Tel Aviv’s unique blend of street foods, vegetarian eateries, charming cafes and multi-ethnic restaurants is turning it the city into an international mecca for food lovers
By Nosson Shulman: Licensed Tour Guide of VIP Israel Tours & Authentic Virtual Tours (click here to check out his free trailer videos)
Tel Aviv has just been ranked #6, by the prestigious US based travel magazine “Food and Travel”, in their ranking of the best culinary cities in the world. Only Palermo (Italy), Chania (Crete), Vienna (Austria), San Sebastian (Spain) and Marseille (France) ranked higher.
Well-travelled food enthusiasts will not be surprised by Tel Aviv’s high grade. Due to the fact that almost all of the vegetables and fruit consumed in Israel are locally grown, and the travel time from farm to table is low (often the same day), the food is fresh. In fact, the city calls itself the vegan capital of the world with at least 255 veggie friendly restaurants. They even have Domino Pizza stores which serve animal free menus.
Unbelievably, though Tel Aviv has some very nice, high end restaurants, what sets this city apart is its street food. The city abounds with Falafel stands, mom and pop Shawarma joints, tiny Shakshuka (an egg, tomato sauce and cheese dish popular in Israel) eateries, and more which tourists can’t get enough of. Of course, no discussion of Tel Aviv’s fast-food scene is complete without mentioning the trendy Carmel Market. One tourist said the simple dishes served in these places are so good, it hurts.
Since its creation in 1948, Israel has absorbed millions of Jewish immigrants from far flung places of the world like Morocco, Russia, Iraq, Persia, Georgia, Italy, Turkey, Ethiopia, India and many others. These immigrants brought their culinary traditions, spices, and family recipes with them to Israel, giving diners in Tel Aviv a plethora of dining options. Of the restaurants serving traditional, ethnic food, perhaps the most popular are the ones found in the Yemenite Jewish neighborhood of the city. Many of their menu options include secret family recipes which have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries.
Tel Aviv is also a European style café city with a distinct Israeli flavor and because of its proximity to the Mediterranean, fresh fish is found in abundance.
This is not the first time Tel Aviv has made the cut. In December 2019, the coastal city was ranked 9th, by the BBC, as the best place in the world for foodies.
Nosson Shulman is a journalist and Licensed Tour Guide in Israel specializing in Biblical tours. To allow tourists to experience Israel during the Corona era, he created the new hit Israel tour video series which brings Israel to the home of viewers by simulating actual tours. To check out his free sneak preview tour videos, click here.
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