's cuisine explicitly: it varies from the Arabic cuisine to European style cooking. Some dishes even remind us of home-cooked food, and some resemble high quality French bistro-food. Eating at Gedera is a culinary experience.

The salads were fresh and delicious.We ate the wheat salad with cranberries (highly recommended); Mujaddara (rice with lentils) with yogurt (OK) and roasted fennel (surprisingly taste!). Salads come in a small or large portions (10/20 NIS).

For the main dish, we took the cold roast beef, which was finely spiced, giving it a great taste and texture (pricing is 30 NIS per 100gr). We also took the Chraime (46 NIS) - a dish which is inspired by the Jewish immigrants from Libya. This is a fish dish which is cooked with spicy tomato sauce and vegetables and tasted like more! (and don't forget to dip the bread in the sauce.) Thumbs up for using good quality fish.

For our sweet tooth, we took the malabi. We must say that although we already ate the best malabi in town, we were still surprised by the malabi of Gedera. Its uniqueness is by being less "hardcore" than the rest, or in other words, not super-sweet. Instead, it's served with fruits (14 NIS).

How to get there

Restaurant Gedera 26 is located right next to the Allenby-King George intersection, where Nachalat Binyamin starts. Click on the map below to see walking directions from the crossroad.

Click here to view Gedera 26 location on the map

* Detail: Gedera has three types of menus: fixed lunch menu, evening menu (changing; more seafood dishes) and Fridays menu.

Rustico

2011-01-07T12:19:00.003+02:00

Type: Italian Restaurant
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 60 NIS
Address: 1) 42 Basel st. 2) 15 Rothschild st.
Tel. number: 1) 03-6026969 2) 03-5100039

What a fine Italian restaurant Rustico is! It surely fits on the list of the best Italian restaurants in Tel Aviv, together with Pappa's: high quality pasta, fresh ingredients, fantastic flavors and great indoor design and atmosphere.

Being very fond of linguini pasta, we were totally not disappointed by what Rustico had to offer: tuna linguini and seafood linguini. Both had a unique taste of its own: the fresh slices of tuna in a lemon-chili sauce with capers and Parmesan cheese were pungent and zingy in the right amount; the seafood sauce was more delicate, mainly made with shrimps, calamari and mussels, white wine and garlic. We did prefer the tuna over the seafood one, though.

We were also impressed by the canneloni with spinach and ricotta cheese, which was topped with a tasty tomato sauce and then baked in the oven. A great dish for vegetarians.

We ended the great meal with two amazing desserts: Frozen creme brulee which leaves your tongue with a soft and delicate sweetness once it melts; and a great panna cotta, with the right texture and flavor (although too sweet for some of us).

How to get there
For Basel Branch: Basel st. is located in the north of Dizengoff and connects all the way down to Iben Gvirol. You can reach it by going north on Dizengoff and then taking right to Basel; or by walking on Iben Gvirol.
For Rothschild branch: Rustico is located at the beginning of Rothschild st. You can reach it by going all the way down on Rothschild Blvd., or by walking all the way on Nachalat Binyamin street (starts at the beginning of King George).

View location and walking directions on the map: 1) Basel branch 2) Rothschild branch

Tipico Grilled Chicken

2010-12-16T14:41:00.032+02:00

Type: Chicken rotisserie
English Menu: No
Average price: 25-35 NIS
Address: 1 Nahalat Benyamin st.

We raved about Shimon chicken before, completely convinced that they are the only good rotisserie in Tel Aviv. Don't get us wrong, we still think Shimon's chicken is delicious, but they have a solid competition couple of blocks away: Tipico chicken!

It's a bit more expensive than Shimon's, but it's not the same: Tipico uses a more flavorsome spice rub that contains paprika and coriander seeds. And because of the way Tipico grills the chicken, it's less greasy than Shimon's and a bit more delicate.

Tipico's potato wedges are great as well, and are baked with the grease and juices of the chicken.

How to get there
Nachalat Binyamin 1 is on the beginning of the pedestrian st., in the intersection of King George and Allenby, right across Agadir.

Click here to view Tipico's location on the map

Abraxas North

2010-12-11T18:32:00.002+02:00

Type: Chef Restaurant
English Menu: No (Menu is reprinted twice a day)
Average price: 180 NIS pp. (for 3 course dinner)
Address: 40 Lilenblum st.
Tel. number: 0546-786560

Abraxas North is one of the best restaurants in Tel Aviv, if not the best of them. It's not pretentious at all, as some will criticize, referring to the eccentric character of the Chef, Eyal Shani. The food is ridiculously good. It's not a budget dinner, so crack your piggy bank for it. We think that in this case we should just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Mangold leaves with Parmesan and cherry tomatoes salad:

Grouper stew and entrecote:

Pizza with homemade creme fraiche and creme patissiere with guava:

How to get there
Abraxas North is located in Lilenblum st., which is intersected with Allenby st. To reach the area, you can take bus 5 and go down at the last stop of Rothschild Blvd., then walk 10 min (see the map below). Or, walk on Allenby towards south and then turn right to Lilenblum st., the turn after Rotschild Blvd.

Click here to view Abraxas North's location and walking direction

Dixie

2010-11-25T19:53:00.032+02:00

Type: American
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 80-100 NIS
Address: 120 Yigal Alon st.
Tel. number: 03-6966123

Although it's not really an American diner, Dixie does have an American feel when you step inside (the booths are doing the trick, we think). But it also has a romantic wine-and-dine vibe (and the dimmed lights are a give away in this case). A good way to describe Dixie and its food is: French kitchen meets Dyer's.

Their signature dish is the to-die-for chicken wings! Too buttery for some, but it's heaven on earth for the carnivores and chicken wings lovers. The chicken wings are finger-licking good, so make sure you don't miss out on it. We were very enthusiastic about the scrumptious chopped steak, served with mixed mushrooms and a pepper and cream sauce. This aristocratic hamburger is garnished with crispy fries (yet we asked for the normal fries since the crispy ones are more like potato fritters).

How to get there
Dixie is located in the area behind Azrieli towers. Take any bus that goes to Azrieli (no. 63 near Dizengoff Center, 27 From Ramat Aviv), then walk straight on Kaplan, towards the Train station. The first big street you'll come across is Yigal Alon. Turn left till you hit Tozeret Ha'Aretz st. There Dixie is located.

View Dixie's location on the map and walking direction from Azrieli

Erez Yemen Quarter

2010-11-19T02:02:00.003+02:00

Type: Local eatery, Yemenite

English Menu: No

Average price: 25 NIS

Address: 24 Nahliel st., The Yemen Quarter

Tel. number: 03-5102555

Yes, it's another local eatery post. We wouldn't mention it, if it wasn't worth eating there (really!). Most people don't know where to eat, when they're done strolling the Carmel market. That's why we want to open up this 'hidden world', the Yemen Quarter, for some outlanders.

Erez is not the only good place in this picturesque neighborhood, but they have a vast variety of food and it's all so good and cheap! They have the usual hummus dishes, skewers and Yemenite soup meals (but for the real soup experience, stop by at Rina and Zchariah).

But what we loved is the schnitzel dish and believe us, a good and affordable fresh schnitzel is hard to find. It's a simple dish: deep fried breadcrumb coated schnitzel and 3 side dishes. You can choose from: humnus, fries, white beans, green beans, rice, tehina or a chopped Israeli salad. Great value!

It's recommended to come either before 12pm or after 1.30pm, if you don't want to stand in line for a seat.

How to get there

To be honest most of the time we go there we lose our way, but still: You can reach the Yemen quarter by going through the narrow streets on Allenby st. on the right of the Carmel Market/ Nachalat Binyamin. See map for clearer instructions. (It's not recommended to go through the busy Carmel market.)

Click here to view walking direction to Erez on the map

Itzik and Ruti

2010-11-11T20:34:00.008+02:00

Type: Sandwiches
English Menu: No
Average price: 18 NIS
Address: 53 Sheinkin st.

Itzik and Ruti sandwich place is one of the mythical places in Tel Aviv that everybody knows and probably ate there. This friendly couple report for duty everyday (Sun.-Fri) at 05:00 to fill the demand of the masses that swoop in, and they close around 12:00pm when most of the food is over.

Itzik and Ruti serve the best sandwiches in Tel Aviv. You choose the size and type of the bread (whole wheat, ciabatta etc.) and fill it with one of their magical fillings such as eggplants, egg salad, avocado, tuna salad etc., and some vegetables if you like. Simple, but so good!

How to get there

Turn to Sheinkin from King George and just go stright all the way to the other end of the street. It will be on your left.

Click here to see walking directions on the map (from King George).

Elimelech

2010-11-04T17:32:00.045+02:00

Type: Restaurant, Jewish East European
English Menu: No (Yiddish)
Average price: 50 NIS (main dish)
Address: 35 Wolfson st.

Among the famous Jewish East European restaurants in Tel Aviv - mainly Keton and Cafe Batia - Elimelech is one of the special ones, and certainly worth the longer tour to south Tel Aviv.

The uniqueness of this place is in its special style of cooking, which feels more local and less "mainstream", so to speak. We ordered the Brust, which is beef slices marinaded for 3 weeks before cooked in oven. Extremely good! The other dish we ordered was the beef and chicken balls (you can combine as your like) which also had good taste.

All dish are served with side dishes, which high quality and taste surprised us very much, and are one of the reasons we will come again to this place.

How to get there

Wolfson st. is next to Florentin neighborhood. To get to Florentin neighborhood from the center you can take bus 25, and then go down at the first stop of HaAliya st. Go straight and the next street on your right is Wolfson st. The restaurant is couple of meters ahead.

Click here to see walking direction on the map.

* Tip: Take a look and snoop around at the great spices market on Levinsky st.

Shushkashvili

2010-10-27T22:49:00.003+02:00

Type: Tapas Restaurant
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 50-60 NIS pp.
Address: Hatachana (Old Jaffa train station)
Tel. number: 03-5160008

Sushkashvili, though designed more as a bar, is a very good tapas restaurant in the beautiful compound of the old Jaffa train station, known as "Hatachana". There are dozens of tapas: salads, grilled vegetables, spreads and dips, meat and fish, all to make your meal tasteful and colorful!

We took at Sushkashvili an eggplant spread with a great fresh-out-of-the-oven bread, which was a great combination to start with. Then we went on eating red fish with burgul (quite good), beef chorizos (done very well), fish meatballs (was just OK) and beet salad with blue cheese (a bit disappointing).

And they are not stingy with the portions at Shushka shvili, the prices are also quite affordable. Only the meat and fish dishes are up to 40-50 NIS, but the other dishes are cheaper. There is also a beautiful terrace outside, perfect for gazing over the Hatachana area (remember to make reservation for these seats in advance).

How to get there
It will be a bit more convenient for you to take a taxi. From Tel Aviv center it should be around 30NIS.
To reach Hatachana by bus, you can take bus no. 25 and go down at the first stop of Sderot Yerushalaim (Jerusalem Boulevard), then go backwards for 500 meters. Hatachana should be on the right of the main road (Kaufmann st.), behind the parking lot. Or bus no.18, it stops a bit before Sderot Yerushalaim. Ask the driver where to go down for the last station in Kaufmann st. (or say the station before Sderot Yerushalaim).

Click here to see walking directions on the map

Giraffe

2010-10-10T21:55:00.008+02:00

Type: Asian-Fusion restaurant

English Menu: Yes

Average price: 50-60 NIS

Address: 49 Iben Gvirol st.; 21 Ha'Arbaa st. (Officers' club)

Tel. number: 03-6916294, 03-6851155

Giraffe was one of the first Asian noodle bar restaurants in Tel Aviv and its popularity hasn't changed since then. Combining the Asian flavors such as Japanese, Thai and Chinese on their menu, Giraffe is attracting a big crowd.

There's a lot to choose from on Giraffe's menu and can be time consuming... Among the appetizers, we liked the tofu salad with vegetables and peanut sauce. The shrimps egg roll had a very weird smell, so it's definitely not one of our favorites. Giraffe also has several types of sushi, but Giraffe is not the place for it. We rather eat sushi at a better sushi restaurant, like Sakura and Japanika.

Our favorite main dishes are the "Spicy Philippine noodles" and the "Lemon chicken". The Philippines dish is prepared with coconut milk mixed with a red curry paste and pieces of chicken. It's a little bit spicy for sensitive taste buds. The Lemon chicken is great! Slices of crispy chicken, served with fried white rice and a tangy-savoury lemon sauce.

Moadon HaKtzinim (Officers' Club) is a chic branch of Giraffe. The menu is a little bit different, but based on the same idea.

How to get there

To reach the Ibn Gvirol branch: if you're coming from Dizengoff, take left when you hit Ibn Gvirol st.

To reach the Officers' Club: Ha'Arba'a street is next the Cinemateque, on Carlebach st. You can reach Carlebach by going to the beginning of Ibn Gvirol (go south), where it connects to Yehuda Halevi st.

Bahadonas

2010-10-02T18:48:00.000+02:00

Type: Hummus
English Menu: No
Average price: 25-30 NIS
Address: 150 Ibn Gbirol st.

Yeah, it's another great hummus place in Tel aviv, and actually one of the good ones. Bahadonas hummus is quite special, it's tangy in a way which reminds us of Abu Hassan's hummus a bit, although the texture is a bit different (and the plate of Bahadonas is much bigger). Bahadonas also has great crunchy-non-greasy fries.

Bahadonas is a nation wide chain so you might stumble upon them outside Tel Aviv. In Tel Aviv Bahadonas has two branches, one on Dizengoff, and one on Ibn Gvirol. For an unknown reason, the one on Ibn Gvirol is far much better than the other one.

How to get there
You can take bus no. 25 and go down at Pinkas station. Walk a bit back and you'll find it. You can also take bus 5 and go down at Bazel station. Go all the way down towards Ibn Gvirol and the place will be in front of you.

Abdu Hadayag

2010-09-22T07:47:00.003+02:00

Type: Fish restaurant
English Menu: No
Average price: 70-80 NIS
Address: 37 Yefet st., Jaffa
Tel. number: 03-5182595

It seems almost impossible that among dozens fish restaurants in Jaffa you will still be able to find uniqueness and difference. Well, Abdu Hadayag ("Abdu the Fisherman") is one of them, as it stands out with their fresh home made mezes appetizers and good quality fresh fish. Actually, before Abdu established the restaurant, he was a fishmonger for restaurants, so let's say he knows good fish.

Like at other fish restaurants in Jaffa, the mezes are included in a main dish set - fish, seafood or chicken (yes, we know...., but some people want to eat chicken at a fish place!) - and can be refilled all the time. If you don't order a main dish, you pay 30 NIS for the mezes.

We took a Barramundi and Sea Bream (each 80 NIS), fried and grilled, as the waitress recommended. Both were great choices, but the Barramundi was tastier.

You can also choose just fried or grilled (although the latter is less recommended). The salads as we noted above were extremely tasty and fresh, we also liked the grilled pita with zaatar which came with it.

Some people will like Abdu Hadayag more than other fish restaurants in Jaffa (although others like Rauf et Atina aren't less good). It's totally air conditioned, cleaner and more friendly. It's recommended to make reservations during lunch time and always make reservations for the evenings (weekends especially).

How to get there

Take bus 25 and go down at Jerusalem Blvd. ("Shderot Yerushalayim") at "Yehuda Hayamit" station. Walk back couple of meters and take left to Yehuda Hayamit. Go straight and take right on Yefet st., keep on going straight, it will be on your right.

Click here to view location and walking directions from bus no. 25 station.

Cafe Batia

2010-09-03T11:34:00.004+03:00

Type: Restaurant, Jewish East-European
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 50-60 NIS
Address: 197 Dizengoff st.
Tel. number: 03-5221335

Although name makes you think it's a coffee house, Cafe Batia is actually a restaurant serving typical homemade East European Jewish food - Knedelach, Chulent, Gefiltefish and chopped chicken liver (spread), the kind of food you eat on holidays, quite similiar to Keton. Cafe Batia is one of the oldest Jewish restaurants in Tel Aviv and its history can be traced by the pictures on the walls, telling the story of Tel Aviv. The atmosphere is a bit rustic but the people working there are very friendly. During lunch hours, including weekends the restaurant is full, so it's better to come after this crowd, when you can also find seats outside on Dizengoff street.

Our recommendation - the goose leg. It's so good! Well in the pic it might not look that appetizing, but once you've tried the meat with the sweet-savoury-orange sauce, you will crave for more. You get two side dishes of your choice with the every main dish: buckwheat, rice, stewed vegetables and etc. If you want to eat something lighter, try the knedelach soup. It's chicken broth with 2 freshly made matze balls, usually eaten with Passover.

Cafe Batia opened a bar right next to the restaurant, where you can enjoy some drinks.

How to get there

It's on Dizengoff st., on the corner with Arlozorov st.

Grillanda

2010-08-26T10:47:00.002+03:00

Type: Chef Tapas Restaurant
English Menu: No
Average price: 40-70 NIS
Address: Hachava (from 74 Rokach st., Ramat Gan)
Opening hours: Sun. - Sat. 18:00-24:00
Tel. number: 03-5755162

Grillanda restaurant is the latest innovative and creative approach in the food business. Have you ever heard of a chef restaurant located on a farm and surrounded by fields and cattle? (in sheepfolds, don't worry). As you can see in the picture, you're surrounded by nature and there's an amazingly relaxing atmosphere.

The menu is basically tapas, mostly vegetarian. We started our meal with tehina with garlic (highly recommended!) and ate it with their freshly baked focaccia. Among the larger tapas dishes, we took the cauliflower salad (great!), eggplant prepared in ametal brick-oven (it's a bit spicy, but this is also great with the focaccia), and the vine leaves stuffed with rice - a common Middle Eastern delicacy, served with a pungent yogurt sauce. The only dish which disappointed us was the sous herring.

The price range of the dishes of Grillanda is 20-25 NIS per one tapas. They also have a bit more expensive dishes like a plate of cheeses or coldcuts - above 50 NIS. For the budget gastronoms it's better not to come too hungry (you need min. 4 plates to be really full).

Grilanda restaurant is indeed highly recommended, and the vast open area around the tables makes it a perfect place to come with family and kids (only if the latter appreciates gourmet :-)). It's not really in Tel Aviv, but it's a great excursion.

How to get there

To get to there place by car, you need to enter Ganey Yeoshua parks from Ramat Gan. You can go on Rokach st. in Ramat Gan (don't confuse with the one of Tel Aviv which intersects with Ibn Gvirol), which can be reached through Aba Hillel st. In front of 74 Rokach st., turn towards the path which leads to a parking lot (where you park free of charge). The entrance to the farm is near the orange guard house.

For those who wish to get to the place by public transportation, you can go on bus 20 (from Dizengoff center), and go down on Aba Hillel, Rokach station. Go up on Rokach st. and walk approximately 600 meters according to the directions as mentioned here above.

Shmaya

2010-08-14T17:55:00.000+03:00

Type: Local eatery, Jewish
English Menu: No
Average price: 35 NIS
Address: 2 Vital st.
Tel. number: 03-6829217
(Closed on Friday night and Saturdays)

In the Florentine area, the local eatery Shmaya is legendary. It's a hole in the wall and indeed a fantastic discovery. Shamaya, the lovely owner, prepares the food by himself, which is characterized by its Jewish and Middle Eastern influences.

Basically you choose a main course, which is served with some side dishes, such as stewed vegetables, rice, different types of beans and etc. We took the stuffed eggplant with minced beef and herbs and stuffed yams (the latter also known as "batata"), which were delicate and tasted very homy, so to speak. Though usually after eating in local eateries food coma is inevitable, Shmaya's food is relatively light and "sits" well, as Israelis like to say. Shmaya also has good vegetarian dishes and other stuffed vegetables.

The place doesn't have an English menu. But the people working here are so warm and friendly, they will be more than happy to explain it to you.

How to get there

To get to Florentin neighborhood from the center you can take bus no. 1 or no. 2 (both drive on dizengoff until Frishman st., where they turn to Pinsker under the fountain). Go down on the second station on the Ha'Alia st.(or ask to go down at Florentin st.). Then go on Florentin st. until you see Vital st. on your right (around 500 meters walk).

*Detail: We've been told by Shmaya's fans that he feeds the homeless people for free.

Sofia

2010-08-07T10:32:00.015+03:00

Type: Bulgarian restaurant
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 40-70 NIS
Address: 16 Ha'Arbaa st.
Tel. number: 03-5614725

Sofia Restaurant is little Bulgaria in the heart of Tel Aviv, which provides the taste of the Bulgarian cuisine - salads, pastries, soups and (a lot) of meat. So, the menu of Sofia fits vegetarians and carnivores as well.

We tried the Shopska salad, which is a normal Middle Eastern salad with amazing Bulgarian cheese (tastes like Feta chesse), and also the fries is topped with this cheese. What can we say, this cheese really does the trick for these two! No wonder it's a main ingredient in this cuisine. The eggplant with garlic spread (Kiopolo) is also great, but too bad the bun which is served with it, is not that fresh.

As for the main dishes, we took the Moussaka, which rocks! This Bulgarian version of this oven dish uses a yogurt layer on top instead of bechamel, and has less eggplant than the Greek moussaka - Quite a good one! We also took the Kebab, which was quite OK and is served with rice and salad. Also, we ordered the chicken meatballs, which are braised with a yummy sweet and sour tomato sauce (served with rice).

One thing to note about Sofia - it's relatively cheap. All the main dishes noted above cost less than 40 NIS. Although you can find some better meat restaurants in Tel Aviv (not to say the meat in Sofia is bad), the combination of the special flavors of the salads, appetizers and sauces makes Sofia an affordable place which is worth a visit very much - and the flock of people is an evidence for that (make reservations for lunch times).

To end the meal perfectly, you should definitely order the sugarless apple pie. It's unbelievable how sweet and good it can be without sugar (note: for apple pie lovers only!).

How to get there

Ha'Arbaa st. is located next to the Cinemateque, on Carlebach st. You can reach Carlebach by going to the beginning of Ibn Gvirol (go south), where it intersects with Yehuda Halevi st.

*Detail: If you really liked the meat, Sofia sells some of meat dishes as raw meat for home grilling (at a lower price).

Rauf et Atina

2010-07-22T21:35:00.005+03:00

Type: Fish restaurant
English Menu: Yes

Average price: 75 NIS (Fish and salads)
Address: 81 Kedem st., Jaffa
Tel. number: 03-6818793

One reason to go to Jaffa's to eat is for their fish restaurants. We were looking for a good one and we fell in love with this Jaffa look-and-feel fish restaurant (and the local presence also hints that).

The traditional way in these fish restaurants is to order the fish and with it you'll get plenty of yummy mezes - such as: humus, tehina, fries, eggplant salad, pickled salad, cucumber salad, carrot salad, olives and pickles, parsley salad, tabbouleh salad, spicy tomato salsa etc. You'll also get some bread and pita and everything can be refilled all the time. Watch out though, do not fill your stomach before the fish is served! (a common mistake of beginners).

The fish (a whole fish, not a fillet) can be grilled or deep fried (grilled is a better choice). We took a sea bream and a European Seabass, and enjoyed the latter more. By the way, you can easily share a fish dish with two persons, but one person will have to pay 30NIS for the salads. This is still very much worth it.

In Kedem st. you have some other famous fish restaurants, including the nearby Hazaken ve hayam (the Old Man and the Sea). Although it's quite popular and offers more salads then Rauf et Atina, we think is less in quality and less tasty. If you are a looking for another fish restaurant (which is also not that far into the margins of Jaffa) try Abdu Hadayag.

How to get there

We are sorry to say that we didn't find any convenient way to reach this street with public transportation. A taxi from Tel Aviv center should be about 40-45 NIS.

Click here to view location on the map (for driving instructions, use the map's 'directions' feature).

Manta Ray

2010-07-13T21:53:00.001+03:00

Type: Seafood Restaurant
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 120 NIS
Address: Alma beach, Tel Aviv promenade
Tel. number: 03-5174773

You might have heard of Manta Ray from the Tel Avivians as either the best fish restaurant in town or as the restaurant 'where Madonna went to eat when she was here'. Nevertheless, the food here is very good. And so is the view; you look out to the sea and you are literally just one step away from the beach.

Although we like fish restaurants like Rauf et Atina in Jaffa, Manta Ray is of a different league. Manta Ray serves the fish gourmet style and you can tell by the flavor. We took a sea locus (Golliath Groupe) which was absolutely great, and a fish kebab, which disappointed us a bit (sorry but no pics for that).

People like this place so much because of its variety of mezes (18 NIS each), ranging from vegi dishes to fish salads. We tried the Tzatziki (Greek cucumber and yogurt salad) and the Mullet Ceviche - both were yum.

There's another reason to go to Manta Ray: their breakfast! Don't worry, it's not that you have to eat fish in the morning (although we did). Manta Ray's breakfast is enormously popular, to the extent that you have to make reservations way beforehand. Once you get there, you have a variety of breakfast meals on Manta Ray's menu: shakshuka, salads, French toast, pancakes and so on. We got the breakfast for two: 2 eggs (scrambled, omelet or sunny side up), chopped Israeli salad, unlimited bread, buns, scones and muffins, jam and cheese spreads and two freshly squeezed orange juice. We also added the Mullet Ceviche, which had a very special soury taste. It was more kind of a lunch than breakfast for us, we were so stuffed!

How to get there

You can either take bus no. 25 and go down on Charles Clore park, or just bike all the way south on the promenade (while the endless sea lies on your right). The restaurant is in a cement hut.

* Recommendation: Do some tummy rubbing afterwards on the beach next to it.

Sonia Getzel Shapira

2010-06-26T21:35:00.001+03:00

Type: Cafe-Restaurant
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 40 NIS
Address: 1 Simta Almonit st.
Tel. number: 077-5261234

Behind the busy street of King George lies Sonia Getzel Shapira, which is a unique combination of a cafe, restaurant and a garden.

Sonia's menu has the normal cafe food - breakfast, sandwiches, salads and etc. We tried two salads which were quite OK. But their flag dish is probably the great Shakshuka - north African style fried eggs with tomato sauce and spices. They extend this one to the gourmet level and serve it with different toppings, among them you can find ground beef, mozarella and even spinach. We took the spicy Mexican one which was delicious. The shakshuka is served with a small salad and an amazing warm and fresh bun straight out of the oven (which can be ordered seperately - "Moroccan Bread").

How to get there
Simta Plonit connects to King George between Ha'Avoda and Rashi st. If you're coming from Allenby, walk on the right side and it should be on your right.

* Thanks for the tip N.!

Suzanna

2010-06-16T16:40:00.002+03:00

Type: Restaurant
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 60-70 NIS
Address: 8 Shabazi st.
Tel. number: 03-5177580

Oh Suzanna! One of Tel Aviv's best restaurant in one of the most beautiful areas in Tel aviv, Neve Tzedek. Breathe in the architectural and artistic atmosphere in the narrow and beautiful alleyways. It's only a matter of time that before you will stumble upon Suzanna.

To make a long story short - all the dishes at Suzanna's look, smell and taste amazing. Start off with great hot and cold entrees (called "meze", many of them are vegetarian). We tried the fried cauliflower, grilled eggplant, bell pepper salad and the Jerusalem artichoke, all SO yummy! You can really eat a whole meal just of those.

Suzanna's menu has a couple of good vegetarian dishes, such as the salads and stuffed vegetables. As a main dish we ordered the filo pastry with eggplant and goat's cheese. Nice and delicate stuffing with a cripsy layer of the filo, what a combination! But the menu of Suzana also contains a couple of meat dishes, like lamb kebab, skewers, entrecote and also seafood such as sea bream, mullet, shrimps and calamari, which we kept for some other time. Highly recommended!

How to get there
Reaching Neve Tzedek by bus can be annoying, but anyway - Take bus no. 25 towards Jaffa, ask the driver to go down at Charles Clore park. Then, you have to go find your way east, away from the beach, to the inside neighborhoods. Ask around how to get to Shabazi st., they will probably know. Taxi from the center will cost approximately 30-35 NIS.

Pu'ah

2010-06-06T18:37:00.007+03:00

Type: International
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 50 NIS
Address: 8 Rabbi Yohanan st. in Jaffa
Tel. number: 03-6823821

In the midst of the Yafo Flea market, you will find this cute bohemian cafe called Pu'ah (named after the owner), attracting all walks of life and tourists. Even when passing by Pu'ah, it will catch your attention by the environmental, grungy look and feel of the place. All the items from dishes to chairs and tables at Pu'ah are for sale. Pu'ah has a very nice and unique atmosphere, which makes it a great place take end your flea market tour and grab something to eat or drink.

The menu at Pu'ah has a lot of vegetarian options. We tried the veggie burger, which was OK but (a bit dry from the inside), and so is the pumpkin dumplings. Better dishes were the the fried cauliflower which is served with a delicious yoghurt dip, and also the gnocchi with chestnuts in a creamy cheese sauce, which is voloptuously tasteful.

If you don't feel like eating anything, it's of course also a great place to have a coffee of cold drink. The service isn't fantastic, but this uniqueness of Pu'ah will make you overlook this.

How to get there

Take bus 25 to Jaffa/ Yafo and go down at the second station of Sderot Yerushaliam. Go a bit straight, turn right at Olei Zion st. Go straight about 200 meters, then turn left at Yehuda Margoza st. Go straight and then take right at the second st., this is Rabbi Yohanan st. Taxi from TA center should be about 35-40NIS

Orna and Ella

2010-05-29T12:21:00.001+03:00

Type: Restaurant, International
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 40-60 NIS
Address: 33 Sheinkin st.
Tel. number: 03-5252085

The legendary Orna and Ella restaurant doesn't really need any recommendations. This place is running for years and became a symbol of Tel Aviv and Shenkin st. The food is amazingly good, these women know how to cook! The atmosphere inside is warm and serene - the space is divided into three relatively small parts (the balcony is at the back). The service is good, nice and friendly.

You definitely do not want to miss out on the most famous dish for years - the yam patties: Delicately sweet with a great cream and chives dip. We also chose from their weekly specials menu: the risotto balls (great!) and the shrimps salad (good but too small). And for the main dish we took the meat pie - a mix of minced beef and chicken liver, gently spiced with mint (wow!).
The Orna and Ella restaurant is known all over the country and maybe also beyond. And their food is so good, that you will have to get in line to be able to eat here. Or you just call before to be put on the waiting list beforehand. Don't miss out on this place!

How to get there
Sheinkin st. is located near the Carmel Market and Nachalat Binyamin. You can get to Sheinkin st. through the beginning of King George st. or Allenby, it's a side street on King George st.

Ha Nasih Hakatan

2010-05-20T14:29:00.003+03:00

Type: Cafe Restaurant
Address: 3 Simta Plonit st. (Plonit alley)

"The Little Prince" cafe is was a cosy cafe-bookstore where you can sit and relax, read books, trade books, and basically do your things tranquilly.

Unfortunately, in Dec. 2010 The Little Prince cafe was closed. If you had the chance to visit there, you surely had a great time. We just hope that another cute spot like that will open in the future.

Philippe Pizza

2010-05-08T01:05:00.004+03:00

Type: French Pizza
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 47 NIS small pizza/ 76 NIS big pizza
Address: 20 Carlebach st. (next to Iben Gvirol)
Tel. number: 03-5100904

Philippe Pizzeria is a new concept of gourmet pizza parlour, beautifully designed and well located in the Carlebach, Laskov and Ibn Gvirol st. area, near the bars and night clubs. Philippe's pizza menu, which is labeled as "French" has 2 dozens kind of pizzas (including specials written on the chalkboard behind the counter) which are topped with different ingredients, ranging from vegs, cheeses, to pork, beef, mutton, goose and fish, including salmon. The innovative idea behind Philippe Pizza is - it's all charcoal grilled pizza (and as a an evidence you can see the stumps along the wall which are being used by guests for short reviews).

We took the Moussaka pizza, which is topped with a great beef and mutton layer, and served with an eggplant and rocket salad on it (inspired by the Moussaka from the Balkan). The second one we took was the Oriental pizza, which is supposed to have a spicy flavor, with Merguez sausages. This one was a bit disappointing and too regular, but still good.

How to get there
To reach Philippe Pizza you'll have to walk to the beginning of Iben Gvirol st., where it intersects with Carlebach and Laskov.

Click here to view location on the map and walking directions from Dizengoff st.

Cantina

2010-05-05T20:01:00.001+03:00

Type: Italian Restaurant
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 60-70 NIS
Address: 71 Rothschild st.
Tel. number: 03-6205051

Cantina ('winery' in Italian) blends in perfectly with the liveliness of Rothschild Boulevard. The balcony of the restaurant is by far more crowded and laid back than the indoor more pretentious atmosphere. But who want to miss all the action on Rothschild and sit inside?! Anyway, it's very much recommended to make reservations beforehand because is popular as hell.

Cantina restaurant's menu offers mainly pasta, but they also have a couple of pizzas. Some meat and seafood dishes. They also have some small salads side dishes.

In general, the food is good but it was absolutely NOT what we expected considering the popularity, price and design of the place. Anyway, we did enjoy the spicey spaghetti with mullet filet - Delizioso! A second runner up would be the tagliatelle with asparagus and shrimps. We also tried the portobello with penne, but it didn't rock our world. In short, Cantina is a great one time experience especially if you are in the neighbourhood or if you want to impress your date. But for the better and more affordable Italian food, we are sticking to Pappa's.

How to get there
Go on Rothschild towards south. It is next to Mazeh st.

Abu Marwan

2010-04-29T20:02:00.003+03:00

Type: Hummus, Middle Eastern
English Menu: No
Average price: 25 NIS
Address: 129 Yeffet st, Jaffa

What a fine local Hummus place this Abu Marwan, which can be noticed by its constant smoke coming from the grill/ bbq making skewers and eggplants.

Abu Marwan has an "all included" deal - you pay 25 NIS and get a yummy hummus plate, great fries, mini falafel balls and a (mediocre) salad. The result is a fine lunch which leaves you with a great taste.
But we couldn't stop just here. It is a must (!) to take the specialty - grilled eggplant with tehina and lemon (20 NIS), which adds a pungent flavor. In addition you can also order chicken skewers (around 15 NIS per skewer), which aren't fantastic, but just OK.
Finish the Hummus tour sweetly with the nearby Mutran.

How to get there
It's a bit messy, but you'll make it:
Take bus 25 towards Jaffa/ Yafo, go down at the fifth station on Sderot Yerushalaim (at no. 134). Go a bit backwards and take left at Bat Ayin st. Go up straight until you hit a main street, Yefet. Go straight until you see the smoke.

Mutran sweets

2010-04-28T20:20:00.001+03:00

Type: Sweets, Middle Eastern
English Menu: No need
Average price: 20 NIS
Address: 99 Yefet st. in Jaffa

Mutran sweets is one of the best places to try Arabic sweets delicacies. In the store there are dozens of different cookies and other sweet treat, neatly arranged for you to pick and enjoy at home.

In case you feel like trying out the sweets there, Mutran also has a cozy and air-conditioned space where you can sit and enjoy one of their treats. Recommended very much is the sweet and savoury knafe, crunchy angel hair noodles covering goat cheese inside, served warm. The malabi is also one of the best in Jaffa. The tea and coffee are a bit pricy there, though usually extremely fit the desserts.

How to get there
It's a bit messy, but you'll make it:
Take bus 25 towards Jaffa/ Yafo, go down at the fifth station on Sderot Yerushalaim (at no. 134). Go a bit backwards and take left at Bat Ayin st. Go up straight till you hit a main street, Yefet. There take left, and it should be on your left.

* Note: The coffee and tea are not for free.

Shine

2010-04-18T20:37:00.000+03:00

Type: Cafe Restaurant
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 35-50 NIS
Address: 38 Shlomo Hamelekh st.

Young, hip, single and artistic Tel Avivians love to come to Shine to hang out, meet new interesting people or to have brainstorm sessions for work. It's tucked away in a quiet street, just perfect if you want to escape the bustling streets near the center but don't want to wander off too far away from it.

Except for the usual coffee, alcohol and other beverages, Shine also has a really good and healthy menu. The vegetarians enjoy the salads very much, but also the tofu curry with vegetables and wild rice. The curry has a delicate creamy flavor and they use a special version of tofu, named tempeh. Also the risotto with seafood is quite tasty. The risotto isn't the creamy version, instead it's savoury and made with a great broth of seafood and it has small shrimps and calamari mixed through it. The portions of each dish are quite big and can be easily shared, if you're both not big eaters.

How to get there
Walk on Dizengoff and turn right (facing north) to Frishman st. Go straight till the corner with Shlomo Hamelekh st.

Gilad and Daniel

2010-04-10T12:42:00.007+03:00

Type: French Bistro
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 30 NIS (desserts)
Address: 300 Dizengoff st.

Gilad and Daniel is a cozy french bistro located in a quiet location on Dizengoff. It's famous for its special tarte tatin, which comes with apples or pears. Indeed a great treat! The tarte tatin is absolutely the best in Tel Aviv (runner up - Goocha's).

Also the creme brulee is wickedly good. This one can be topped only by the brulee of Dubnov 8.

Although we initially only went to Gilad ve Daniel for desserts, we found out that their Lyonnaise chicken with rice is to die for! The delicately grilled chicken breast is laid on a bed of luscious cream sauce with mushrooms, spring onions and chives. Wow!

How to get there
Go north on Dizengoff. It's close to the intersection with Yirmiyahu st. (Bus no. 5 can drop you on Nordau st. where from you can keep on going north).

Pappa's

2010-03-30T15:53:00.004+03:00

Type: Italian
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 50 NIS
Address: 12 Hillel Hazaken st.
Tel. number: 03-5107373 (Delivery - Exten. 1)

We are happy to announce that we think we found one of the best Italian restaurants in Tel Aviv. With the great atmosphere, design and old music in the air, and of course the great food, you are heading towards a great meal and a unique sense of Italy.

As for any Italian place, Pappa's offers amazing

pastas and pizzas. We ordered (in the two times that we have been here) the artichoke campanelli pasta, which is a superb dish with sour-savoury flavors given by the special sauce and the artichokes. We also tried the bolognaise and the linguini del mara, which tasted wonderful and were quite filling. The pizza with pepperoni and cheese is

great, we thought it was just a perfect pizza (see the mouthwatering pics).

They also have a surf and turf menu and couple of starters, of which we took the salad with feta cheese (not that worth it) and great risotto balls with yummy mushy roasted eggplant inside (very much worth it).

As dessert we tried the tiramisu, which had good creamy texture, yet the expected pungent taste of the liquor and espresso was missing.

How to get there
Hillel Hazaken st. can be reached from Allenby. On the side of the market, turn right at the second st. after the market (heading south), at Najara st. Pappa's should be right on the corner, next to the gas station.

Walking directions on the map from Dizengoff Center.

Meatbar

2010-03-26T14:29:00.000+03:00

Type: Restaurant, Steakhouse
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 50-120 NIS
Address: 52 Sderot Chen (Chen Blvd.)

Meatbar is an expensive steakhouse in Tel Aviv. Unfortunately, we managed to order only the burger, which was great. The juicyness of the minced meat made the bun a bit soggy, but it did add up to the flavor of the whole burger. The burger comes with a fries or fried cauliflower. We were a bit disappointed from the fries, which reminded us of McDonalds' fries, but we liked the fried cauliflower a lot - also recommended as a plain side dish.

And according to the rumours in town, the steaks are also supposed to be great (starting price of 120 NIS). Meatbar offers a wide variety of other meat dishes, such as spareribs, sausages, pork and chicken.

How to get there
Located at the end of Sderot Chen, on the side that intersects with Frishman.

Cafe Noir

2010-03-06T22:11:00.000+02:00

Type: French, Bistro
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 75 NIS
Address: 43 Ehad Ha'am st.
Tel. number: 03-5663018

Cafe Noir is a poshy French Bistro hosting three types of menus: breakfast, lunch and dinner (well, the lunch menu is in some way just a cheaper version of the dinner menu). The interior design is warm and nice (except for the "balcony" which lacks any atmosphere in the winter, when they seclude it with the glass wall). The service is also warm and friendly.

The menu varies from various schnitzels (which are considered to be great here) to fish and entrecote. We took the spring chicken on the grill, which was one of the best we've eaten. We also took the mullet fish on linguini, which was absolutely flavorsome and filling (yet we were a bit disappointed when the mentioned artichokes were missing in the dish - the waitress got us some though). The pricey menu prevented us from ordering some appetizers as well, but maybe next time. It's definitely a place worth going again! Cafe Noir telephone number for reservations: 03-5663018.

How to get there
By waking on Rothschild, go upwards on Nahamni st., towards Ahad Ha'am st. It should be right at the corner.

Grilled chicken of Shimon

2010-01-21T16:48:00.006+02:00

Type: Chicken rotiserrie
English Menu: No
Average price: 25-30 NIS
Address: 6 Tchernichovsky st.

Shimon and his family have been selling grilled chicken for decades and guess what - they're really good at it! This local eatery is easy to miss if you don't know any 'insiders' to introduce you to their specialty: perfectly gourmet grilled chicken. That is, in other words, simply crispy on the outside and juicy inside. You can't imagine how good it can is and you will want to come back soon right after eating here.

A whole chicken - for take-out only and enough for 3 people (48 NIS per kg). If you decide to eat there, you can either order a quarter (26 NIS) or half chicken (35 NIS), served with amazingly greasy and crispy chips (just the way we like it).

How to get there
Walking on King George toward south, you can take right in Bet Lehem st. (where the Bezalel market is - it's one turn right before Allenby).

Click here to view Shimon's location on the map

* Detail: For the best experience, prepare for getting your hands dirty.

Sabbich of Oved

2010-01-14T23:50:00.000+02:00

Type: Sabbich
English Menu: No
Average price: 18 NIS
Address: 6 Sirkin st., Givataim

Well it's not really in Tel Aviv, but most of the Tel Avivians ate at this legendary place. So, Oved is just selling sabbich. More than the taste which is considered by many to be the best sabbich, the preparation of the sabbich is accompanied by a precise repeating football game ritual: Every action (adding salad, eggplants, parsley and etc.) is described with a unique verb Oved developed by himself.

Unfortunately, Oved cannot do the whole ceremony in English but he will be very welcoming and happy to explain in detail. And don't worry, he will not let you miss out the final stage in the sabbich making - how many teaspoons of hot sauce (red) and Amba (yellow mango-based hot sauce) to put in the Pita - according to the scores of a football match. (For instance, if you're from the UK, he'll make it Arsenal vs. Man Utd.)

How to get there

You can take bus no. 63 from Tel Aviv Ben Zion corner with King George (facing upwards). Ask the driver to tell you where to go down. You should find bus 63 on the other side of the street when you go back to Tel Aviv.

Sirocco Pizza

2010-01-10T12:42:00.001+02:00

Type: Pizza
English Menu: No menu
Average price: 10 NIS (per slice)
Address: 23 King George st.

If you were looking for a great local pizza place, Sirocco Pizza is the place for you. Seems maybe too local and dull, but their pizza is surprising each time.
How do you order? You get a basic pizza for 9 NIS, which can be topped with: corn, mushrooms, olives, onions, roasted pepper, tuna, anchovies, salted cheese. If you choose 1 topping, you pay 11 NIS per slice and for 2 toppings you pay 12 NIS.
Now we can just recommend on the combinations:
1. Onions & mushrooms
2. Anchovies & onions
3. Plain Pizza (!)

The place is open every day until late in the night (except on Friday night and Saturday afternoon), which makes the place a snack spot for the bon vivants.

How to get there
Go south on King George. It's on the right side of the street on the corner with Ha Macabi street, close to the intersection with Allenby.

Brasserie

2010-01-03T21:44:00.000+02:00

Type: French cuisine Restaurant
English Menu: No (but with French titles)
Average price: 100 NIS
Address: 70 Iben Gvirol st.

Tel. number: 03-6967111

If you try to find a translation of the French word 'brasserie', you'll probably stumble upon a definition such as: "A restaurant serving alcoholic beverages, especially beer, as well as food, usually cheap." Well, that would be a bit deceiving, as it's definitely not cheap and they serve good wines instead of beer.

The food though is a fine gourmet dining in a cosy, semi-poshy restaurant. We tried the onion soup and corvina fish tartar as the starters. For the main dishes, we took seabass and beef bourguignon and for dessert - tarte tatin.

Unfortunately, although filled with high expectations, we didn't like some of dishes we ordered. The fish wasn't special at all and it didn't justify its price (95 NIS). The tarte tatin tasted awful and after one bite we didn't want to eat anymore and gave it back. But to end it with a posiive note, the fish tartar was amazing and same with the beef (both are served on Thursday, see detail below).

Except for the annoying recommendations of the waitress (see detail below), the service here is quite good. For a romantic dinner or for celebrating a special occassion, this is definitely the place to be in the center of Tel Aviv. Because of its popularity, it's recommended to make reservations beforehand.

How to get there
Brasserie is facing Rabin square on Iben Gvirol st.

* Detail no. 1: Beware of the recommendations of the waiters, they will keep on pushing you to order the special menu of the day (see detail below), which as expected also has special prices (they will say: "We tried this dish before our shift, it's absolutely great!"). Well, these students have to earn something, don't they?
* Detail no. 2: They have a daily specialties menu which offers unique dishes.

Frida Kahlo

2010-01-02T22:58:00.000+02:00

Type: South-American gourmet
English Menu: No
Average price: 50-70 NIS (Business deal)
Address: 43 Lilenblum st.

This restaurant is named after a famous female Mexican painter, who was known for her self portraits. We didn't see any replicas of her paintings hanging in the restaurant, but then again we were there for the good food.

Go to this place on Friday-Saturday, 12:00-17:00, when they have their business menu. You get a starter, main dish and soft drink for the main dish price. We started with the our meal with the eggplants kadaif (a small threads pastry) and eggplants terrine appetizers. These dishes were quite good. One of the main dishes that we liked was the chili con carne burger. The other main dish that we tried, which was just OK, was a mullet fish on some cherry tomatoes. But the literally cherry on top was an amazing dessert: pistachio mousse with amarena cherries, vanilla and peach. This was wow, though we had some disputes over the necessity of the cherries.

How to get there
Frida Kahlo is next to the intersection of Allenby st. with Lilenblum. You can go south on Allenby until you hit the crossroad, and then take right.

Panini Lilush

2009-12-26T21:56:00.001+02:00

Type: Italian, Cafe-Restaurant
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 40-50 NIS
Address: 73 Frishman st.

A cute small cafe restaurant located next to Rabin Square with a great variation of food, ranging from quality sandwiches to poshy risotto. Young Tel Avivians, with and without kids come here to have their Saturday brunch.

Panini is an Italian bread with fillings such as smoked goose breast (fantastic!), salmon or pastrami. Except for panini, they also serve salads and hot dishes, such squash soup, lentil soup, lasagna, pasta. The chicken soup with the Matza balls are very recommended. Less than that but still good is the peas soup.

An excellent dish is the seafood risotto with lychee and smoked goose breast, which although sounds off, is very special and highly recommended (see picture on the right). We haven't tried the pasta, but they are quite popular at Panini Lilush. The meat lasagna looks great, but the flavor is quite disappointing. It doesn't have the original meat lasagna flavor, instead they experimented with spices such cumin and cinnamon.

Also worth trying are the blintzes appetizers. These rolled pancakes with salmon, cream cheese filling or eggplant and cream cheese are served with a green salad and a thickly induced balsamic vinegar dressing that completes the meal with the zingyness.
The only dessert we tried was the chocolate souflet, which was a bit disappointing and tasted a bit like supermarket.

How to get there
Go from Rabin square on Frishman towards the sea. Located just next to the Masarik square (the northern end of King George st.)

Pasha

2009-12-21T18:39:00.001+02:00

Type: Turkish
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 65 NIS (Business deal)
Address: 8 Ha'Arba'a st.

The word 'pasha' is an honorary title in the military in Turkey and we would definitely rank this restaurant to one of the highest!

Many other Tel Avivians will agree with us that Pasha is a great restaurant, hence why it's always packed. It's designed beautifully and divided into two parts, one part has 'normal' tables and chairs and the other part has more 'bar-like' seats.

Thanks to the business menu that they have, you can enjoy the great Turkish dishes for an affordable price. The business menu includes different kinds of yummy appetizers, such tahina, falafel, salads etc, as you can see on the picture, and a main dish: Kebabs, Pargit (spring chicken), steaks, Kubeh and etc.

But don't leave this restaurant without trying the spring chicken stuffed with pistachios and cashewnuts! That's a winning combination of a creamy flavor of the nuts that fits perfectly with the juicy spring chicken meat. We've also tried the "Masahne", which is tenderloin on a Pita, which was also very good. The meat is of good quality, very juicy and full of good flavors.

How to get there
Ha'Arba'a is next to the Cinemateque, on Carlebach st. You can reach Carlebach by going to the beginning of Ibn Gvirol (go south), where it connects to Yehuda Halevi st.
* Detail: Pasha is a kosher restaurant.

Japanika

2009-12-19T16:10:00.003+02:00

Type: Japanese
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 35 NIS

Address: 128 Dizengoff st., 47 Yirmeyahu st.
Tel. no.: 03-5291014 (Dizengoff), 03-5466666 (Yirmiyahu)

Japanika has many branches spread all over Israel, but lucky for us there are two of them in Tel Aviv! Japanika menu has a great variety of Japanese deliciousness. The dishes resemble a new type of Japanese fusion food, keeping the original Japanese delicateness intact. Their menu have sushi, sashimi, noodles and soups.

The Tuna Tataki on a bed of marinated seaweed is really good. Also the 'new age' sushi Japanco is very tasty. You choose two types of vegetables and one kind of fish for your sushi roll, it's outer layer is dipped in panco (Japanese breadcrumbs) and fried. The result is a crispy but delicious tasting sushi roll.

But our favorite is the Saki Teriyaki Roll. It's an inside-out roll with salmon, crispy salmon skin topped with spicy mayonnaise and a thin lemon that wraps it up. Delicious! The combination deals are good value for the money. You don't get specialties but a fine set of sushi, nigiris and hand-wraps.

The Dizengoff branch is quite small, the one at Yirmeyahu is a bit more spacious and you have a great view of the HaYarkon Park. Japanika is a place that's always packed, so make sure you make reservations beforehand.

How to get there
128 Dizengoff st.- Go stright north on Dizengoff, it's on the corner of Gordon St.
47 Yirmeyahu st. - Go straight north on Dizengoff, take right on Yirmeyahu st. and keep on going till you get thereץ

Walking directions on the map, from Dizengoff Center:
128 Dizengoff branch
47 Yirmiyahu branch

Little Prague

2009-12-05T16:00:00.001+02:00

Type: Restaurant, East European food
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 50-60 NIS
Address: 56 Allenby st.

In the middle of Allenby st, there's a restaurant that looks sketchy from the outside, but a step inside reveals a rare East European niche in Tel Aviv - this is Little Prague.

Devoted to the Czech tradition, they serve Czech beers and traditional Czech style food, which for the ordinary person would sound like the work of a primitive chef, such as fried Camembert with breadcrumbs and meat cooked with pickled cabbage and cream, or pork filled with hard boiled egg.
Eating at Little Prague for the first time, we took the chicken breast with "old Prague" sauce (kind of tomatos mix) topped with smoked cheese and a slice of peach. We also tried the beef goulash. We were happy to discover that the peculiar combination of ingredients works great. The juicy meat and the flavors really tastes like a home-cooked meal.

How to get there
The place is near the intersection of King George and Allenby. Go a bit towards south and you're there.

Chadar Ha Ochel

2009-11-24T08:47:00.026+02:00

Type: Fusion
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 60 NIS
Address: 23 Shaul Hamelech Blvd.
Tel. number: 03-6966188

Chef Omer Miller came up with the concept of having a restaurant with an Israeli multi-cultural cuisine. The restaurant is set up like an army dining hall, with all of the utensils on the long tables where you sit right next to each other. It does create a cosy atmosphere and it's easier to socialize with the one sitting next to you.

The main idea is - Sharing. The dishes are a like medium size tapas, which are shared with your table mates. It's recommended to order 1-3 dishes per person, depending on how hungry you are. We definitely recommend you to take the fried cauliflower served with tehina,. the veal kubeh, the chopped liver and the great bread.

Chadar Haochel also serves pots and grills, mostly meat stews. We tried the beef stew, which was disappointing. Its flavor cannot be compared to the dozens of tasty tapas which we liked much more. .

Unfortunately, in 2010 Chadar Ha ochel raised the prices, and removed some of the better tapas dishes, which were also very affordable. Still, it's a great place for lunch or dinner.

How to get there
Shaul HaMelekh starts at London Ministore on Ibn Gvirol. Go straight until you see a long staircase taking you to a big square. Cross the square diagonally to reach the place.

Click here to view location and walking directions from Dizengoff Center on the map.

* Detail: This place is always packed before and right after the performance hours of the theater and opera house and theatre nearby. Avoid these peak hours if you want to have a quiet dinner - after 20:30hrs the perimeter is clear :-)

Emilia

2009-10-28T10:10:00.000+02:00

Type: Cafe-Restaurant, International food
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 45 NIS
Address: 88 Dizengoff st.

This modern-chique cafe bistro is named after Amelia Earhart, the first woman who flew solo across the Atlantic Ocean and her photos can be seen inside the cafe. They have a great terras which is always packed with bohemian Tel Avivians sipping on their cafe latte and eating a salad.

Emilia has the basic cafe food, like salads (Caesar, chicken, Israeli and roquefort); sandwiches (tuna, egg, chicken, salmon and etc.) served with a salad. Most people order the pasta special of the day, which is quite good. If you feel like eating something more substantial, order one of the main dishes. The grilled chicken breast with herbs is recommended - you get a good portion of succulent chicken breast with crispy fries. Between 12:00pm-5.00pm there's a business menu offer. You pay only for the main course and you get a salad or soup and a drink aside.

How to get there
Emilia is on Dizengoff a bit norther to the Dizengoff center. It's on the corner before the Dizengoff Square.

* Detail: every Friday there's a live band inside the cafe playing jazz music from 5:00pm-7:00pm.

Thai House

2009-10-21T17:38:00.000+02:00

Type: Thai restaurant, Asian foodEnglish Menu: Yes
Average price: 65-70 NIS
Address: 8 Bograshov st. (corner of Ben Yehuda st.)

Thai House is one of the fewest places in Tel Aviv which serves good Thai food. The romantically dimmed atmosphere and the friendly waitresses make it a great place to go on a date or just an evening of enjoying good food.

You can start off with some spicy or sour-savoury appetizers, like the calamari salad or the papaya salad we tried. These appetizers make your taste buds get a buzz for the main courses.

The main courses differ from green or red curries with coconut juice to filling soups like the Tom Yam with shrimps, which is absolutely fabulous! If you don't know what to choose or which dishes go together well, the waitresses are more than willing to help you choose the best combination.

The green curry with chicken and eggplants wasn't what you would expect it to be - it is sweet and has a milky taste, and the eggplants itself had a distinctive sweet flavor. But it's worth the try, only because it has the authentic Thai flavors in it.

Unfortunately, Asian desserts aren't that special. But we do recommend to try the tapioca with coconut milk. Ask for the banana and mango instead of the canned pineapples, it's refreshingly good.

How to get there
Go all the way west on Bograshov (towards the beach). It's on the corner with Ben Yehuda st.

* Detail: there's an indoor smokers' section in the restaurant on the right of the entrance.

Asli Hummus

2009-08-29T13:40:00.001+03:00

Type: Hummus
English Menu: No
Average price: 20-25 NIS
Address: 338 Dizengoff st.

Hummus Asli is considered to be Tel Aviv's best hummus. You'll probably back up this statement after you've tried the pungent hummus, which is served in many different kinds: with tehina, ful (broad beans), hot mushrooms and etc. We also recommend on the fried Kubeh (semolina pastry filled with beef). The place is clean and is well airconditioned inside and the only downside is the low level of service that you might encounter.

How to get there
It's located at the northest point of Dizengoff. You can walk all the way there, or to take bus no. 5 and go down at Nordau, and from there you walk for 5-7 min. It's across Moses Station.

Martha

2009-08-08T11:12:00.001+03:00

Type: Restaurant, International food
English Menu: Yes
Average price: 70 NIS
Address: 26 Iben Gvirol st.

This restaurant is beautifully designed and has a clean and quiet atmosphere which makes it great to go out there. The menu has good meat dishes, like hamburger, kebabs, entrecote, chicken and also some seafood dishes like baked salmon, shrimps and fish fillet. The place also serves pastas but we won't recommend on those as they're not special at all. We took so far the spring chicken and hamburger, which are really good. Yet, except for the burger, dishes are a bit smaller than other places we've been to.

Besides main dishes they have a variety of appetizers, which we think are a bit expensive. We tried a vegetarian appetizer which contained roasted eggplant, lentils and tehina. It was quite OK.

Martha has a beautiful spacious terras in a garden outside which is great to sit in when it's not too hot.

How to get there
Martha is located on Iben Gvirol next to the London Ministore. You enter the place through a path in the restaurant's garden which is located at the white gate on the street (easy to miss but it's there).

Goshen

2009-08-05T15:06:00.000+03:00

Type: Restaurant, International Food
English Menu: No
Average price: 35-85 NIS (Business deal)
Address: 37 Nachalat Binyamin

In the popular Nachalat Benyamin street you'll find this meat place called Goshen. From the outside it looks like very chique restaurant with a French attitude, yet inside you get a local feeling and it isn't poshy at all.

We don't recommend you to go there at night, as it can be quite expensive. Alternatively, come here for the business menu deal between 12:00pm-6:00pm from Sunday until Thursday. For different meals in the range of 35 NIS - 85 NIS you get a main dish (beef, lamb, chicken or pasta) which served with a focaccia with spreads and two side dishes - you can choose from a green salad, rice or papas fritas (small round potatoes).

The veal and beef kebab dish are quite recommended. The spring chicken is also good, but it doesn't have that much flavor itself. But if you like a juicy piece of grilled chicken, then definitely go for it.
Bottom line, we think that the place is worth it if you take one of the cheap business meals which give you an affordable (meat) lunch.

How to get there
To get to Nachalat Binyamin street, you can go all the way to the Nachalat Binyamin pedestrian street, which is located on the intersection of Allenby with King George. Then continue on the pedestrian street in Nachalat Binyamin st.

* Detail: Goshen is a kosher restaurant, which means that they don't serve any dairy products with meat products. You'll find a lot of religious Jews eating here.

Rina and Zcharia

2009-07-31T18:24:00.000+03:00

Type: Local eatery, Yemenite

English Menu: Yes

Average price: 30-40 NIS
Address: 22 Hakovshim st.

Rina and Zcharia restaurant is one of the best local food experience you can have. Their menu contain original Yemenite food, of which the soups are mostly recommended. Their special soups are made of meat which was stewed in a big pot for hours, giving the meat and broth an amazing taste and texture. Besides the soups, they also have skewers and vegetables dishes (pick the whole grain rice with okra). All dishes are served with a Yeminite pita and Lachuch (a spongy pancake like bread, see the pic below) which fit the soups perfectly, some Zhug (spicy sauce) and Hilbe (semi-spicy jam-like spread made of the Fenugreek plant, in the pic too).

Rina and Zcharia are an old couple who run this place for many years and they will be happy to help you to choose what you like. They will usually recommend on the normal dishes - beef or chicken - and not on the more local dishes (e.g. kidney or lungs soup), as they are afraid you will not like it. If you are really adventurous, try to surprise them by asking for the Bis soup (cow's udders soup, sounds like the word "bees" in English).

Open: Sun-Fri until 15:30.

How to get there
Hakovshim st. starts on Allenby street near the beach. You can go down on Allenby towards the beach until you hit Hakovshim st., then you take left and then go straight all the way. Or, you can take left from Allenby to Ge'ula street, that connects to Hakovshim in the middle (then take left to Hakovshim).

Odelia

2009-07-30T23:38:00.007+03:00

Type: Local eatery, Middle Eastern Food
English Menu: Yes

Average price: 20 NIS
Address: 89 Ben Yehuda st.; 1 Daniel Frisch st.
Tel: 03-5224222

The food at this small local eatery is cheap with a local taste. Odelia's main dish is a medium size plate with rice, couscous or burghul, served with stewed beef, lamb, chicken or meatballs, and some potatoes on the side. They also have a variety of hummus (with masabcha, eggplants, lamb meat, ful, and also grilled meat.

First - it's amazingly cheap. Most of the cooked dishes are 20 NIS. The second - it's very local. That is, the meat is certainly not the fillet nor tenderloin. It's not the best of Tel Aviv restaurants, but for a tourist looking for a cheap filling meal with a local atmosphere, this is the place to go to. The grilled dishes are a bit more expensive - 25/35 NIS for small/big meal.

How to get there
Odelia is located next to the intersection of Ben Yehuda with Gordon street. You can go on Dizengoff and turn left (if you face north) on Gordon. Go up until you hit Ben Yehuda, cross the street and then take right (the building above Odelia has a big '89' number on it). For the Daniel Frisch st. - The street is connected to Ibn Gvirol, a bit north of the London Ministore. From Dizengoff center, go to Dizengoff-Ibn Gvirol crossroad, cross to the other side and take left. The street will be on you right.

Walking directions from Dizengoff Center:
Ben Yehuda branch
Daniel Frisch branch

* Note: Odelia accepts cash only.

Sakura

2009-07-30T22:58:00.001+03:00

Sakura has closed down after 8 years of business. Truly, the ups and downs in the recent years must have to do with it. Anyway, Sakura will still be operating in Jerusalem, where it started.

For other sushi places, you can try Japanika.

Buddha Burgers

2009-07-28T18:15:00.000+03:00

Type: Organic, Vegan

English menu: Yes
Average price: 30 NIS
Address: 21 Yehuda Halevi st. (restaurant), 86 Iben Gvirol (eatery)

Buddha Burgers is unique concept leading a new vegan eating culture in Tel Aviv. Their menu has ingredients that you probably have never heard of, such as seitan (wheat gluten), okara (soy beans, side product of soy milk), and all the other vegan ingredients like tofu and the myriad sprouts, vegetables, nuts and legumes. All organic.

They offer an alternative for meat dishes like burgers, tortilla and sushi, and also have pastas, DIY salads, pizzas and sandwiches and dozens of healthy drinks. The food there is good and worth a try, especially if you haven't eaten sophisticated vegan food in your life before. We recommend on the Classic Buddha Burger dish, Portobello burrito and the DIY salads which can be topped with many kinds of special dressings.

Needless to say that the employees there are all friendly hippie new-age health freaks - Which influences the service speed a little bit, especially during peek hours. Try to avoid going there on Fridays if you are short on time.

How to get there
Iben Gvirol branch is in front of the Rabin square.
To the restaurant on Yehuda Halevi st., you need to turn from Rothschild blvd left to Hertzel st. (when facing south), and then the second street you cross is Yehuda Halevi and the restaurant is there. You can take bus no. 5 and go down at Mikve Yisrael, then go back and the big street you see is Yehuda Halevi. From there it's about 5-10 minutes walk.

Keton

2009-07-28T15:20:00.004+03:00

Type: Restaurant, Jewish East European

English menu: Yes
Average price: 50 NIS
Address: 145 Dizengoff st.

Keton is an East-European Jewish food restaurant that started business in the 40's and kept on being busy all these years until now. It's well known for the poets, writers actors and other old Tel Aviv celebrities who used to eat in this place in the past, and some still do today. And yeah, also known for the good food.

In Keton almost everything tastes yummy. You can have a great lunch or dinner by ordering a main dish that comes with two side dishes, or you can start with one of the appetizing starters or soups. The roasted beef is great and also the chicken/fish schnitzel. For dessert you can take a Kigel (some say Kugel) which is a sweet version of a noodles pie which was made by Jews in Europe for Sabbath.

How to get there
It's on Dizengoff st., on the block that's between Gordon and Ben Gurion st.

Click here to view location of Keton on the map

Cafe Birnbaum

2009-07-27T10:13:00.001+03:00

Type: Restaurant, Vegetarian
English menu: No
Average price: 45 NIS
Address: 31 Nachalat Binyamin
Open: Sunday to Friday, from early in the morning until afternoon

Cafe Birnbaum is heaven on earth for vegetarians. The concept of this place, which is running for around 40 years now, is a salad buffet - not normal salad of green leaves - but special home made salads made from countless ingredients like tabouleh, noodles, whole grain rice, leek, quinoa, soy, beans, wakame and a lot more. Some of them are warm and some are cold, you can also add sweet pastries or a slice of quiche to the meal. Everyday there are dozens of fresh salads and they are all fantastic!

Only a small number of salads has fish, so you can ask the friendly ladies to help you out if you want to avoid it.

You pay fixed price for a plate which can be refilled for free. There's one basic rule which says that you cannot share your meal with anyone else, otherwise you will have to pay double.

How to get there
To get to Nachalat Binyamin street, you can go all the way the Nachalat Binyamin pedestrian street, which is located on the intersection of Allenby with King George. The continuation of the pedestrian street in Nachalat Binyamin st.

* Tip: it's 10 NIS cheaper to do a take out than to eat there. You can scoop as much as you want, as long as everything fits into the aluminium container. And then of course you can share it with no problem.

Aroma

2009-07-25T15:18:00.000+03:00

Type: Cafe-Restaurant, Sandwiches, Snack
English menu: Yes
Average price: 20-33 NIS
Address: All over the city

If you are looking for a good snack on the way to somewhere, or just wanna relax a bit from your busy day, Aroma can be a nice place for that. With more than 20 branches in the city you'll definitely hit one on your way.

Their menu has different kinds of sandwiches, salads, coffee and other drinks, all very good in quality and amount. The prices of the sandwiches are relatively high, but it gets a little bit cheaper if you order your meal to take out. The salads are a good bargain, especially the "Israeli salad" and the Tuna salad, which are served with two slices of bread and butter (you can add chicken or Halloumi cheese too if you like).
Aroma specialty is the "Ice Aroma" - sweet ice coffee latte (you can also order it in the chocolate version) which is a nice refreshment in the middle of a hot day.

How to get there

Just look for the Aroma sign and you will stumble across one crowded intersection in the city.

Dizengoff Center Food Court

2009-07-20T18:19:00.000+03:00

Type: Food court, Multi-Cultural

English menu: No menu at all
Average price: 25-30 NIS per meal
Address: Dizengoff Center
Open: Thursdays 12:00-21:00; Fridays 10:00-16:00

The food court is divided into numerous stands. The stands have huge metal plates on which the sellers keep the food warm. You can take a peek before you order and some sellers let you taste before buying a whole plate. Most of the sellers speak English, otherwise you just point at what you want to eat and they scoop it on a plastic plate for you. The prices differ a lot, so ask how much each item is before you choose. Note that there aren't any seats but you can sit near the stairs.

For the meat lovers, we would recommend to eat at the Persian stand (on the 2nd floor near the escalator and sometimes in front of the Superpharm on the ground floor), where they sell kebabs, skewers, meatballs, stuffed vegs with meat, chicken legs. Try the rice before you add it to your portion, as they are not always tasty. The stand which sells tortillas with chicken or beef stew is also recommended. This stand also has vegetarian fillings, such as eggplant or bean stew. It is located in front of the DIY store.

If you rather want to eat a light lunch, you can try out the small sushi stand. The sushis aren't the best in town, but they are edible. The Druze stand can also be considered as 'light food' and is located near the entrance. The old lady there sells Druze pita (looks like a huge pancake) with fillings such as parsley, cream cheese, labane (some kind of white cheese). Otherwise you can take the stuffed cabbage with rice which is a special Druze delicacy.

The Food Court also sells drinks, fruit juices and lemonade. Next to the Persian stand you can buy almond 'juice' at the fruit stand. If you still feel like eating a desert, indulge yourself by going to the Poffertjes stand (Dutch mini pancakes) on the 2nd floor (or sometimes in front of the Superpharm) and order a portion with butter and maple syrup. It's a great way to end your tour at the Food Court.

Currently the food court is divided to two floors - the bottom and the 2nd floor.

How to get there
The Dizengoff center is located at the intersection of King George and Dizengoff streets. The food court is located at the east side, at the bottom floor and on the 2nd floor.

* Detail: There are water taps near the stands to wash your hands.

Cafe Tamar

2009-07-16T17:19:00.000+03:00

Type: Cafe-Restaurant, Snack, Sweets
English Menu: No menu at all
Average price: 18-25 NIS
Address: 57 Sheinken st.

Although it's not really a restaurant, the legendary Cafe Tamar can't be left unmentioned amongst all the others. Situated in the poshy and bustling Sheinken street, Cafe Tamar is runned by an old excentric lady called Sarah Stern, since the British Mandate. It used to attract all Tel Aviv celebrities here and today some still come.

Sarah will serve you her specialty: a bagel with cheese with olives and mashed tomatoes on the side. They also serve a good medium sized plate of Israeli salad (chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and parsley) and sweet pastries, like popseed cake, croissants and different kind of cookies.

How to get there
It's on Sheinken street on the intersection with Ahad Ha'am (on the side of the street which is closer to Rothschild blvd).

* Detail: on the wall behind the counter you will find caricatures of Sarah, made by the famous caricaturist Yaakov Zeev Farkash, who made caricatures and cartoons for 40 years in the Israeli Ha'Aretz newspaper. The fabulous drawings of "Sarah gone on vacation" were made every year at Passover holiday.

Kurtos/ Kiortosch

2009-07-16T09:46:00.001+03:00

Type: Bakery, Sweets
English menu: No
Average price: 22-25 NIS for one kurtos kalacs
Address: 39 Bograshov st.; 178 Dizengoff st.; 18 Lincoln st.

Kurtos (in Hebrew it is pronounced as "kiortosh") is a chain of bakeries that sells the Kurtos Kalacs - an Hungarian traditional flavored rolled pastry. You can watch the employees roll the kalacs dough on a wooden stick and then flavoring it with chocolate, nougat, nuts and dulce de leche, before putting it in the oven to gild. This place is quite popular among Tel Avivians who tend to bring the Kurtos Kalacs when they're invited to dinners (as hosts we personally would like to get the nougat). You can eat it there but is usually ordered as take out.

How to get there
Bograshov branch is next to Tverya st.
Dizengoff branch is a bit after Ben Gurion (facing north)

* Tip: Best eaten when it's just out of the oven!

Abu Hassan Hummus

2009-07-14T22:23:00.001+03:00

Type: Hummus, Middle Eastern food
English menu: No
Average price: 17 NIS
Address: Victor Hugo st., next to Yehuda Hayamit in Jaffa

You'll have to travel a short distance to reach this bustling local hummus place, which is located in the beautiful Jaffa/ Yafo. It's a known old family business which has always been a symbol of co-existence of Jews and Arabs.

Abu Hassan's hummus is absolutely by far THE BEST hummus you will eat. The taste and texture are perfect, and you can really taste an original chickpea flavor in it. No one knows what the secret recipe is, but it has to do with the amount of garlic, lemon and olive oil which are measured perfectly. We recommend on the Hummus Masabcha, which is the hummus with a special hot mixture, a bit spicy one. Abu Hasan also serves hummus with ful (broad beans), fries, falafel and salad.

At Fridays lunchtime (12:00-13:30), it is so busy that you are urged to finish the hummus faster in order to let other people sit. That's the time you should get there if you want to watch how the kitchen copes in peek hours (and you won't miss the family's loudness at this place then). For a more relaxing lunch, come in the mid week.

If you have been to Abu-Hassan, it's a good opportunity to try the nearby malabi place for dessert.

Open: Sun-Fri until 14:30.

How to get there
Take bus 25 and go down at Jerusalem Blvd. ("Shderot Yerushalayim") at "Yehuda Hayamit" station. Walk back couple of meters and take left to Yehuda Hayamit, and then another left to Victor Hugo st. Or just ask where Abu Hassan Hummus is and they will all know.

If you are coming from Tel Aviv's hotels area you can have a walk on the promenade all the way to Yafo (30-40 min).

* Detail: People from the Kurd-Iraqi region are severly allergic to ful and they are not allowed to eat it.

Sabbich Frishman

2009-07-14T18:21:00.000+03:00

Type: Filling pita, Middle Eastern food

English menu: no need
Average price: 17 NIS per meal
Address: On the corner of Dizengoff and Frishman
Open: every day until midnight, Friday until afternoon and on Saturday night

This local eatery is very popular among locals and always packed. You start with a pita (white or whole wheat), which is going to be stuffed with yummy ingredients. The basis is fried eggplans, egg and potato. Beyond that, you can add hummus, tehina, egg, parsley, onion, chopped cucumber and tomatoes and spicey sauces (like amba: a spicy sauce based on mango) - and no meat. we recommend to take all of it, as everybody does. You can take some pickles from the counter (refill is free).

The sabbich is such a hit in Israel that almost every hundred meter in the city you can find one (look for Hipo Organic Food on this blog for another tasty sabbich). As an Iraqi dish which was brought by Iraqi Jews to Israel, some still argue on the authentic meal and what it should contain - the potato, for example, belongs to the new version. Anyway, we believe the one on Frishman is the top notch sabbich and combine the ingredients in the best way.

Just for you to know, after eating one sabbich, you are full for hours. It's good if you don't feel like cooking dinner or you are planning a long day trip. If you mind calories - sabbich is around 800 calories, so fight the temptation to take another one right after.

If you think you won't like the sabbich, try the crispy fresh falafel of Frishman. This falafel stand is located right next to the sabbich. The delicious taste of the fried potato roll which they add to the falafel which will seduce you to come again soon.

How to get there
Go on Dizengoff till the crossroad with Frishman, which is next to the Dizengoff square.

Malabi Dajani

2009-07-13T10:38:00.001+03:00

Type: Dessert, Middle Eastern food
English menu: No
Average price: 11 NIS
Address: 94 Yerushalaim Blvd. in Jaffa

Malabi is a popular dessert in Israel which is made of milk and cream, jellified with cornstarch, and then sweetened on top with rose syrup, and some add nuts and coconut.

Maybe the best malabi you'll eat is in Malabi Dajani pit, which is running for three generations now and keeps attracting dozens of fans which are all addicted to his secret and magical recipe.
As Tel Avivians do, you can have the malabi for the finale of your hummus excursion at Abu-Hassan.

How to get there
Take bus 25 and go down at Jerusalem Blvd. ("Shderot Yerushalayim") 96 - on the corner of Erlich st. If you're coming from Abu-Hassan, go back to the boulevard, and then go the same direction of the bus you got there with until you get there.

Dubnov 8

2009-07-09T22:35:00.004+03:00

Type: Restaurant, International food
English menu: Yes
Average price: 40 NIS
Address: 8 Dubnov
Tel. number: 03-6968655

One of the nicest thing in this place is probably the great terras in front of the restaurant, where it's wonderful to sit in the summer to enjoy the cool evening breeze. You can also sit on the pleather like sofas inside the restaurant. It's recommended to make reservations beforehand.

The menu is quite various but you can't be too picky. They serve decent portions of pasta, green salads, hamburgers and chicken. If you don't feel like eating too much, but you want to feel full, order the pasta or salad. The hamburger is not too bad, but we know other places where they serve the best burgers in town. For those who want to be really full, we recommend to eat the sweet and spicey chicken wings, which are served with a small green salad and fries. You can finish with their creme brulee, which is one of the best in Tel Aviv!

How to get there
This semi-modern decorated restaurant is located at Dubnov 8. You can get to the street from Daniel Frish st., which is connected to Iben Gvirol (south of the London Ministore).

Click here to view Dubnov 8 location on the map

American Junk Food

2009-07-08T16:57:00.000+03:00

Any junk or fast food lovers? Although we would like to keep you away from it, here are the locations of popular fast/junk food companies in the city center of Tel Aviv.

McDonald's
1) Dizengoff Center, on the top floor, west side
2) Outside London Ministore (intersection of Iben Gvirol and Hanevi'im st.)
3) Azrieli shopping mall
4) Beginning of Rothschild blvd with the intersection of Allenby (McCafe)
5) Central bus station

KFC
1) In front of Bograshov beach, on the other side of the promenade

Pizza Hut
1) Dizengoff and Arlozorov intersection (go north on Dizengoff)

La Gaterie

2009-07-05T20:21:00.003+03:00

Type: Cafe, Croissant, Snack
English Menu: No
Average price: 20-30 NIS per croissant
Address: 184 Ben Yehuda st, 97 King George st.

La Gaterie ("the little treat" in French) is an unique concept of a francophile eatery. Their main dish is a home made croissant filled with a variety of cheeses, superb cold cuts and poached egg - combined as you wish. It's not really filling but absolutely delicious, so it's a good place to go when you feel moody or want to spoil yourself on your last day in Tel Aviv.

How to get there
Ben Yehuda is parallel to Dizengoff from the Dizengoff Square on (facing north). After you pass the square turn left to reach Ben Yehuda, take right and then go straight until you get there.

To the King George branch - located at the north part, next to the intersection with Zamenhoff st.

Benedict

2009-07-05T20:21:00.001+03:00

Type: Cafe-Restaurant, Breakfast Restaurant
English menu: Yes
Average price: 45-50 NIS
Address: 171 Ben Yehuda st., 29 Rothschild Blvd.

Why are all restaurants meant only for lunch and dinner? So Benedict tries to answer this question by providing a new concept: breakfast restaurant. They have around 10 rich breakfast sets which vary from each other, but they are all good. For a lighter breakfast you can have muesli, sandwiches or a shakshouka.

One great breakfast type, which the waiter will probably also recommend on, is the "Eggs Benedict": Two toasted brioches topped with poached eggs and Hollandaise. This New York style breakfast is delectable and the yummy pleasure will linger on for days. The best of this type is the "Florentin" - served with creamy spinach sauce, or the "Benedict Joe" - served with sweet-savory minced-meat topping.

Along with the breakfast you get a free drink, and a basket of warm buns with spreads which can be refilled all the time. To the breakfast you can add a lot: cheeses, bacon, sausages, spreads and etc., so you can create your own special breakfast.

Although just serving breakfasts, the place is open 24/7, and as usual for Tel Aviv it is quite full on Friday and Saturday lunch time and you'll have to queue up.

How to get there
Ben Yehuda 171 - Northern part of Ben Yehuda, next to the intersection with Jabotinsky st.
Rothschild 29 - At the beginning of Rothschild, next to intersection with Allenby.

Hamitbachon

2009-07-03T21:56:00.001+03:00

Type: Restaurant, Multi-Cultural food
English menu: Yes
Average price: 30-40 NIS
Address: 18 Rabi Akiva st.
Tel. Number: 03-5163689

Hamitbachon ("kitchenette" in Hebrew) is a nice and cozy restaurant that has a typical eclectic Israeli home made food: from Austrian Schnitzel, to the Balkanic Mousakka (eggplants and beef) to north African couscous, to Middle Eastern Mujaddara (rice and lentils), and finally to European quiches, lasagna and salads. But try the beef goulash or the chicken in tomato sauce. The Givech (rice with vegetables) is very much recommended, and so are the meatballs. There are many options for vegetarians too.

This place is located in a quiet place between the bustling Carmel market and Allenby street, and became a hang out place for native Tel Aviv people. Pick one of the starters and a main dish and enjoy watching bohemian Tel Aviv people having lunch or dinner, and then see them coming back to this area to one of the bars in the neighborhood at night.

How to get there
When you walk on Allenby on the right side of the market, try to find the place by going through the small streets on the left (you can go through Gedera st.).

Sabbich Deluxe

2009-07-03T16:51:00.000+03:00

Type: Local eatery, Sandwiches, Middle Eastern food
English menu: No
Average price: 15 NIS (pita); 25 NIS (plate)
Address: 67 Iben Gvirol

Eating a sabbich might seem very uncharming, because it's thick pita bread heavily stuffed with delicious vegetables and condiments. You might have thought that it would be easier to eat the ingredients on a plate. Well, Sabbich Deluxe is exactly the place to be then, as they in an unprecedented way gives you the option to eat the sabbich on a plate. Not only that, you can also add add rice and some other stuff. Oh, and the taste is great! (even if you eat it in a pita).

Imagine that you stuff all of this in a pita and try to eat it, now that is a mouthful! Besides the sabbich on plate, they also serve great sandwiches with chicken schnitzel or grilled beef or vegetarian sandwiches. They have bar-like seats outside, but note that these seats are always taken during lunch hours. It's a very popular place for people working in the area and having lunch there.

How to get there
Iben Gvirol 67 - It's on the intersection with Rabin square. If you come from north, go stright on Iben Gvirol and cross the square. You'll hit the place after couple of meters.

Dizi

2009-07-03T16:47:00.001+03:00

Type: Cafe-Restaurant, Vegetarian

English menu: Yes

Average price: 30-45 NIS

Address: Under Dizengoff square, next to the gas station, in front of the cinema

There are so many cafe restaurants here in Tel Aviv, that you must differentiate from others to be noticed. Dizi did this by combining the following services: DVD rental, laundry self-service, wifi internet and food - the ideal scene for the bachelors of Tel Aviv. This vegetarian cafe-restaurant has an easy going atmosphere and tasty vegetarian food.

The menu contains hot dishes, salads and salad-sandwiches (sandwiches stuffed with salad). The beetroot salad-sandwich is great. We also suggest to order the quinoa salad. For the hot dishes, the tofu balls with wheat and pungent Asian sauce is very much recommended and also the delicious lasagna with spinach and ricotta cheese. Who says that vegetarian food can't be tasty?!

How to get there

Go to the Dizengoff square, and go down the stairs where the cinema is located.

* Tip: When you order a salad-sandwich, tell them to put the salad aside and not on the sandwhch, otherwise you'll be eating soggy bread.

Max Brenner

2009-07-03T16:46:00.001+03:00

Type: Restaurant, Chocolate bar, International Food
English menu: Yes
Average price: 40-50 NIS
Address: 45 Rothschild Blvd.

If Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory was real, this would definitely be the place. Max Brenner is an Israeli quality chocolate brand branch, which serves plenty of delicate cakes, pancakes, milkshakes, choctails, crepes, waffles and truffles just as a normal dish. Although there's a nice savory menu too for lunch or dinner, a trip to this place is worthless without the experience of having a 'dessert dinner'. Chocolate addicts - beware, after Max Brenner you'll be a junky forever.

The menu is various and so tempting that it might take over 10 minutes to decide what to order. We advice to start with the thick and creamy Italian Chocolata as a starting drink. Then we recommend the "Chocolate Pizza" - a sweet hot pancake covered with chocolate chunks that melt on the pancake slowly but stimulate your tongue in a jiffy. Menus are changed from time to time for new things so it's worth checking it. If you are really impressed you can buy some of Max Brenner's products in the store inside.

Max Brenner is open all week from morning until the last customer. You might have to queue up during peak hours but it's worth waiting.

How to get there
It's located at the beginning of Rothschild Blvd, near the intersection with Allenby st. You can go there by walking down Allenby towards south or by walking all the way through Rothschild Blvd.

Dr. Sa'adia Falafel

2009-07-03T16:37:00.001+03:00

Type: Falafel, Middle Eastern food
English menu: No need
Average price: 15 NIS
Address: 45 King George st.

Dr. Sa'adia is the favourite falafel eatery of many Tel Avivians. His falafel balls are super tasty and hot right from the oil. You get your meal in a thick pita filled with hummus and fresh salads and hot sauce if you like.

How to get there
It's on King George st. next to the intersection with Bograshov.

Pinati

2009-07-03T15:24:00.001+03:00

Type: Local eatery, Middle Eastern food

English menu: Yes

Average price: 25 NIS
Address: 22 Bograshov st.

This famous Jerusalem origin Middle Eastern restaurant opened a branch in Tel Aviv and since then gained a lot of fans. Pinati has the typical Middle Eastern food like, skewers, couscous (yummy with kebab), hummus, mujaddara, but also pasta, schnitzel and beefballs.

But for something special, you should try the kubbeh soupKubbeh is a dumpling-like ball, made of semolina and stuffed with ground beef. The kubbeh balls are served in a light soury broth of celery, onions and zucchini or in red broth, which is made of beetroot. The sour broth is the most pungent (and also the most recommended) one, thanks to the combination of the zingyness of the lemon juice in the soup and the savory taste of the beef in the balls. This Iraqi-Kurdish dish is a hit and rarely found in the city center.
The main dishes are served with pita, tehina, pickled cucumbers and a sweet-spicy spread, all on the house.

How to get there
Go down on Bograshov. It is on the right side when you are facing the beach.

Roladin

2009-07-03T15:23:00.001+03:00

Type: Bakery, Sweets, Snack
English menu: No need
Address: See Below

There are just as many bakeries in Tel Aviv as there are cafes. The leading chain of bakeries is Roladin and their pastries are considered to have the highest quality. They are known for the savory pastries, like the quiches, but even more famous for their sweets - croissants, cakes, cookies and etc.

If you hit one of the cafe-restaurant version, you can also take some cafe food, like salads, pasta or sandwiches. But more often you will find some strolling tourists in Tel Aviv stopping by to have a coffee and one of their special desserts.

How to get there

Roladin has couple of branches:

1) 50 Dizengoff st. (on the block of Dizengoff center)

2) 45 Allenby

3) 24 Iben Gvirol

4) Azrieli center

* Tip: If you are happen to be in Israel around Hanukkah holiday, don't dare to miss their Sufgania - traditional pastry for Hanukkah. Don't let the long line of people scare you either.

Agadir

2009-07-03T15:22:00.004+03:00

Type: Restaurant, International food
English menu: Yes
Average price: 45-60 NIS
Address: 2 Nachalat Binyamin
Delivery: *5690 (Extension 1)

Agadir Burger is, together with Moses, the most popular burger diners.

We must say in line with the circulating rumour, they really have one of the best burgers in town. The beef is juicy and has the right texture.
A downside of Agadir's burger is that you have to order (and pay for) the side dishes seperately, like the fries and the salad, which adds to the bill. The fries aren't very special, just normal 'McDonald's' fries and we almost tend to recommend not to order the fries, but is a burger meal really complete without any?

Except burgers, they also have various appetizers, sandwiches, sausages and schnitzel. But we have only tried the chili sauce home fries.

How to get there
Nachalat Binyamin 2 is on the beginning of the pedestrian st., in the intersection of King George and Allenby.

Click here to view Agadir's location on the map

* Detail: Agadir's website has a cool gimmick: on its background are videos of people eating at the restaurant and at home. Take a look at: www.agadir.co.il

The Streets

2009-07-03T15:19:00.001+03:00

Type: Cafe-Restaurant, International food
English menu: Yes
Average price: 25-50 NIS
Address: 70 King George st.

The Streets is a popular cafe on King George st. and is open 24/7. They have a cosy terras where you enjoy the streetlife of Tel Aviv, and Tel Avivians like going there to see others and to be seen. A lot of laptop owners come to The Streets to do their thing and they often settle on the second floor where you have a cosy and quiet atmoshpere.

Now, how about the food? It's definitely one of the best places to eat high quality cafe food, touching the restaurant level. The salads are made of good fresh ingredients and the portions aren't small either, just the way we like it. The tuna salad is definitely a keeper. Also the mangold wurzel and cauliflower patties with yoghurt, the salmon with wild rice, the chicken escalope with creamy mustard sauce and the rice with meatballs and are highly recommended.

How to get there
On the corner of Dizengoff and Hanevi'im st. It's a bit norther of Dizengoff center when walking on King George.

China Court

2009-07-03T15:18:00.007+03:00

Type: Restaurant, Chinese
English menu: Yes
Average price: 70-80 NIS
Address: 14 Shalom Aleichem st. (corner of Ben Yehuda)

Tel Aviv's Chinese food still hasn't developed that much. China Court also misses the Asian bustling atmosphere and noise which are typical for Chinese restaurants outside Israel. Yet this place is considered as the most authentic one (food wise) by Chinese people who live in Tel Aviv.

China Court has the usual Chinese menu - eggrolls, chicken, beef, pork, duck, seafood and vegetables cooked with different sauces. Like many other Chinese restaurants, this place also uses ready-made sauces, so don't expect too much. We do like to recommend on the lemon chicken, pancake duck (fried duck served with a sauce and pancakes to roll it), Szechuan tofu and the broccoli (which is a bit pricey but good).

How to get there
You can go down on Bograshov (which is connected to King George) and then turn left on Ben Yehuda, it's in front of the El-Al building (15 min walk). If you are on Allenby, Ben Yehuda is connected to it, so keep on going straight until you get there.

Moses

2009-07-03T15:18:00.001+03:00

Type: Restaurant, International food, Hamburger
English menu: Yes
Average price: 50-70 NIS
Address: 35 Rothschild Blvd.;
293 Dizengoff st. (MosesStation)
Delivery Tel.: *9449 (also in English)

If you are looking for a fine meat diner in a relaxing atmosphere, you should go to Moses. In spite of being located at busy Rothschild boulevard, the noise doesn't penetrate the glass walls of the nice terras.

Moses is especially known for it's mouthwatering hamburger. For Tel Avivians, Moses and Agadir are on the top of the burger dining. You can choose between a classic ground beef hamburger or a mixture of beef and lamb (called "art-burger") and get all the great sauces you need, and add fries, salads, fried onion and etc. as side dishes. The salads are big enough for 2-3 people (the red cabbage one fits the hamburger well). For good dining, pick one of the special (but a bit pricy) grill and pan dishes. Moses also has vegetarian burgers made of tofu.

Moses has special promotions for their gala dish - the art-burger - from midnight on. At Moses restaurant you can get it for half price; at MosesStation you get the Art-burger and a sidedish for 33 NIS. FYI: MosesStation has less variety than Rothschild branch, and designed more like a modern diner rather than a restaurant.

But if you rather feel like eating something more simple but good, cross the street and eat great hummus at Asli.

How to get there
Rothschild branch is near the intersection of Rothschild with Allenby, can be reached with bus no. 5. MosesStation is near the northern end of Dizengoff st.

* Detail: the only way to get to the restrooms in the Moses restaurant is by taking the elevator.

Goocha

2009-07-03T15:17:00.007+03:00

Type: Restaurant, Seafood
English menu: Yes
Average price: 70 NIS
Address: 171 Dizengoff st., 14 Iben Gvirol

Goocha is a modern chic seafood restaurant that is worth a visit if you're looking for palatable seafood with appetizing side dishes. Goocha has mainly a typical Israeli seafood menu, but its sauces and cooking are quite different and unique. For example, you can have seafood mix topped with coconut milk, curry and coriander sauce, or shrimps cooked with ginger and honey.

Besides seafood they also have pastas, delicious gnocchi, entrecote, hamburger and chicken. Don't miss out on the yummy appetizers, of which the green papaya salad is highly recommended. The only flaw of the place is that the desserts are a bit too simple. The tarte tatin is one of the better ones.

The Dizengoff branch has a terras where it's nice to sit outside in the summer and watch the passing dogs and owners on the boulevard in front. There's also a terrace at the Iben Gvirol branch, but it doesn't have the nice touch and feel of the Dizengoff branch. Sunday to Thursday, 12:00-16:00, you can have a business meal that offers one appetizer and soft drink for 10 NIS (with a main dish).

How to get there

Go north on Dizengoff until you hit the intersection with Ben Gurion and you are there.

For the branch on Iben Gvirol you go on Dizengoff (when the Dizengoff square is on your back) until you reach Iben Gvirol, then cross the road and take right.

Walking directions on the map, from Dizengoff Center:
171 Dizengoff branch
14 Iben Gvirol branch

Iceberg Ice Cream

2009-07-03T15:17:00.005+03:00

Type: Ice cream
English menu: No need
Average price: 18 NIS for two scoops
Address: see branches below

Iceberg is one of the best ice creams in Tel Aviv and considered by many Tel Avivians as their favourite one. Iceberg has many kinds of flavors to choose from. We can try to help you out by recommending on the banana pecan, classic vanilla, orange sorbet and the Belgian chocolate (well you can never miss with the last one). But who buys ice cream without trying it out first?

:-)

How to get there
Iceberg has couple of branches:

1) 108 Ben Yehuda (A bit south of the intersection with Ben Gurion blvd)
2) In the port, in the fountain square (a bit hard to find, but there they also have pizza, pasta and other desserts)
3) Allenby and Rothschild intersection

4) 24 Iben Gvirol (you go on Dizengoff and then take left to Iben Gvirol)

Abu Dabi Hummus

2009-07-03T15:17:00.003+03:00

Type: Hummus, Middle Eastern food
English menu: No
Average price: 17 NIS
Address: 81 King George st.

The rasta sign and boombastic reggae music in this place are hard to miss at the noisy King George st, and also because of the line of people that are waiting, especially on Fridays. The hummus here is tasty and you will want some more all the time (see detail below).

Unfortunately not everything is equally tasteful, for example their masabcha is quite bitter and too thick compared to other hummus places, so the plain hummus plate is the recommended dish. The fries are quite greasy and soft, maybe not like how everybody likes it. They also have nice falafel and a simple vegetable salad.

How to get there
It's on King George 1 minute walk from Dizengoff center. Next to the intersection with Bar Giyora st.

* Detail: you can have seconds and thirds of hummus at Abu Dabi for free, it's part of their service. Also the sweetened black coffee after your meal is on the house.

Israeli Pizza - Agvania and Tony Vespa

2009-07-03T15:16:00.005+03:00

Tel Aviv has good local pizzas. We picked two special pizza chains in Tel Aviv.

Pizza Agvania
This means "tomato pizza" in Hebrew. This chain is known for their thin pizza, topped with different vegetables and tomato sauce. It's quite yummy and worth a shot (one slice is around 13-15 NIS).

Branches:
1) Sheinkin street (Sheinkin is next to the intersection of King George and Allenby)
2) Dizengoff Center (one of the top floors, next to the path between the two parts of the mall)
3) Azrieli center
4) Down on the left next to the Dizengoff Square, if you're heading towards the beach
5) 88 Iben Gvirol (in front of London Ministore)

Tony Vespa
Tony Vespa pizzas are long and rectangular shaped pizzas. You choose the size of the slice you want and pay according to the weight (it's a about 20 NIS for a satisfying slice). This way you can try many different toppings on your slice - vegetarian, cheeses, coldcuts, bacon and etc. Some pizzas are tasty but some of them lack the edgy bite. We recommend on the vegi mushroom pizza with toppings like vegetables and arugula, or the cheesy pizza. This place open until late in the night and Israelis like to go there after a night of clubbing.

Branches:
1) 140 Rothschild Blvd (across to Habima theater)

2) 267 Dizengoff st. (northern part of Dizengoff)

Hertzel

2009-07-02T18:24:00.003+03:00

Type: Sandwich, Local eatery

English menu: No need
Average price: 20 NIS
Address: 53 King George st.

You can easily pass this small sandwich place without even having noticing it. Hertzel - the owner - renovated to a modern look a while ago and has a sign hanging outside now, but you'll probably still skip the place if you don't know about it.

Don't be misled by the appearence. Hertzel sells good home made sandwhices, made according to your wish. It varies from cold cuts, yellow cheeses, cream cheeses, white cheeses, eggplant salad to homemade omelet with vegetables. Hertzel isn't stingy on you with the ingredients, so you can count on it that you'll get a stuffed and filling sandwich.

The 'backyard' is being used as the seats of the house, mind that it's not very luxurious but it's clean and good enough to sit and relax.

How to get there
It's just outside the exit of west side of Dizengoff center on King George. Go 20 meters right towards Bugrashov st. and you'll find it.

Vaniglia Ice Cream

2009-07-02T18:22:00.006+03:00

Type: Ice cream

English menu: No need
Average price: 18 NIS for 2 scoops
Address: 98 Iben Gvirol st., 33 Bograshov st., Dizengoff center (bottom floor); 267 Dizengoff st.; 22 Ishtori HaParchi st (Basel Compound)

Vaniglia probably has the best ice-cream in Tel Aviv and you will want to taste everything there - which is quite possible considering their vast flavors assortment. The combinations such as camomille with vanilla or vanilla ginger are just an example on how adventurous they can get. But besides wild experiences, highly recommended are the fruit sorbet flavors, such as the mango, melon and plum. These are the best in this joint. If you don't mind the calories and you're not afraid to go all-the-way creamy, try the pistachio, chocolate or the yoghurt with pine nuts.

If you want eat in you can go inside to a small, airconditioned and quiet niche. You can also get ice cream takeout - A container of 1 kg is 77 NIS and you can choose 5-6 flavors.

How to get there
Iben Gvirol - Iben Gvirol just a bit further from Rabin square when you face north. For the Bograshov branch, go towards the sea on the right side, it should be somewhere in the middle. For Dizengoff branch just go north, it's where Dizengoff st. intersects with Yirmiyahu. Basel - take right on Basel st. from Dizengoff, than go straight till you hit the cafe's area, then take right.

La Goffre

2009-07-02T18:22:00.003+03:00

Type: Cafe-Restaurant, Waffles
English menu: Yes
Average price: 30-45 NIS
Address: 84 Iben Gvirol

Craving for something sweet but lasting? Go to La Goffre for an amazing Belgian waffle (the word is derived from the word 'gauffre' which means "waffle" in French). You can add as much ingredients as you want (and pay for it too) on top of the already great tasting waffle. They have toppings like voluptuous butterscotch, delicious chocolate (white, milk, dark), cream, vanilla ice cream, sweetened pecan nuts (very much recommended), chocolate sauce, cream cheese, halva, ice cream and etc.

You can literally go bananas with the toppings, but it is recommended to take it easy - less is more. The best combination is the nutella spread, bananas, pecan nuts, melted white chocolate sprinkles and a scoop of ice cream.

Before the waffle, you can pick one of their savory dishes, of which the quiches are quite good. But this waffle is so amazingly good that you might want to order a second one even before you finished the first... but instead of getting yourself nauseous, just come back some other day. Maybe on the last day before your flight from Tel Aviv.

How to get there
On Iben Gvirol next to Rabin square.

Hipo Organic Food

2009-07-02T18:22:00.001+03:00

Type: Organic vegetarian, Middle Eastern food

English menu: No
Average price: 16 NIS
Address: 64 Iben Gvirol

If you are an environmental conscious and an organic food lover, this is the place to be. Hipo Organic Food uses organic ingredients including the the oil in which they deep fry the falafel and eggplants for the sabbich.

This place mainly serves sabbich, falafel and hummus, and you can add different salads, vegetables and sauces at the buffet style stand (try the spicy parsley). The organic part makes the food much tastier, especially the hummus. If you go there we recommend to take the sabbich which is awesome and one of the better ones in Tel Aviv.

How to get there

It's on the corner of Iben Gvirol and Zaitlin, next to Rabin Square.

Burekas Amikam

2009-07-02T18:20:00.006+03:00

Type: Snack, Middle Eastern food

English menu: No menu
Average price: 15 NIS
Address: 21 Iben Gvirol

Open: everyday 24hrs, Friday closed in the afternoon and Saturday open at night.

Burekas Amikam sells Burekas - That is, phyllo dough pastry puffs stuffed with cheese, potato and vegetables, served with pickled cucumber, hard boiled egg and a spicy sauce. The result is just delicious and eating it is a complete relish (we recommend on the cheese and spinach one).

New burekas are baked all the time, that's why sometimes you have to wait a bit. But it's definitely worth the wait. It is a great mid-day snack, or after a night of clubbing and drinking (as Israelis clubbers do).

How to get there
It's next to corner of Iben Gvirol by Dizengoff. You can go up on Dizengoff (with your back to the Dizengoff square) and then go down till you get to Iben Gvirol. Go couple of meters to the right and you are there.