When people think of Tel Aviv — the largest city on Israel's Mediterranean coast — they think of nightlife and nonstop action, but the heart of the city beats with the food of the streets. Nearly year-round warm weather and an outdoor lifestyle fuel a booming street-food industry with choices on every corner, especially if you're strapped for cash.
For years, falafel was Israel's quintessential street food. Now the scene is a melting pot of delicacies from far-flung locales such as Turkey, Yemen, and Iraq, adapted to fit the hip Tel Aviv crowd.
Here's what (and where) to eat in Tel Aviv:
Falafel
These golden, deep-fried chickpea fritters — doused in tahini then piled with salads and nestled in a fluffy pita — are the ultimate on-the-go lunch. A big part of Tel Aviv's love for falafel is the endless choices of toppings like picante carrots, pickled cabbage, olives, and spicy sauces. Ask for it topped with amba (pickled mango sauce) and grab some condiments to eat on the side.
Where to get it:
Falafel Hakosem, 1 Shlomo Ha'Melech. Vital Intel: This is also the place to try sabich and shawarma (more on those below); everything here is exceptionally well-done.
Tadmor Falafel, 98 Derech Salame. Vital Intel: This falafel institution has been around for years, a favorite among locals.
Falafel Hasharon, 61 Nachalat Binyamin. Vital Intel: This new, under-the-radar place makes a much lighter-colored falafel, and the spice blend is milder than the typical, traditional version. It is owned by the same crew as its neighbor Sabich Hasharon.
Image credit: Yaron Brenner
Shawarma
Take a deep breath and inhale the hit of cumin, paprika, cloves, and other aromatics emanating from shawarma stands — it's a thick and hearty treat that is best downed with a tangy amba, a pickled mango condiment. Hit-the-spot, spice-infused lamb, turkey, or beef is rolled up in a fat pita or a laffa — an oversized slightly chewy pita — with salad to boot.
Where to get it:
Shawarma Bino, 29 David Raziel, Jaffa. Vital Intel: Don’t miss the tender and perfectly spiced lamb version.
Keter Hamizrach, 115 Ibn. Gvirol. Vital Intel: Squeeze in and get a seat so you can dine with the locals, who come for the homestyle food, too.
Image credit: Shawarma Bino/TripAdvisor
Sabich
Currently trending, this breakfast dish arrived from Iraq in the 1950s. It's not hard to see why people today love sabich: Think big, fluffy pitas filled with deep-fried eggplant slices, fresh tomato and cucumber salad, browned hard-boiled eggs, and boiled potatoes, completed with amba sauce on top.
Where to get it:
Mifgash Osher, 105 King George. Vital Intel: This is the place for sabich, but it also the place to get the best "salad," basically a pita-less rendition of sabich: fried eggplant slices, bulgur wheat, tahini, curry-seasoned chickpeas, and also labane and fluffy golden-yellow falafel. The falafel in a pita is a must, too.
Sabich Frishman, 42 Frishman St. Vital Intel: For the indecisive, you can have the best of both worlds. Grab a sabich at this popular spot, and then opt for a falafel at Falafel Frishman, its sister place next door.
Image credit: Keren Brown
Jachnun
This doughy delicacy is a fixture in Yemenite homes on Saturday mornings, but you can get it at a makolet (corner grocery) on Thursday or Friday. This labor-intensive breakfast treat is rolled out by hand (with butter or margarine brushed in between the folds and rolls) and cooked overnight. It usually comes with grated tomatoes, chilbeh (fenugreek paste), zhug (a local hot sauce), and a roasted egg.
Where to get it: Saloof & Sons, Nahalat Binyamin Street 80. Vital Intel: Try a whole array of Yemenite foods here, including kubaneh, a soft overnight-baked yeast bread, and lachuch, a spongy pancake-like flatbread.
Image credit: Ronen Malhan
Burik
Burik (also known as burika or brik) comes from North Africa. It’s a thin dough called warka, filled with egg and potato or other fillings — then deep-fried to crispy perfection. Find it at a stand in the Carmel Market, where it’s served in a pita with pilpel chuma (a pepper and garlic hot sauce) and a pumpkin potato spread known as tchirshi: the ultimate carb-on-carb brunch snack.
Where to get it: Haburika Shuk HaCarmel, 42 Carmel Market, in Burika Center Carmel Market. Vital Intel: Owner Kobi Shmuel’s mom makes the dough by hand. Let him pile on the toppings and don’t miss the sfenj, a plump, deep-fried Moroccan doughnut.
Image credit: Facebook
Keren Brown is a food writer and author whose writing has been featured in Time Out Israel as well as on her blog, Frantic Foodie.
Editor: Hillary Dixler
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