Feeding Frenzy
By: Roye Salomon
Eating out in Tel Aviv
“Eat and drink for tomorrow you may die”
-Old Jewish Proverb
It would be deceptive to call Israeli’s big eaters. We are huge on eating. Maybe it’s in the climate, perhaps in our heritage, but we love to eat. We are picky as to quality but liberal with our tastes, adventurous with spices and lavish in portions. The result of this anthropology is a myriad of restaurants, serving to all budgets, tempers and whims. Personally, I’m a tragic case of low budget –high palette, making each restaurant outing a festival.
First, what do we eat here? Later, you can find some recommendations and an idea of how much it will cost you. The price range (PR) for each restaurant is per person (pp) for an evening meal with drinks but not including alcohol or wine.
| Israeli cuisine is about ethnic food. About the mix of flavors from the east and west. |
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First and foremost the Israeli cuisine is about ethnic food. Israel is a melting pot of different cultures and nationalities, and there is no better a way to enjoy this diversity than tasting it. |
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The Arabs, Druze and Bedouins have a long tradition of mouth watering dishes. If you should chance upon a Chafla (gala meal) you are in for an amazing treat. These cuisines grew out of the local produce and use lamb meat, fresh garden herbs (mint, parsley, coriander…) and fresh vegetables to create mouth watering dishes. Usually they serve many small tapas like salads at the beginning, followed with spit roasted meats and rice dishes. Here are a few musts: Humus (see Humus Hunters), Labane (a cold, sour tasting cheese), Shishkabab (squewered meat), Tahina (sesame seed sauce), Full (Well cooked fava beans), Pita bread (a stroke of genius), Arab salad (finely cut fresh vegetables and herbs), Baklava and Kenafeh (traditional deserts), Black Arab coffee.
Other Middle Eastern food was brought here by Jews who arrived from Morocco, Algiers, Libya, Persia, Yemen etc... These cuisines are each unique in its style and spicing. Try the Persian rice dishes, the Tripoli style cuscus & Mufrum (meat and potato patties in sauce). A Moroccan Tajin (chicken cooked with dried fruits) is a splendid respite from western food. The Yemenite kitchen is proudly presented with the Melawach (baked filo leaves served with tomato sauce) and the Saturday morning favorite, Gachnun (surprise yourself).
The immigrants coming from Europe have brought with them their tastes and restaurants.
Tel-Aviv is a great place to find Eastern European and Jewish food (Just like grandma makes). So if you fancy Gefilte Fish or some chopped liver you’re in for a treat. Romanian and Bulgarian restaurants serving good meat (and usually a lot to drink!!) are a good place to experience a different ambiance. Jaffa, as the crown queen for the Jewish Bulgarians, hosts many small Bulgarian and Romanian restaurants. |
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| Tel-Aviv is a great place to find Eastern European and Jewish food (Just like grandma makes). |
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Many restaurants have adopted a fusion style cooking, well represented in Tel Aviv's cafe culture. Here you can find a mixture of the Mediterranean cuisines using the local spices and produce, but with a hint of the old Continental cooking.
As to fast food, all the major international food chains have outlets in Israel. So for those who lose confidence when there is no MacDonald’s in sight, rest easy. For those who want to taste Israel’s best I present to you the two pillars of Israeli cuisine: Falafel and Humus.
Check out the falafel scene here
Check out the humus scene here
Where to go eating--->

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