Bet Ha Hummus

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

Erez Yemen Quarter

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

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).

Bahadonas

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.

Abu Marwan

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

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.

Grilled chicken of Shimon

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

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

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.

Asli Hummus

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.

Odelia

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.

Buddha Burgers

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.

Aroma

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

American Junk Food

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)