The dynamic residents of
Israel's bustling second largest city know how to
live.
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| Modern Tel Aviv has stunning beaches and charming neighborhoods, if you know where to look |
On every block, in every
Tel Aviv neighborhood you'll find a
cozy cafe, chic wine bar, funky coffee joint, tantalizing ethnic eatery, or world-class restaurant. Enthusiastic diners spill out onto sidewalks where they perch at tables and carry on until two or three in the morning, even on weekdays.
It's hard not to fall in love with a city whose population derives so much pleasure from
good food and
lively conversation.
("Lively" is an
understatement. The Tel Avivim don't converse, they debate – about everything from politics to who makes the best pizza. Or as the old joke goes, "Four Israelis, five opinions!")
Tourists congregate mostly at the large, graceless chain hotels that hug the city's
shimmering Mediterranean shoreline; along
Dizengoff Street, its hit-or-miss main shopping boulevard; or at the bars and restaurants of the renovated, crowded
Old Port.
While its
beaches are
fabulous, Tel Aviv isn't really a resort destination. Nor do you go there to shop.
Much has been written in the last few years about
Neve Tzedek, one of the earliest Jewish neighborhoods dating from the last quarter of the 19th Century. It was neglected until the 1980s when gentrification and preservation efforts brought
boutiques, wine bars, and
restaurants.
Today it is one of the city's most
fashionable and
expensive districts, frequented late into the night by tourists and locals alike. Particularly notable:
The Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance, home to two of the country's leading troupes, Inbal and Batsheva.
While Neve Tzedek remains a popular entertainment quarter,
savvy locals often head in the other direction at night toward the less well known
Ibn Gvirol Street, home to some of the city's
hottest and most interesting eateries.
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| Elba: new addition to Ibn Gvirol's many restaurants |
The municipal government upgraded and refreshed this modern,
wide boulevard a few years ago. Its
arcaded buildings provide shelter for a stroll on a rainy or stifling day. Tel Avivim flock here because they know that there's
something for everyone to enjoy on Ibn Gvirol.
Elba (at No. 36) is a
sophisticated, pricey wine bar that opened to great anticipation a few months ago. It's minimalist interior would look right at home in New York or London.
Chef
Yair Yosefi was born in Tel Aviv, cooked in Paris (at Le Grand Vefour and Lasserre) for ten years, and returned to start Elba. Yosefi is offering
new interpretations of Israeli, French, and Mediterranean dishes, including a
signature slow roasted chicken that undergoes a 48-hour preparation and cooking process.
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| Ha Miznon: modern twist on a pita joint |
At the opposite end of the scale sits
Ha Miznon, a tiny street food joint serving up
fluffy, warm pitas filled with a
remarkably delicious assortment of unlikely ingredients:
short ribs, chicken livers, and
shrimp plus house-made tahini sauce, pickles, peppers, and other condiments.
Another specialty is a
whole cauliflower, unhurriedly roasted to delicious, tender perfection.
Eyal Shani, who previously ran several noteworthy high-end restaurants, is the
talented chef behind this very
affordable, locally popular establishment.
The scene is so
casual and the food so
original and tasty that you will want to come back again before you leave Tel Aviv.
Ha Miznon is at No. 23 Ibn Gvirol. The sign is in Hebrew only, so ask to make sure you're at the right place.
We'll have
more on the many pleasures to be found on trendy
Ibn Gvirol plus hotel recommendations and additional Tel Aviv
travel tips in a subsequent post.
