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A haute-vegan dish at Opa
Avi Shkury

The 17 Hottest New Restaurants in Tel Aviv

Where to find cheese-filled bourekas, puffy mandu, vegan haute cuisine, and fully loaded pita in the buzziest food town on the eastern Mediterranean

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A haute-vegan dish at Opa
| Avi Shkury

Today Eater returns to Tel Aviv, Israel, to check in on 17 newish restaurants that have been garnering some serious buzz. Once again, we’ve tapped local food writer Keren Brown to offer her picks for the hottest openings of the past 12 months.

“Over the last year, Tel Aviv has been all about Asian cooking,” says Brown, “with restaurants dedicated to ramen, sushi, and all kinds of inventive Pan-Asian small plates.” But at the same time, she says, Israelis are starting to embrace their own cuisine like never before, with chefs proudly showcasing their backgrounds, cultures, and the local Israeli produce that is the core of this country’s cuisine. “Israeli street food is now bigger and better than ever — even the fanciest of chefs want to get their hands dirty and create something that you can eat on the go. Out with the rules and in with the pita.”

Looking for the tried-and-true essentials? Check out the 38. Looking to eat on the cheap? There’s a guide for that, too. Here now, and in geographic order, is the Eater Heatmap to Tel Aviv.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Hôtel de Ville (הוטל דה ויל)

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Local cocktail master Ariel Leizgold can take credit for the drinks at this welcoming “gastro-bar” with a French bistro feel. Cocktails skew artsy and inventive, with names to match, like the Je Suis Old Fashioned, Cafe Fou, and Ami et Tami (Hansel and Gretel). Chef Yogev Yehro is in charge of the lunch, weekend brunch, and evening menus, which skew classic French — look for moules frites and canard a l’orange.

Croissant with shortbreads and pickled lemon at Hôtel de Ville
Ben Yuster

Cafe Popular

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Celebrity chef Avi Levy is behind the kitchen at Popular, which easily lives up to its name among the city’s young and fashionable crowd. The menu focuses on bold and spicy seafood dishes, Mediterranean renditions of meat classics like Israeli roast beef, phyllo cigars filled with Jerusalem mixed grill (chicken hearts, spleen, and liver), and vegetable-centric dishes like potato carpaccio and roasted cabbage steaks. The weekend brunch is one of the most loved in the city, due to the boundless salads and the lengthy menu with dishes like ceviche with sour cream, beef bourguignon, and scrambled eggs with mushroom ragu. The all-inclusive menu costs a mere 98 shekels ($27) per-person.

Cafe Popular
Cafe Popular

Honolulu

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Israel’s first Tiki bar comes courtesy of Yotam Shilo and Mosh Budnik, the duo behind some of the most popular bars in Tel Aviv. The retro concept of ultra-colorful, Polynesian-inspired drinks is new to the city, and so far locals are lapping it up, along with the menu of poke bowls, tuna-meets-sushi burgers, and other kitschy bites that pair well with the place’s party spirit and neon decor.

Tiki drink at Honolulu
Asaf Karela

Balkan (בלקן מטבח בלקני עכשווי)

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Even just a few years ago, exciting kosher restaurants were rare in Tel Aviv. That’s changed, thanks to a spate of new kosher restaurants like Balkan, which delivers a modern take on dishes from Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Turkey, and Greece. With chef Eyal Lavy (formerly of Pastis, Rokach 73) behind the menu, the restaurant (which soon hopes to stay open 24/6 — minus the sabbath) serves a seemingly endless array of cheese and dairy dishes, like flaky, cheese-filled bourekas, cheesy gnocchi, and feta moussaka. Sip the house-made arak, the local anise-flavored spirit, with caution.

A bubbly baked khachapuri
Amir Menahem

Igra Rama (איגרא רמא)

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One of the best-received openings in recent memory is Igra Rama, a vegetable-focused — but not vegetarian — restaurant that exclusively uses local ingredients, including whatever’s swimming just off shore. You’ll find fried local Maggie tomatoes atop a cold Maggie tomato soup with local goat cheese or tzatziki, made with ginger, lime, and radishes. The space, around the corner from the Carmel Market in the center of the Israeli balagan (chaos), has the cozy feel of a Tel Avivian home.

Squid and shrimp at Igra Rama
Igra Rama

Panda Pita

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What began as a pop-up is here to stay. Located within the Carmel Market, this tiny stand takes standard Israeli street food — pitas stuffed with meats, sauces, and salads — and gives it a global spin. Here you’ll find Asian, Middle Eastern, and South American flavors, all shoved in freshly steamed pita. The caramelized eggplant makes the perfect cushion for ground lamb and an array of colorful toppings, and don’t skip the Tunisian ceviche or anything smothered in the delicious beetroot chutney.

The goods at Panda Pita
Keren Brown

Cafe Nordoy (קפה נורדוי)

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Chef Enav Ezagouri (of Bar à Vin and, formerly, Cerveceria) has earned cult status among the local food community for his ability to pull off over-the-top brunches and his penchant for dishes with ingredients that might be harder to find in Tel Aviv. That means raw oysters, bacon, and his most talked-about specialty, gougeres. His latest is Café Nordoy, a classic European bistro inside the boutique Hotel Nordoy on Nachalat Binyamin Street, a few blocks from the Carmel Market. Seafood is in the spotlight here, and you’ll find dishes like a scallop burger, sausages stuffed with beef and gouda, and a seafood pasta with garlic and white wine.

Breakfast at Cafe Nordoy
Cafe Nordoy/Facebook

Abie (אייבי)

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Brothers Asaf and Yotam Doktor have managed to spend the last several years at the forefront of Tel Aviv’s modern Israeli food scene, first with Ha’achim, then with Dok, and now Abie. This is Israeli cuisine in all its glorious simplicity: hyperlocal ingredients, fresh fish, and lots of vegetables and herbs, all prepared without a hint of pretension. With a vibe that’s both buzzy and relaxed, Abie is a reminder that Israeli food goes far beyond falafel and shawarma.

Bushwick (בושוויק)

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Mixologist Bar Shira’s famed Imperial bar has been named one of the World’s 50 Best Bars three times. Now, situated on the ground floor of the Fabric hotel on Nahalat Binyamin, is Shira’s newest venture: Bushwick. The place is designed to take you all the way from morning coffee to cocktails, without a drinking lull in between. No matter what time of day you start imbibing, the snacky menu of comfort foods — minute steaks with fried eggs, chicken nuggets with Sriracha aioli — does not disappoint.

A negroni at Bushwick
Roshianu & Moloko

Chef Yoram Nitzan’s famed Mul Yam restaurant was forced to close in 2015 due to a fire. Now the chef is back with Nomi, located in the David Intercontinental hotel right across from Tel Aviv’s beachside promenade. His is a fine dining take on kosher Mediterranean cuisine, emphasizing local ingredients and ultra-creative takes on modern Israeli dishes like lamb siniya with grilled okra and warm tahini sauce, dover sole with turnip lemongrass broth and Granny Smith apples, and steak and eggs with arugula foam and smoked goose crumble.

Roasted duck breast with apple, onion, and pine nuts at Nomi
Nomi/Facebook

Men Tenten (מנטנטן ראמן בר איזאקיה)

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The original Men Tenten opened a couple of years ago in Tel Aviv’s Allenby food court, which unfortunately closed last year. Tel Avivians couldn’t get enough of the brand’s extraordinary ramen, though, so the owners are back with a new standalone outpost, whose menu expands the original offerings to include gyoza, yakitori, and even sushi.

Gyoza at Men Tenten
Anatoly Michaello

L28 Culinary Platform

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L28 is the culinary arm of Startup Nation, a nonprofit organization committed to nurturing Tel Aviv’s booming tech community. Located on Lilienblum Street, a hub for several local startups, L28 is part pop-up restaurant and part culinary incubator, showcasing an up-and-coming Israeli chef every six months, who in turn gains valuable experience, exposure, and mentorship. Check the L28 Facebook page for the latest star behind the stove.

The edible garden at L28
Start-nation Central

Herzl 16 and Disco Tokyo

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The newest pair of restaurants from the established R2M group (Brasserie, Hotel Montefiore, Delicatessen, and more) is Hertzl 16 and Disco Tokyo. The first is a bit of everything: part bar, part restaurant, part family-friendly art gallery and concert venue. Next door, Disco Tokyo embraces Izakaya-style small plates inspired by the whole of Asia, like mandu (Korean dumplings), samosas, and burgers with sweet Japanese ketchup. All this accompanies an extensive drinks menu of sakes, matcha martinis, and yuzu daiquiris.

Shu mai at Disco Tokyo
Disco Tokyo/Facebook

Nu Nu Nu

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Guy Gamzo, of the upscale Aria, is the latest in a wave of chefs who’ve opened low-key street food concepts on the side. Nu Nu Nu roughly translates to “no no no” (complete with wagging finger gesture), and the over-the-top, indulgent menu here follows suit. Picture this: Fat, buttery milk buns, a cross between challah and French toast, topped with neon-yellow mac and cheese, slow-cooked brisket, and chicken barbecue. These are nouveau munchies for the Instagram era.

Cheesecake bun with raspberry coulis at Nu Nu Nu
Nu Nu Nu

Pan Con Manteca (פאן קון מנטקה)

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This colorful restaurant brings tastes of Spain, Mexico, and South America to the buzzy Levinsky area. Here, you’ll find flavors from across Latin America, like cactus with snow peas, mushroom sofrito with almond gremolata, and guacamole with yucca chips. Wash it down with goblets of Sangria or a fresh mojito.

Tartare with yucca chips at Pan Con Manteca
Afik Gabay

Modernist vegan food doesn’t get any better than this: a fine dining version of now-shuttered Tel Aviv favorite Miss Kaplan, where chef Shirel Berger drove the city wild with her smoky carrot hot dog. At the intimate Opa, she serves up clever, haute cuisine-style vegan dishes like fennel with smoked apple vinegar, tarragon, and fennel seeds or Chinese cabbage with smoked lime, habanero, and pistachios. Take advantage of the shareable tasting menu, which costs 340 shekels (about $95) per couple to try the whole menu. Reservations are a must.

A kohlrabi dish at Opa
Avi Shkury

HaKubia

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HaKubia is located in Shuk Hatikva, an under-discovered gem of a market in South Tel Aviv. Here, chef Jalal Salem serves up kosher Middle Eastern dishes, chock-full of super-fresh ingredients straight from the surrounding market stalls. Try the arayes, fried meat-stuffed pitas with white tahini, or one of the creative vegetable plates, like artichokes in white wine with hot pepper and raisins or and crunchy fried cauliflower with tahini. Walk off lunch with a stroll through the market, or pop into the kosher Cafe Hodaya, a buzzy Mediterranean spot just across the way by the same owners.

A dish at HaKubia
Jalal Salem

Hôtel de Ville (הוטל דה ויל)

Local cocktail master Ariel Leizgold can take credit for the drinks at this welcoming “gastro-bar” with a French bistro feel. Cocktails skew artsy and inventive, with names to match, like the Je Suis Old Fashioned, Cafe Fou, and Ami et Tami (Hansel and Gretel). Chef Yogev Yehro is in charge of the lunch, weekend brunch, and evening menus, which skew classic French — look for moules frites and canard a l’orange.

Croissant with shortbreads and pickled lemon at Hôtel de Ville
Ben Yuster

Cafe Popular

Celebrity chef Avi Levy is behind the kitchen at Popular, which easily lives up to its name among the city’s young and fashionable crowd. The menu focuses on bold and spicy seafood dishes, Mediterranean renditions of meat classics like Israeli roast beef, phyllo cigars filled with Jerusalem mixed grill (chicken hearts, spleen, and liver), and vegetable-centric dishes like potato carpaccio and roasted cabbage steaks. The weekend brunch is one of the most loved in the city, due to the boundless salads and the lengthy menu with dishes like ceviche with sour cream, beef bourguignon, and scrambled eggs with mushroom ragu. The all-inclusive menu costs a mere 98 shekels ($27) per-person.

Cafe Popular
Cafe Popular

Honolulu

Israel’s first Tiki bar comes courtesy of Yotam Shilo and Mosh Budnik, the duo behind some of the most popular bars in Tel Aviv. The retro concept of ultra-colorful, Polynesian-inspired drinks is new to the city, and so far locals are lapping it up, along with the menu of poke bowls, tuna-meets-sushi burgers, and other kitschy bites that pair well with the place’s party spirit and neon decor.

Tiki drink at Honolulu
Asaf Karela

Balkan (בלקן מטבח בלקני עכשווי)

Even just a few years ago, exciting kosher restaurants were rare in Tel Aviv. That’s changed, thanks to a spate of new kosher restaurants like Balkan, which delivers a modern take on dishes from Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Turkey, and Greece. With chef Eyal Lavy (formerly of Pastis, Rokach 73) behind the menu, the restaurant (which soon hopes to stay open 24/6 — minus the sabbath) serves a seemingly endless array of cheese and dairy dishes, like flaky, cheese-filled bourekas, cheesy gnocchi, and feta moussaka. Sip the house-made arak, the local anise-flavored spirit, with caution.

A bubbly baked khachapuri
Amir Menahem

Igra Rama (איגרא רמא)

One of the best-received openings in recent memory is Igra Rama, a vegetable-focused — but not vegetarian — restaurant that exclusively uses local ingredients, including whatever’s swimming just off shore. You’ll find fried local Maggie tomatoes atop a cold Maggie tomato soup with local goat cheese or tzatziki, made with ginger, lime, and radishes. The space, around the corner from the Carmel Market in the center of the Israeli balagan (chaos), has the cozy feel of a Tel Avivian home.

Squid and shrimp at Igra Rama
Igra Rama

Panda Pita

What began as a pop-up is here to stay. Located within the Carmel Market, this tiny stand takes standard Israeli street food — pitas stuffed with meats, sauces, and salads — and gives it a global spin. Here you’ll find Asian, Middle Eastern, and South American flavors, all shoved in freshly steamed pita. The caramelized eggplant makes the perfect cushion for ground lamb and an array of colorful toppings, and don’t skip the Tunisian ceviche or anything smothered in the delicious beetroot chutney.

The goods at Panda Pita
Keren Brown

Cafe Nordoy (קפה נורדוי)

Chef Enav Ezagouri (of Bar à Vin and, formerly, Cerveceria) has earned cult status among the local food community for his ability to pull off over-the-top brunches and his penchant for dishes with ingredients that might be harder to find in Tel Aviv. That means raw oysters, bacon, and his most talked-about specialty, gougeres. His latest is Café Nordoy, a classic European bistro inside the boutique Hotel Nordoy on Nachalat Binyamin Street, a few blocks from the Carmel Market. Seafood is in the spotlight here, and you’ll find dishes like a scallop burger, sausages stuffed with beef and gouda, and a seafood pasta with garlic and white wine.

Breakfast at Cafe Nordoy
Cafe Nordoy/Facebook

Abie (אייבי)

Brothers Asaf and Yotam Doktor have managed to spend the last several years at the forefront of Tel Aviv’s modern Israeli food scene, first with Ha’achim, then with Dok, and now Abie. This is Israeli cuisine in all its glorious simplicity: hyperlocal ingredients, fresh fish, and lots of vegetables and herbs, all prepared without a hint of pretension. With a vibe that’s both buzzy and relaxed, Abie is a reminder that Israeli food goes far beyond falafel and shawarma.

Bushwick (בושוויק)

Mixologist Bar Shira’s famed Imperial bar has been named one of the World’s 50 Best Bars three times. Now, situated on the ground floor of the Fabric hotel on Nahalat Binyamin, is Shira’s newest venture: Bushwick. The place is designed to take you all the way from morning coffee to cocktails, without a drinking lull in between. No matter what time of day you start imbibing, the snacky menu of comfort foods — minute steaks with fried eggs, chicken nuggets with Sriracha aioli — does not disappoint.

A negroni at Bushwick
Roshianu & Moloko

Nomi

Chef Yoram Nitzan’s famed Mul Yam restaurant was forced to close in 2015 due to a fire. Now the chef is back with Nomi, located in the David Intercontinental hotel right across from Tel Aviv’s beachside promenade. His is a fine dining take on kosher Mediterranean cuisine, emphasizing local ingredients and ultra-creative takes on modern Israeli dishes like lamb siniya with grilled okra and warm tahini sauce, dover sole with turnip lemongrass broth and Granny Smith apples, and steak and eggs with arugula foam and smoked goose crumble.

Roasted duck breast with apple, onion, and pine nuts at Nomi
Nomi/Facebook

Men Tenten (מנטנטן ראמן בר איזאקיה)

The original Men Tenten opened a couple of years ago in Tel Aviv’s Allenby food court, which unfortunately closed last year. Tel Avivians couldn’t get enough of the brand’s extraordinary ramen, though, so the owners are back with a new standalone outpost, whose menu expands the original offerings to include gyoza, yakitori, and even sushi.

Gyoza at Men Tenten
Anatoly Michaello

L28 Culinary Platform

L28 is the culinary arm of Startup Nation, a nonprofit organization committed to nurturing Tel Aviv’s booming tech community. Located on Lilienblum Street, a hub for several local startups, L28 is part pop-up restaurant and part culinary incubator, showcasing an up-and-coming Israeli chef every six months, who in turn gains valuable experience, exposure, and mentorship. Check the L28 Facebook page for the latest star behind the stove.

The edible garden at L28
Start-nation Central

Herzl 16 and Disco Tokyo

The newest pair of restaurants from the established R2M group (Brasserie, Hotel Montefiore, Delicatessen, and more) is Hertzl 16 and Disco Tokyo. The first is a bit of everything: part bar, part restaurant, part family-friendly art gallery and concert venue. Next door, Disco Tokyo embraces Izakaya-style small plates inspired by the whole of Asia, like mandu (Korean dumplings), samosas, and burgers with sweet Japanese ketchup. All this accompanies an extensive drinks menu of sakes, matcha martinis, and yuzu daiquiris.

Shu mai at Disco Tokyo
Disco Tokyo/Facebook

Nu Nu Nu

Guy Gamzo, of the upscale Aria, is the latest in a wave of chefs who’ve opened low-key street food concepts on the side. Nu Nu Nu roughly translates to “no no no” (complete with wagging finger gesture), and the over-the-top, indulgent menu here follows suit. Picture this: Fat, buttery milk buns, a cross between challah and French toast, topped with neon-yellow mac and cheese, slow-cooked brisket, and chicken barbecue. These are nouveau munchies for the Instagram era.

Cheesecake bun with raspberry coulis at Nu Nu Nu
Nu Nu Nu

Pan Con Manteca (פאן קון מנטקה)

This colorful restaurant brings tastes of Spain, Mexico, and South America to the buzzy Levinsky area. Here, you’ll find flavors from across Latin America, like cactus with snow peas, mushroom sofrito with almond gremolata, and guacamole with yucca chips. Wash it down with goblets of Sangria or a fresh mojito.

Tartare with yucca chips at Pan Con Manteca
Afik Gabay

Related Maps

Opa

Modernist vegan food doesn’t get any better than this: a fine dining version of now-shuttered Tel Aviv favorite Miss Kaplan, where chef Shirel Berger drove the city wild with her smoky carrot hot dog. At the intimate Opa, she serves up clever, haute cuisine-style vegan dishes like fennel with smoked apple vinegar, tarragon, and fennel seeds or Chinese cabbage with smoked lime, habanero, and pistachios. Take advantage of the shareable tasting menu, which costs 340 shekels (about $95) per couple to try the whole menu. Reservations are a must.

A kohlrabi dish at Opa
Avi Shkury

HaKubia

HaKubia is located in Shuk Hatikva, an under-discovered gem of a market in South Tel Aviv. Here, chef Jalal Salem serves up kosher Middle Eastern dishes, chock-full of super-fresh ingredients straight from the surrounding market stalls. Try the arayes, fried meat-stuffed pitas with white tahini, or one of the creative vegetable plates, like artichokes in white wine with hot pepper and raisins or and crunchy fried cauliflower with tahini. Walk off lunch with a stroll through the market, or pop into the kosher Cafe Hodaya, a buzzy Mediterranean spot just across the way by the same owners.

A dish at HaKubia
Jalal Salem

Related Maps