Tel Aviv Itineraries

Under the radar in Tel Aviv

Wed, 17 May 2023 12:34:36 -0400

Tel Aviv’s diverse historical neighborhoods offer an abundance of surprises for the eyes, the palate, and the mind.

Founded on sand dunes in 1909, Tel Aviv has reinvented itself for the 21st century as the epicenter of Israel’s dynamic high-tech industry. Sleepy city-center districts, once known primarily for their aging Bauhaus (International Style) buildings – which earned the city coveted UNESCO World Heritage status – have been transformed into hotspots for drinking, dining, strolling, and astronomical real estate prices. We focus on four parts of Tel Aviv that personify the city’s unique energy and creativity.

Rothschild Boulevard

A radical architectural style known as Bauhaus was brought to Tel Aviv in the 1930s by German-Jewish architects fleeing the Nazis. Characterized by clean horizontal lines, balanced asymmetry, rounded balconies, vertical ‘thermometer’ windows in the stairwells, and an almost total lack of ornamentation, Tel Aviv’s Bauhaus buildings – some 4,000 of them – constitute the most extensive ensemble of such modernist structures in the world. Many of the finest are along Rothschild Boulevard and its cross-streets, making the area ideal for aimless wandering. Or stop for a delicious bite at one of the upmarket restaurants, chic cafes, and food kiosks that line this tree-lined thoroughfare, one of Tel Aviv’s most prestigious addresses.

Where to see Bauhaus buildings

The best way to get a feel for the streamlined, curvaceous Bauhaus aesthetic is to stroll along Rothschild Boulevard southward from Habima Square, taking time to explore side streets such as Ahad Ha’am, Balfour, Mazeh, and Nachmani. For background, stop by the Bauhaus Center (77 Dizengoff Street).

Tel Aviv Port

The single 1930s crane at the Tel Aviv Port hasn’t unloaded cargo since the 1960s, but the area – saved from real estate development two decades ago – is now a vibrant nightlife precinct. Its restaurants line the basin where small merchant ships once moored, nightclubs and stores stay open on Saturday (the Jewish day of rest), and there’s a food market that occupies repurposed warehouses. A 3.5-acre Tabebuia wooden deck runs along the seawall – great for kids to run around and play on, as are the playgrounds, including a mini-zipline, up by the Yarkon River.

Where to stroll

From the fine sand of Metzitzim Beach, protected by a wave break that lets you stroll among the swells, walk north via the docking basin and the deck all the way to the Yarkon River Estuary. From there, paths head southeast along both banks of the river to grassy Park HaYarkon, Tel Aviv’s version of New York’s Central Park.

Ibn Gabriol Street

Long considered one of Tel Aviv’s ugliest thoroughfares, Ibn Gabirol Street has reinvented itself as a long food court. Between the city’s highly regarded Cinematheque and, 1.7 miles to the north, the Yarkon River and Park HaYarkon, scores of open-front eateries, trendy cafes, and sit-down restaurants sell everything from Israeli street-food classics such as falafel and shwarma, wood-fired pizza, and gourmet hamburgers, to scrumptious breads and pastries. For a sweetener, have a glass of freshly squeezed juice or savor the gelato, available in an array of dazzling flavors, at half a dozen ice-cream shops. At about the midpoint stands vast Rabin Square, the public plaza where Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated at a peace rally in 1995. The thoroughfare is great for a stroll even when it’s hot or rainy, thanks to the arcades sheltering both sidewalks.

Where to eat

For a gourmet twist on old Israeli favorites, drop by Miznon Eyal Shani (23 Ibn Gabirol Street). Just north of Rabin Square, the chic Gan Ha’Ir shopping mall hosts food stalls on Tuesday and Friday (10am to 3pm).

Sarona

Founded in 1871 by devout German Pietists known as Templers (not to be confused with the Knights Templar, whose architecture can be visited in the northern Israeli city of Acre), the European-style complex of Sarona is truly an oasis within the city. Explore the beautifully landscaped complex with 33 restored Templer structures that play host to cafes, shops, and festivals. The area is a must see for those who want to indulge themselves in the heart of the culinary arts scene at the Sarona Market, the largest enclosed market featuring over 90 shops and eateries for every palate and is a hugely popular destination for family outings.

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A Taste of Tel Aviv

Wed, 17 May 2023 12:36:21 -0400

From open-air markets piled high with fresh produce to gourmet canteens featuring “new Israeli cuisine,” Tel Aviv is a foodie paradise.

Tel Aviv’s dynamic culinary scene is always evolving as top chefs try out new combinations of ingredients, spices and cooking techniques, some brought by Jewish immigrants from six continents, others inspired by the Arab cuisines of the Levant. Incredibly fresh, locally-grown products (including the most delicious tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet peppers you’ve ever tasted) serve as the foundation on which modern Israeli cuisine is based – whether traditional, fusion, or avant-garde. Middle Eastern-style meals often start with a selection of salatim (mezze-style appetizers), almost all of them vegetarian.

A taste of tradition

With warm weather, bright Mediterranean sun, abundant public spaces, and smallish apartments, Israelis spend lots of time in public spaces – and it’s outside, in the fresh air, that they often eat. One result of this lifestyle is that Tel Aviv is a street-food lover’s paradise. Some of the tastiest nibblies, prepared in seconds while you wait, are served piping hot at tiny open-front restaurants with sidewalk seating.

For falafel with exactly the right balance between tender and crunchy, head to HaKosem (1 Shlomo HaMelekh Street), famous for handing out free falafel balls to everyone in line. Also on the menu: excellent shawarma, hummus, and refreshing pink lemonade. For the Iraqi-Jewish answer to falafel, try Sabich Frishman (42 Frishman Street), situated just off Tel Aviv’s most storied thoroughfare, Dizengoff Street. And if you’re in the mood to scoop up luscious hummus with super-fresh pita, you can’t beat Abu Hassan (1 Ha-Dolphin Street), in the Ajami neighborhood of the ancient port of Jaffa, now a mixed Arab-Jewish part of the city.

Working-class matrons looking for a bargain and foodie hipsters rub shoulders along the narrow streets of Carmel Market (along Ha-Carmel St), Tel Aviv’s largest food market, where stalls are piled high with the finest fruits, vegetables, cheeses, fish, meats, baked goods, and Middle Eastern sweets the city has to offer. The adjacent low-rise neighborhood, known as Kerem HaTeimanim, because it was originally settled by Jews from Yemen, is sprinkled with no-frills eateries specializing in ethnic cuisines. Carmel Market is just a few blocks from Tel Aviv’s beachfront promenade, making it ideal for a picnic – or a hearty meal of chicken schnitzel, fish, or seafood, washed down with an ice-cold Maccabi beer, at an on-the-beach restaurant such as Manta Ray (4 Nahum Goldmann Street).

Five must-try dishes

From falafel to shakshuka, these are the classic local dishes to make sure you try in Tel Aviv’s restaurants and markets.

Falafel The Israeli version stuffs crisp, steaming-hot falafel balls (deep-fried chickpeas), hummus, and finely diced cucumbers and tomatoes into a pita pocket topped with tahini (sesame sauce), amba (Iraqi-Jewish pickled mango sauce), and s’chug (Yemenite hot sauce).

Sabich This Iraqi-Jewish classic brings together fried eggplant slices, a hard-boiled egg, boiled potatoes, and diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and parsley, all in a pita pocket, topped with tangy amba and creamy tahini.

Shawarma Chicken, turkey, or lamb roasted vertically on a cylindrical spit is packed into a pita along with hummus and chopped veggies, cucumber, and tomato, and then topped with tahini, s’chug and, in many places, French fries.

Shakshuka Brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews, this hearty dish is made by poaching eggs on a bed of simmering, cumin-spiced tomatoes, onions, and green peppers. Superb for breakfast – or at any time of the day.

Freshly squeezed fruit juice Kiosks along Tel Aviv’s shaded avenues, including Ben-Gurion and Rothschild Boulevards, squeeze and press fresh oranges, grapefruits, pomegranates, and carrots while you watch. Also on offer: limonana, fresh lemonade with freshly picked mint leaves, called nana in Hebrew.

A taste of the future

Israeli cuisine has been making quite a splash in places such as London, New York, and Singapore as trailblazing chefs from Israel have opened flagship restaurants and published bestselling cookbooks. But to experience contemporary Israeli dining at its best, the place to be is Tel Aviv, where new ideas are continually taste-tested on the city’s discerning diners. At many restaurants, dishes are designed to be shared with your dining companions.

One contemporary trend is to feature indigenous vegetable varieties, locally raised meat and just-landed seafood prepared with Mediterranean herbs, and freshly ground Middle Eastern spices. A mainstay of culinary innovation for more than a decade, Ha’Achim (26 Ibn Gabirol Street) serves grilled meats (such as juicy shish kebab and succulent spring chicken) – a perennial favorite in this part of the world – as well as grilled fish and seasonal heritage vegetables, including kohlrabi, artichoke, and Arab cabbage. At Yaffo-Tel Aviv (98 Yigal Alon Street), celebrity chef Haim Cohen is known for using fresh seasonal ingredients – that’s why the menu changes daily – to create innovative seafood and pasta dishes, as well as and his own versions of Arab dishes such as shish barak (ravioli stuffed with ground meat and cooked in yoghurt).

If it’s Tel Aviv cool you’re looking for, try Port Sa’id (5 Har Sinai), in an alleyway off bustling Allenby Street. This is where iconic chef Eyal Shani serves his distinctive renditions of Middle Eastern classics that spotlight locally sourced ingredients. Hipsters come for the vibe, the bar, and the establishment’s first-rate collection of vinyl.

Been there, done that: off-the-beaten-track experiences in Tel Aviv

Wed, 17 May 2023 14:49:10 -0400

Tel Aviv has much to offer visitors besides great food and miles of fine sand, lapped by the warm waters of the Mediterranean.

Like any true global city, Tel Aviv is a patchwork of ever-evolving neighborhoods, each with its own vibe, public spaces, cultural attractions, and establishments that serve up a wide variety of drinks, nibbles, and cuisines. With such a rich urban tapestry stretching for miles around, every resident of Tel Aviv has their favorite spots to watch the sunset, window-shop, grab a coffee, or take a leisurely weekend stroll. We have chosen six Tel Aviv experiences that locals often recommend to friends from abroad.

GET SOME SAND BETWEEN YOUR TOES

Beachfront Stroll – Classic Tel Aviv

After grabbing a bite – or at least a coffee – at the Tel Aviv Port dining and nightlife area, walk south along the waterfront to family-friendly Metzitzim Beach. Continue to Hilton Beach (named after the hotel on the bluff above) and climb up the ramp to Independence Park for panoramic views, then return to the seafront promenade and continue south to the yacht marina and the adjacent saltwater Gordon Pool. Above the cement parking garage is Atarim Square, a Brutalist-style architectural fiasco from the 1970s that locals love to hate, in part because it cuts the seafront off from Ben-Gurion Boulevard. From there, the promenade parallels a series of hugely popular, breakwater-protected beaches. Bugrashov Beach is across the street from London Garden, where a prow-shaped memorial commemorates British Mandate-era ‘illegal’ immigration by Jews fleeing persecution in Europe. For some light refreshment, pick a table at one of the nearby on-the-sand cafes.

Beachfront Stroll – Out into the Dunes

From the northern edge of the Tel Aviv Port, cross the Yarkon River Estuary on pedestrians-only Wauchope-Reading Bridge and continue north past Reading Power Station, built in the late 1930s on the site of a Neo-Assyrian fortress from the late eighth-century BCE. An arched pedestrian bridge takes you to the site of Sde Dov Airport, which closed in 2019 so its incredibly valuable land can be used for luxury housing. North of there is Tel Baruch Beach, a perfect spot for a snack or a meal (or a bathroom break). Further north, HaTzuk Beach goes all the way to the Herzliya marina.

FINE ARTS AND LOCAL CRAFTS

Tel Aviv Museum of Art

This is the best place in Tel Aviv to discover the compelling riches of modern Israeli art and the country’s vibrant contemporary arts scene. A stroll through the cool galleries will also take you to canvases by world-class icons of modern art and Impressionism, such as Chagall, Dubuffet, Kandinsky, Klimt, Monet, and Renoir. Here, you can also take in sculptures by Giacometti, and compelling works of photography and drawing. The auditoriums host concerts, plays, and films.

Nahalat Binyamin Arts and Crafts Fair

Some 200 local artisans sell their incredibly original creations, all handmade, along pedestrianized Nahalat Binyamin Street. One of the city’s very first streets, it is lined with Eclectic-style buildings from the 1920s. A great place to find gifts for friends back home, the fair features jewelry, ceramics, woodwork, stained glass, and toys. You’ll also find some of the world’s most colorful Jewish ritual objects (mezuzahs, kiddush cups, menorahs, and candlesticks). Open every Tuesday and Friday, and on the intermediate days of some Jewish holidays, it’s situated just around the corner from Carmel Market.

TAKE A STROLL THROUGH HISTORY

A walk through Jaffa

On the coast just south of Tel Aviv, Jaffa was mentioned in Egyptian papyri as far back as the 15th-century BCE – and, according to the Bible, it was from here that the prophet Jonah set sail to his fateful encounter with the whale. The city was almost entirely rebuilt in the 19th century after being captured and ransacked by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799. From the Ottoman-era Clock Tower (HaSha’on Square), built in 1903, walk past Mahmoudiya Mosque (4 Ruslan Street) and then up the hill to Abraham Garden to enjoy panoramic views of Tel Aviv. The Franciscan St Peter’s Church (Kedumim Square) adds a distinctly Spanish-Baroque note to the old city’s Levantine ambiance. Check out the art galleries hidden away on narrow alleyways before descending to the fishing port for a cold drink.