Thursday, March 28, 2024 -
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B’Teavon

In the year and a half I’ve lived in Tel Aviv, I have yet to encounter a bad meal . . . seriously. I know it sounds pretty unbelievable, but my taste buds have never been disappointed after eating out in this great city.

Tel Aviv, like all cosmopolitan cities, is divided into geographical areas:

  • North Tel Aviv:

Having lived on Basel Street for about six months, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for this upscale, trendy part of the city. The Basel area itself boasts many nice restaurants, including Café Basel, Ze Sushi, and one of my all-time favorites for Friday morning brunch, Lola.

In addition, north Dizengoff is home to Atnachta, a fabulous, eclectic, and inexpensive café, which means “short break” in Aramaic; Movie-ing, a combination café/DVD-rental store; and further down, on Dizengoff and Ben-Gurion, Goocha is a delicious, somewhat pricey seafood restaurant. The port is also a must-see in terms of restaurants: beachy, trendy, bohemian cafes line the ocean, providing a breathtakingly beautiful scene for a romantic dinner.

  • Central Tel Aviv:

Central Tel Aviv is a blast. Crowded, noisy, and jam-packed with people, shops and restaurants, this area truly has so much to offer. Brasserie on Ibn Gvirol is a favorite among many Tel Avivans, featuring French cuisine 24-hours a day.

My absolute favorite sushi restaurant in all of Israel is Moon on Bograshov.

Of course, Sderot Rotschild is also home to numerous culinary delights, including Rustico for Italian and Moses for Tel Aviv’s best burger.

  • South Tel Aviv:

South Tel Aviv — the area known as Florentine — is growing by the day, representing a gentrified mosaic of artistic, bohemian living.

Cafés, bars, and great restaurants line the streets of this popular area, including some great vegan, organic spots.

A really fun bar-restaurant with great décor and live music is Bugsy.

Also, I have yet to go but I hear rave reviews about Nanuchka, a Georgian cultural experience offering meats, sweets and other fare from that region.

  • Neve Tzedek:

Neve Tzedek is truly one of my favorite areas in all of Tel Aviv. The main street is Shabazi, and if you blocked out the Hebrew, you would most definitely think you were in Spain, Portugal, or an Italian coastal town.

The area is European and classy, filled with art galleries, great shopping and the famous Suzanne Dalal Center.

A few fabulous restaurants that I highly recommend are Noa, Café Suzanna and Café Mia.

And if you are looking for a unique and truly gorgeous boutique hotel, I think Hotel Nina is the best in Tel Aviv for a quiet stay.

This represents a mere snapshot of the numerous fine-dining experiences in this funky city. And of course, you cannot leave Tel Aviv without tasting the always fresh and succulent catch of the day in Jaffa.

B’Teavon!




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