I must admit I didn’t know much about Kaunas before Michal (A fellow travel blogger) reached out to me and invited me to join her on a trip to Kaunas, Lithuania – a trip she was invited on by the city’s office of tourism.

After her offer, I of course googled the city looking for information and came across pictures and details about the city that made me want to go and explore it. It looked like a city with fascinating history (Jewish history too), with beautiful architecture and street art. After making sure the dates fit my schedule, I told Michal I’ll join her.

I first met Michal at the airport and we hit it off right from the start, and honestly, our trip turned out great (The office of tourism’s itinerary was interesting and well thought out).

A bit about the city Kaunas

Kaunas is the second largest city in Lithuania (After Vilnius, the capital), with around 300,000 inhabitants. It was Lithuania’s capital between 1929 and 1949.
In 2022 it’ll become one of Europe’s cultural capitals and is thus going through a lot of renovation (If you visit it anytime soon you’ll see a large part of the city is under construction and renovation).

The city has a great basketball team, and it’s the pride of the city. Anyone you’ll talk about basketball to there will be enthusiastic about it. Fortunately for us, we were in town during a game against Real Madrid and the Žalgirio Arena gave us game tickets. It was one of the trip’s special experiences (A recommended experience for people who aren’t usually basketball fans, as well, the game has an amazing atmosphere).

Kaunas radiates a feeling of calm and quiet, while also having many great restaurants, cafés, stores, cool avenues, street art, unique museums like the music museum and lovely people.

How to reach the city?

Until recently you had to take a flight to Vilnius and travel from there (It’s 100 km away from Vilnius, so the distance isn’t that long, about an hour by car), but a new Ryanair flight opened recently straight to Kaunas (We were on the first flight there. Yay :)). The city is called different names in different languages, so make sure you search for Kaunas.
The drive from the airport by cab takes about 30 minutes, and there’s also a bus directly to the city center which takes somewhat longer. Link to flight price comparison.

Where to stay in town?

We stayed at the Best Western Santakos hotel, a 4-star hotel in a great location!! One of my favorite things about this hotel is its location. It’s right on the border between the new town and the old one, making it the perfect hotel for those looking to explore the city from every direction. We walked nearly everywhere, and it wasn’t too long of a walk.

The hotel is designed in an ancient style (I wasn’t really feeling it as I’m more into the modern style) and its architecture is reminiscent of a castle with winding corridors (I prefer small boutique hotels and was struggling a bit with its sheer size, it always took me a while to find where breakfast was haha). The room itself was spacious, which was fun, especially since I had the room all to myself and an enormous space.

Breakfast was nice, but nothing too unique. It had all the basics like breads, spreads, eggs, sausages, cheeses and pastries, but not of the highest quality.
The hotel also has a sauna and a small roofed pool, which we didn’t have time to visit, but we went to check them out as we saw signs leading there 🙂 The hotel staff was really nice and the hotel and rooms were always clean.

In short, for anyone looking for a hotel in a good location, reasonably priced, I definitely recommend this one (Not the best fit for those looking for a lucrative, boutique hotel). Additional reviews about the hotel and link to hotel price comparison.

Sim card

Sim cards may be a frustrating issue in certain towns (Rather pricey and can only be found in communication company stores, with a passport). In Kaunas, however, it was one of the simplest and most worthwhile things. At every kiosk or supermarket, you’ll find a sim card. I bought one for 1GB for 2 euros!! I used it for four days and it worked great, with constant reception. It’s really recommended to buy a sim card there instead of paying for an internet package.

Recommended restaurants

Kaunas honestly surprised me with the number of good restaurants it has. We got to eat at 7 restaurants, each meal being highly successful, with many more worthwhile restaurants to try (That I’ll definitely try the next time I’m there). I’ve written a detailed post about the restaurants we ate at. Link to post about restaurants in Kaunas.

Public transportation in the city

We actually walked for most of our time there, and when not walking, we were with our guide who drove us around by car. Kaunas isn’t very developed in terms of public transport. There’s no metro or tram, but there is a train (The train is for going to other cities, not traveling in the city ) and busses, troleybusses and minibuses – in winter – they change the timetables. Best way is to check this website so you can see the routes and real time movement.
A ride costs 1 euro, and you can also buy an electronic ticket in supermarkets and kiosks and charge them with money, that way the rides are cheaper.

To the airport we took a cab with a really nice driver called Vildoras, here’s his cell number if you’re looking for a driver to pick you up or return you to the airport: 865-219-699

Additionally, Kaunas’ whole area is supposed to be really beautiful and I think it’s worth spending 3 days in the city, then renting a car and traveling the region or even driving to neighboring countries like Estonia or Latvia.

When should you visit Kauans?

If you’re looking to really experience the city, I think it’s better to visit during the warm months and not in the dead of winter. The best season is considered to be the end of April to the beginning of October. However, visiting during December can be great due to the holiday spirit.

Since public transport is under developed, there are lines which change route during the winter. Additionally, you may rent a bicycle at many locations in town, but those aren’t available during winter. We were on the trip during the end of October and we were lucky, with average temperatures of around 16 Celsius and we got to enjoy the autumn colors which are usually gone by that time.

Local currency

They use Euros in Kaunas

Judaism in Kaunas

Kaunas has a rich history when it comes to Judaism. Unfortunately, a large part of it is negative, but there are also many fascinating and exciting stories from this town.
The songwriter Leah Goldberg lived in Kaunas. In her youth she studied at the Hebrew Gymnasium, named after Schwaben, in Kaunas, as well as a university in the city. They have a song about her love for the city and Lithuania.

Abraham Mapu, the writer/songwriter, was born in the adjacent town of Vilijampolė (Slobodka). The city has a street named Mapu, after him.

During the holocaust, a pediatrician named Pioters Baurellis from the city’s orphanage, with the help of his team, saved children from the city’s ghetto. The Jews in the ghetto send their babies in potato sacks to the orphanage during the night to save them from the Nazis.

The city also has a museum about the story of Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat sent to Kaunas for a year and who, as a consul in the city, saved the lives of thousands of jews from Lithuania and Poland by producing visas for them.

The hardest place to visit was the ninth fort. A fort built in the late 19th century to protect the city but was used as a prison before WWII and a concentration camp during the war. 50 thousand people (Most of them Jewish) were murdered there. Today the fort holds a museum, with another museum next to it, portraying the suffering under the Nazis and the Soviets. There is also a large memorial, with several smaller ones around it, for the people murdered there.

In late October I got to travel to Kaunas. I went on this trip following an invitation I received from a lovely fellow blogger named Michal, who was in turn invited to the city by the Kaunas office of tourism and could bring another blogger with her on the trip.
The office of tourism planned an incredible itinerary for us, with two great restaurants every day, that’s why I decided to dedicate an entire post to the restaurants we visited. Each of them was truly excellent. I recommend coming on this trip hungry 🙂

We stayed at the Best Western Santakos  hotel, in a great location from which we could reach every restaurant by foot (Excluding one restaurant in a monastery outside the town center).

Recommended restaurants in Kaunas

DIA, gourmet restaurant

We visited this restaurant on the third day of our trip for lunch, though I would honestly recommend it as a dinner option, as it’s a gourmet restaurant fit for a romantic dinner or just a high-quality meal with friends. The service there was the best we’ve had on our trip and our waiter was absolutely delightful. Though it’s a gourmet restaurant, the prices were more than reasonable. Starters were around 6-12 euros and the mains were around 10 to 20 euros.

For starters, Michal and I decided to share three dishes. We ordered a ravioli dish (Made in-house), stuffed with meat in a truffle sauce, Tataki – which is a tuna tartar dish and a starter of three tiger shrimps wrapped in a Kadaif-like pastry. All three were so delicious I couldn’t stop eating. Eventually I gave up on the ravioli, as I knew I still had a main course to expect, and I was going to need to save space for it.

For mains I ordered an octopus dish with beet and yoghurt sauce and Michal ordered Salmon. We were both pleased with the dishes and it was truly one of the best octopus dishes I’ve ever had. It was cooked to perfection and the sauce really added a lot to the dish.
For dessert we decided to have a cheesecake with chocolate sauce and a ball of salty caramel ice-cream (Yummy), as well as cappuccino. To be honest, I was quite full at this point, and only tried a bite of the cake and ice-cream, but it tasted amazing. I was glad to finish the meal with it.
Restaurant address, website link and map

Monte Pacis, monastery restaurant

This restaurant is located rather far from the city center, but during the summer there’s a bus directly to it, and during the winter you can easily catch a cab there or rent your own vehicle.
This restaurant is located in a monastery which now also serves as  a 4 stars hotel Monte Pacis  (Which also seemed like a great place to spend a night for those looking for a quiet romantic time in a charming location).

We reached the restaurant during lunch, with me, Michal and our guide, Linas. This one is also kind of a gourmet restaurant, with only a few tables. We were given a rigid menu from which we could choose between sweet potato soup and beef tartar for a starter. The mains were either a meat or fish dish. Then there was dessert.

We all chose sweet potato soup for a starter and a fish main.
Wow, the soup was delicious, as well as quite filling. It was were creamy and contained sunflower seeds, it was simply excellent (I hope they serve it when you’re there, as the menu changes constantly, however Lins said he’s been to this restaurant several times and the dishes are always very good). The fish was served with delicious roast vegetables, it was a good, light dish. Dessert was a pear in wine and vanilla ice-cream, and we were also served green tea.
It was a great finish to this sort of meal, being light and tasty. In short, it was a light yet filling three course meal and I’ll definitely be coming back the next time I’m in Kaunas.Restaurant address, website link and map.

Vista Puode – The chicken restaurant

A homey restaurant, its name translating to Chicken in a pot. Most of the dishes are chicken based, so if you enjoy poultry – you’ll definitely like it. Surprisingly, this restaurant offers good vegetarian dishes as well. We didn’t get to try any of the desserts, but they seemed great as well.
I ordered a starter of bread and chicken, mayonnaise and pears. A fun, light starter to get the meal going. I also ordered small toasts with a spread that I’m still not entirely sure what it was made of, but it was a kind of Pâté – they were great too. Michal ordered Borscht soup and liked it a lot.

For mains I had a salad with cranberries and cheese, while Michal had a type of cake considered a main dish and made of the local cheese (It thus looked and, honestly, tasted like a kind of cheesecake). These dishes were good as well, and Michal’s was a bit like dessert, so if you’re looking for something more savory, you may want to try another dish.
What I especially liked about this place is the atmosphere, the design is charming and makes you want to stay there for hours on end.
Restaurant address, website link and map.

Uoksas, Lithuanian gourmet restaurant

This was the first restaurant of our trip. We landed in the afternoon, and after checking in to our hotel, went to this place for dinner. It was a great way to start the trip.
Our meal was a 4-course meal decided ahead of time, based on modern Lithuanian cuisine. After each dish was served, the chef came out to tell us of the food. The dishes were special and each one combined several flavors and ingredients. I can’t remember what each dish included, since it was so many different things, but I can tell you each one was delicious and beautifully served.
For starters we were served Mackerel, then a tartar. For mains we got a fish dish and dessert was pumpkin Brule. Of course, we also ordered white wine.

I honestly ordered wine at every restaurant we visited, since while on a culinary vacation, you have to have wine accompanying every meal :).  
The pumpkin dessert was one of the most beautiful desserts I’ve ever seen, as well as really delicious. I don’t know if you’ll get to try it, but if you do, you’re in for a treat.Restaurant address, website link and map.

The Hunters restaurant – Medžiotojų užeiga

This is a restaurant we visited on our second day for dinner. It’s located right next to the municipal building in the old town and is great for meat lovers. I must admit that when Michal and I came there, we were still full of the monastery lunch and weren’t in a state we could possibly eat any meat in. So, we decided to share three starter dishes and have a bit of wine.

So, I can’t offer an opinion about the meat there, but according to reviews, it’s definitely worth a try. The starters were really good, we had Caesar salad with shrimp, herring and a salmon dish. As usual, we had white wine and truly enjoyed this meal. The prices are very reasonable, and it fits both lunch and dinner.
If you get a chance to dine here, I’d love to hear your thoughts on their meat dishes.
Restaurant address, website link and map

Rezisierius, Japanese restaurant

Update 12.2023 the restaurant is closed 

Actually, this restaurant wasn’t on our itinerary, we decided to visit it during our free evening.
We craved Asian cuisine and as soon as we came across this place, we knew it was where we were going to have dinner. The restaurant is cute and intimate. We decided to share two starters, two sushi rolls and wine – the price for the whole meal amounting to about 30 euros, so highly reasonable.
Our starters were a vegetable miso soup each and chicken dumplings with vegetables. Both dishes were good. For sushi, we ordered a salmon roll and a shrimp roll and liked them a lot.

It wasn’t the highest quality of sushi I’ve had, but definitely tasty, decent sushi.
Take into account that the sushi preparation takes a while. Around 45 minutes. We may have just been there on a slow day, but it may be the norm, so don’t go there too hungry and order starters as well, as they come out quickly. Restaurant address Vilniaus g. 10, website link 

Restaurant in the Žalgirio Arena – Sala restaurant 

This is a restaurant worth visiting if you happen to catch a basketball game while you’re in town (If there is one while you’re there, I highly!! Recommend going to it, even if you aren’t huge basketball fans, you’ll love the atmosphere, Kaunas is a basketball city!).
Anyhow, before the game we had a reservation at a restaurant at the arena (Tip: the entrance is from the back of the arena, it’s a bit hard to find, but if you walk around back and find the stairs – skip them and you’ll find the entrance).

It’s recommended to book a table in advance, as the restaurant is on the small side and has high demand on a game night. We decided to have a light meal there, I had carpaccio for a starter which was very good, and Michal ordered Salmon skewers. For mains, I had Caesar salad with shrimp and Michal had a salad combining fruits and vegetables.

My salad was tasty but had too much sauce for my taste (I usually ask for sauce on the side, as I don’t like it as much, and unfortunately forgot this time), Michal’s salad was lighter, and she loved it.
Restaurant address, website link and map

Planning to take a trip to Tel Aviv but have never really known just how much of a difference it would make to go in summer, or in winter? Maybe you want to know if there’s a rainy season, dry season, or just anything weather-wise that you might want to avoid? This post is just your place to check. Despite being just a city, so there won’t be many varying regions, I’ll detail when will be the best moment to visit it, according to your personal preferences.

Tel Aviv Weather

When is the best time of the year to travel to Tel Aviv?

Since Tel Aviv is a city, unlike in my previous posts, the size doesn’t give place to more than one climate, so it’ll actually only depend on preferences. As it is quite a small region, the temperatures only vary according to the time of the year, and are not too extreme, anyway.

You have July and August  as the hottest month, with average temperatures of around 30°C, and January as the coldest, with temperatures ranging in the 13°C. January is also the wettest month, with around 15 rainy days, while July and August are the driest, ranging in less than 5 days of rain (actually, it’s 0 days on average!). All in all, leaving the humid days in winter aside, you can actually say, compared to other countries, that the weather isn’t all that varied; you most surely can pack lightly and will be well-prepared for any climate.

Temperature in Tel Aviv

Depending on what you’re planning on doing when you visit, is what month will be best for you. In general, temperatures in Tel Aviv are pretty stable, ranging from 13°C at their lowest, and 30°C at their highest.

If your idea is to visit the city’s beautiful beaches, then your best bet would be to go in August, when the temperatures can peak to up to 31°C, and the average sea temperature is at around 29°C. This is also of the driest months of the year, which means that your visit would not be ruined by the rain.

If, however, your intentions are visiting the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Dizengoff Circle and surroundings, the Yemenite Quarter, or Jaffa (2 kilometers away from the big city), then it’d be best to visit any time from March to May or September to November, which are the tourism’s main seasons, due to the pleasant temperatures.

But, if you’re visiting looking for snow, then I’ll have to inform you that you’ve come to the wrong place! Tel Aviv has 0 snow all year long, so if you come in the winter, all you’ll get is wet.

Humidity in Tel Aviv

Thanks to its humidity, Tel Aviv offers a rather pleasant temperature all year long. There are hot and weeks in the summer, which are accentuated due to its humidity, but the overall average perceived temperatures are comfortable due to this same factor.

As I mentioned, you won’t find any snow in this city, and the driest month is August, but if you want to see rain, you should come in January, when the average rainfall is of around 110mm, over a span of a maximum of 15 days. If you’re planning on avoiding rain as much as possible, then any month from April to October will suffice, with less than 5 days of rain per month, on average.

Sunshine Hours in Tel Aviv

One factor that might weigh in a bit more on your sightseeing projects is the amount of hours of sunshine you’ll have. If you plan to be outdoors, enjoying the wonderful markets available, then you’ll surely be more inclined to have more hours of Sun.

Tel Aviv varies quite a bit in this area, with up to 13 hours of sunshine in June and July, and as little as 7 hours of sunshine in January and February. Keeping this range in mind, you’ll probably want to visit anytime between March and November, ranging above the 10 hours of Sun per day, leaving you with plenty of time to spend outdoors, enjoying not only the natural light, but the pleasant temperatures this period can offer.

All in all, if you want to visit a city with lovely, historical sights and outdoor markets, or beautiful beaches, or just enjoy being in the open-air, independent of the time of the year, then Tel Aviv is a wonderful option that will please anyone that isn’t specifically searching for extreme climates and just wants to pack light to reach their desired destination.

One of our favorite things in Tel Aviv are the many varied markets in it. If you’re foodies, you must visit the markets. Even if you aren’t looking to buy or eat anything, it’s still worth visiting the markets – the Carmel market, Levinsky market and the flea market, for their unique atmosphere you probably won’t experience anywhere else in the world.

Here are the recommended markets in Tel Aviv. Each market has its own charm and uniqueness. It’s recommended to go hungry, so you can try as many foods as possible 🙂

Markets in Tel Aviv

Carmel market

If you’re looking for a culinary atmosphere and/or a cultural experience, Carmel market is the one to visit. It’s a long market, full of mess, noise, people – a true experience. In the small alleys, as well as the market itself, you’ll find many restaurants and food stalls with all sorts of different cuisines. There’s Israeli, Arabic, Thai, Mexican, Egyptian and more.
Additionally, there are many stalls selling fresh fruits and vegetables, varied spices, dried fruit and more.
At the entrance to the market, which starts on Alenbi street, you’ll find cheap clothes, souvenirs, paintings, accessories and more.

Adjacent to the Carmel market is the Nahalt Binyamin market, where you’ll find different handcrafted items, from signs for your apartment, to jewelry, ornaments and much more.
We recommend coming early, so it’s not too hot to walk around or towards closing times in the afternoon, that way you can enjoy the different bars in the market area.
On Friday afternoon you’ll find the most jovial, bustling atmosphere.
If you come towards closing time on Friday, you’ll be able to buy fruits and vegetables at really low prices, as they have sales towards closing time.

What must-tries in Carmel market?

One thing you have to try while you’re at the market is the Brik. You’ll know the stall when you hear someone calling “Burika! Burika!”. Brik is a pastry filled with potato and egg, deep fried and sometimes served in a pita bread if you’re feeling really decadent. This is one of Roman’s favorite dishes.
At the market you’ll also find Druze Pita with Labane  (Sour cheese) and Za’atar.
And of course it’s recommended to explore the small alleyways, where you’ll find additional treasures.
Market working hours

Sunday through Thursday, 08:00 – 19:00
Friday, 08:00 – 16:00

Map, another post I had written about the Carmel market
Post about a hotel by the Carmel market

Levinsky market

Levinsky market is very different from the Carmel market. It doesn’t feel as market-y, but rather more like an area of shops, restaurants and bars. However, walking around in it, you’ll find yourself drowning in the different smells of spices, dried fruit and more. You can find groceries there, such as legumes, spices, tea extracts and more.
The market has a light atmosphere and is especially bustling on Friday afternoons.

What must-tries in Levinski market?

At the market you can have excellent humus and real bourekas. Additionally, there are two middle eastern style restaurants – Ouzeria and Dalida, that are highly recommended.
And, if you’d like some quality coffee, you can find the Tony & Esther café on a side street. You can sit outside and enjoy the atmosphere, some great food and excellent coffee.
Working hours: Each place has its own hours. Some stay open until very late, but the market is generally open:
Sunday through Thursday, 08:30 – 18:00
Friday, 08:30 – 15:00 . Map

Ha-Tikva market

The most local and authentic market in Tel Aviv. We actually got to visit it thanks to a great tour we went on. Link to extended post about the food tour we had there. Map

Flea market

There are several good reasons to visit the flea market. One of them is what a cool experience it is to wonder among the different peddlers and see their wares. If you like searching for special items and restoring them or digging for treasures, you’ll love this place.

The second reason to visit the flea market is that the entire area is extremely vibrant. Starting in the afternoon and through to the small hours of the night, you can enjoy a beer and a snack. This is one of the most fun places to hangout and hop between bars. There are also Greek restaurants and cool cafés.
We recommend visiting it on Thursday night, and if you’d like more of the flea market experience, it’s open Sunday through Friday, 09:00 – 17:00
Map, Link to post I had written about a hotel by the flea market

Sarona market – Modern, lucrative market

If you’d like a calmer, more lucrative experience – Sarona market is the one for you. There you’ll find a roofed, airconditioned, trendy market with many food stalls from around the world. Pasta, Hamburgers, fish, ramen and more and you’ll also find many types of decadent desserts. There are also stores selling dried fruit, nature stores, cafés and more. This market is very different to the others and is also open on Saturdays. It’s quite narrow and can therefore feel crowded when there are many people about. We recommend coming here on weekdays, that way you can walk around and eat there in peace.
Working hours for Sarona market are as follows

Saturday through Thursday, 09:00 – 23:00
Friday, 09:00 – 18:00. Map

Tel Aviv port market

The market itself is nothing special, but! If you’re traveling in the Tel Aviv port area, we highly recommend visiting the market and buying a quality sandwich, like the Herring sandwich or going to the fish stand and asking for a ceviche to go. You could buy some Cherry tomatoes and a natural squeezed juice and have a picnic on the tribunes or the benches by the sea, it’s one of the most fun things ever. And, if you’re looking for fast food, you could try Jachnun, Malawach, Bourekas and Druze food.

Working hours are as follows

Saturday through Thursday, 09:00 – 20:00. Friday, 07:00 – 16:00 .Map

Since I’ve lived in Tel Aviv for many years, I decided it’s a good idea to write more about it for the blog. I started exploring the city, the cafés, restaurants and markets, as well as the tour scene – looking for the most recommended tours. I found several good tours, like the food tour in Ha-Tikva neighborhood and a free tour in Jaffa. A few weeks ago, I got to know Avital.

Avital is a super cool chick who leads bar tours in Tel Aviv on weekends (Website link). Although Avital only recently started doing this, her energy made it obvious she was perfect for the job. Me and Sahar, another Tel Avivi blogger, decided to join Avital on a tour to see if it’s worth putting on our blogs and as you can see, the answer is yes!! A firm yes!!
Besides Avital taking us to amazing hangout spots, the tour also rewards you with skipping the line of people (Which is long) and includes the entrance fee to places which require it and a chaser at each location (Four different places) and your first beer for free!

I must admit that it’s been a while since I’ve gone partying in Tel Aviv. Maybe it’s the traveling around the world, or just me getting older, but the tour with Avital brought back the desire to go out more often and I hope now I’ll start ripping the town again or, at least, go out more 🙂

Tel Aviv pub crawl

We met Avital on Rothchild street by a pizzeria, Avital arrived happy and smiling. At first, it was Sahar and I, a guy from Mexico and two girls from Australia. Avital explained a bit about the tour and that there’s another group of 6 from a local hostel who will join us later during the night.

So, we started the tour.

Sputnik – A fun bar

Our first stop was at a cool bar with seating inside and out. We wanted to sit outside but unfortunately there were no empty tables, so we went in. There was good music and we chatted among us. It turns out the guy from Mexico wasn’t even planning on visiting Israel but met an Israeli in Munich and they became friends, and the Israeli told him that Tel Aviv is a great destination for nightlife, so he decided to come to Israel.
The two girls from Australia were cute and we talked a lot. One of them DJ’s as a hobby and they both really liked Tel Aviv. At some point Avital returned with a mug of beer for each person and a chaser of Arak (Included in the tour price). We spent about an hour at the bar and the guys from the hostel joined us. Among them were a couple from England and a guy from Guatemala, and together we moved on to a dance bar.

Kuli Alma – dance bar with good atmosphere and great music

This is one of my favorite places in Tel Aviv and a great place for those looking to dance. Since it was a stormy weekend I came wearing pantyhose which was a mistake, as it was really hot there. I enjoyed this part immensely, as I like dancing and it was great timing as we already got to talk at the bar and were enjoying dancing together at the bar. There was great atmosphere. Avital brought us chasers mixed with Mango or Lemonade. Where we were dancing there was great hip-hop music and there was also an 80’s room.

Pasáž – underground club

After getting into the dancing mood, we moved on to an actual club. Walking in there was immediately popping music, playing all the latest hits. In a second, we were dancing like mad and it was a ton of fun. Avital brought us coupons for a free chaser. We all danced together and sometimes Avital danced with us.

There was actually another stop after this place, but we decided to retire home as we had plans for the next morning. This tour surprised me for the better (Roman and I did a bar tour in Berlin and it was a total fail, so I didn’t have any high expectations).

I think anyone looking for a fun night out in the best places in Tel Aviv with great people will enjoy this tour. It’s great for locals and tourists as one.

One of the reasons Tel Aviv is considered one of the best cities is the culinary experience you can find in it. It has some amazing restaurants from different cuisines. You can find anything you desire here and at all price ranges. Since Tel Aviv has a ton of restaurants with new ones opening all the time, it’s hard to write about the best restaurants in the city. The advantage to living here is that I have plenty of opportunities to try restaurants. In this post I’ve decided to write about my favorite ones (There are actually more but I’ll add them gradually :)).

The choice of which restaurants to include was based on several parameters, I’ve wanted to recommend restaurants from different cuisines, varied styles and all price points. It was important to me to choose restaurants with high quality food and good service. Additionally, I checked the internet reviews for each restaurant and chose those with overwhelmingly positive reviews.

List of recommended restaurants in Tel Aviv

Vegan/vegetarian restaurants

416, Meshek Barzilai, Zakaim

Burger joints

Prozdor, America Burgers

Gourmet restaurants

Blue Sky, Taizu, Topolopompo, Popina

Restaurants from different world cuisines

Kalamata, Dalida, Dallal, Tenat, Vong, Okinawa, Florentin House

More Details of the Restaurants in Tel Aviv

416 restaurant

This is one of the restaurants which surprised me this year while looking for good restaurants for the blog. First of all, the moment you walk into this restaurant you fall in love with its cool, modern design. It’s full of different spaces. The bottom floor, the top floor, a bar and outside seating. It doesn’t matter if you come for a romantic date or a hangout with friends, it’ll match your expectations. Beyond the unique design, what excited me about this restaurant are the high-quality cocktails. I love cocktail bars, and this is one restaurant that lives up to the standard of a professional cocktail bar.

I tried two cocktails which were excellent, and what’s fun is that they make all the cocktail ingredients in house. There are no syrups or artificial materials, everything is made there. Now it’s time to discuss the food. So yes, it’s a vegan restaurant which isn’t everyone’s favorite, but let’s put it this way: If I didn’t know in advance that this is a vegan restaurant, I wouldn’t even notice it. I don’t know how, but the chef managed to recreate non-vegan dishes like Calamari and steak in a vegan dish which is identical in flavors and texture.

I tried several dishes there and each one excited me anew. The calamari dish was just like a regular calamari dish (A must try), the steak was an insane experience as well, as it tasted and felt just like a regular steak, I tried a Thai dish of pumpkin and lima beans which was excellent and the desserts, tiramisu and patisserie pastry, were amazing!
I’m not usually into desserts and was honestly quite full, but I had to try them out and they were worth it. To summarize, this restaurant is both a hangout and a culinary experience and is highly recommended.
Address: Ha-Arba’a 16, Map, Website link.

Kalamata restaurant

A Greek restaurant. This is one of the restaurants with the best view. It’s located just in front of the sea in Jaffa and has a very unique design, in a beautiful stone structure that’s nearly 500 years old, at the historical kikar kdumim.
Tip: Book the left side table which offers the best view of the sea :).

I was at this restaurant twice and enjoyed both times immensely. The view, the food and the atmosphere were fantastic. The first time I was with my parents and husband and we ordered a dish of small, fried fish and the sea fish kebab. The dishes were great, and we enjoyed a lot.

The second time I came on my own just for the blog and ordered the Baladi eggplant, Pâté, peppers, basil aioli and olive tapenade, the Arabian style drum fish ceviche and country bread and dips and of course a cocktail as well, Campari fizz, a shaken Campari with grapefruit vodka, gin, a touch of lychee, soda and mint flowers. This was a super fun and light meal. The combination of gorgeous view with the sour and bitter cocktail and the excellent starters was a real winner.

This is excellent choice for a Friday lunch after a stroll of the Jaffa port. Address: Kikar Kdumim 10, Jaffa, Map, Website link

Dalida restaurant

This restaurant I discovered when we moved to live in the Florentin area. In it you’ll find a mixture of Arabic, French and Italian cuisines. I visited it several times and what I liked about it was the fun atmosphere and the delicious food. Another advantage this restaurant has is their happy hour on weekdays, and the coolest part is that the food is 50% off (Not including the specials menu, desserts and drinks). So if you want a full decadent meal, you can simply visit during the happy hour and enjoy a good price for a full meal. The restaurant has a regular menu and a seasonal specials menu.

When I visited it for the blog, I decided to try a summer’s special dish of shrimp tartar with avocado (Smoked shrimp oil, lime, chili, grapes, whole shrimps, pistachio oil and red shiso). This dish is a celebration of flavors, as well as refreshing and of course I had to get a cocktail and ordered a basil gin (Gin, cucumbers, basil, sour and tonic water). A light drink that goes well with the tartar.

Another time, when I was here with Roman we ordered the flag dish of Crème Brule with Pâté and roasted peppers (A must try), Roman has the brioche and marrow, a dish I didn’t taste as I’m not a big bone marrow fan but Roman enjoyed it a lot and we also ordered the raw zucchini salad (The burned pepper sauce was great on it).

In summary, Dalida is the type of restaurant you’ll want to visit with friends and share many dishes at, to try as much as possible and enjoy a jug of Sangria or another cocktail, like Basil gin :)Address: Zevulun 7, Map, Website link

Blue sky restaurant

This is a gourmet restaurant. It belongs to chef Meir Adoni and there’s a reason why he’s considered one of the best chefs in the country. His ability to combine many ingredients and flavors in one dish is a skill not many people have. Every bite will fill you with happiness and a huge wow. I love restaurants that have dishes that can surprise me.
The restaurant is located on the top floor of the Carlton hotel, where you can enjoy an amazing meal with a view of the sea and of Tel Aviv’s skyscrapers (You can sit inside of the restaurant as well, but I of course prefer to sit outside, as the food, cocktails and view aren’t something you’ll want to miss). By the way, this restaurant is kosher.
I visited it with Roman for an early dinner, so we got to enjoy the beautiful sunset as well.

We ordered two cocktails which were amazing! We asked the bartender for cocktails with heat and sourness and not sweet ones, and he got it just right. For starters we ordered the Mediterranean frijoles and the locus carpaccio (I’m not listing what each dish contains as the list is endless :)).

As you already figured out, each bite was an explosion of flavors, excitement and enjoyment. Oh, and how can you forget the bread basket which included buns done by Meir’s grandma’s recipe (So delicious and soft, we asked for a second serving of grandma’s buns), served with butter and paprika spread. For mains we had the Thai Chraime, which was tasty and filling, to be honest though, I would have preferred to order two more starters instead as they simply blew me away.

If you’re looking for a lucrative meal with surprising flavors and a view like you get abroad, this is a restaurant worth visiting. It’s great for celebrating a special occasion or just enjoying a great meal. You can just visit and enjoy a good cocktail while watching the sunset.
Address: Eliezer Peri 10, Map, Website link

Burger joints
I have to admit, I love hamburgers, but seldom wish to have them. I need to be really hungry and in a certain mood for a burger. Since it as important to me to write about burgeries in this post about Tel Aviv’s restaurant, I took Roman with me to impart his opinion about the burgers. I chose two great burger joints in Tel Aviv and took Roman to check them out with me. Prozdor and America Burgers.

Prozdor restaurant

The restaurant is in an attractive location (By the sea), so for anyone returning from the beach hungry, this is a worthwhile visit. Those coming to the Prozdor need to realize it’s about a group of guys who built a menu with unique burgers, each combining different ingredients and providing a different experience.

Coming here means you know how to appreciate food and aren’t looking for the boring tomato, lettuce and pickle hamburgers. Of course, you’ll find that here as well if you so desire, but both the restaurant and I recommend trying the waiter’s recommendations and discovering a hamburger which is a festivity of flavors. Additionally, each burger has its own name, and some have names referencing movies and TV shows, with the dish having some sort of twist related to the show. For example, there’s the “Better call Saul”, with a twist of spicy roast pepper (Like Saul :)).

There are also double burgers and a burger of the month, and if you want something besides a burger there’s the “Not a burger” section where you’ll find wings, fries, jalapeno balls, sweet potato fries, salads and more. They also have a worthwhile business menu and the possibility to add another patty if you’re really hungry. Oh, and there’s a vegetarian burger too.

Roman decided to order the “Don’t brag” burger, out of the double burger section, and we got wings and fries as well. The wings went fast, and the fries were excellent as well, which left Roman in charge of eating the burger and let’s just say there wasn’t a crumb left. Roman said their burger is really good and so I decided to put them on the restaurant list.
Another thing worth mentioning is that here you’ll find Draft beer from small boutique breweries around the country. That way you get to enjoy foo beer as well as promote local Israeli breweries.
Address: Mandele 6, Map, Website link

America Burgers

The restaurant is by Rothchild Avenue so if you’re hungry and in the mood for meat in that area, this is a great choice. The place is designed like an American diner with a great atmosphere. Although I didn’t have the burger, I discovered they have a good cocktail bar which is already a good start for me.

Roman ordered the classic cheeseburger which looked really good with a juicy patty and done to a medium. I had the chili boom cocktail (With tequila, mango, passion fruit, lemon and of course chili… If you aren’t used to my taste in cocktails yet, I really like spicy cocktails with chili or ginger). We decided to have the unusual side dish of friend pickles!!! I don’t usually like deep fried food, but I have to admit this is a nice and refreshing change from regular fries.

The cocktail was great and there’s no doubt Roman was pleased. He really liked the pickles as well. Anyone looking for a quality burger and a diner bar atmosphere, this place is highly recommended. Oh, and the menu has a chicken burger and a vegetarian burger with a portobello mushroom patty. I heard the onion flower as a side is really good as well and is considered the flag dish on the sides menu 🙂 Of course, like any American diner, you’ll find American ice-cream too.
Address: Alenbi 112, Map, Website link

Dallal

I’ve been to Dallal several times, usually for celebrating a special occasion like our wedding day or when the blog reached 10,000 followers on Facebook 🙂 Actually, we went there for the business menu as they offer it until a rather late hour and it’s really worthwhile. In my opinion the best starters are the tortellini with mascarpone and forest mushrooms and the thinly sliced salmon.

We considered ordering something else every time, but ended up choosing the same dishes as they are simply too good. For mains, the spicy fish with cuscus is really good and if you feel like having a gourmet burger, this is the place. It’s served with a brioche bun with a truffle mousse! Yummy. The restaurant also has good breakfasts and brunches, as well as good cocktails.
Address: Shabazi 10, Map, Website link

Meshek Barzilai

Also a restaurant in Neve Tzedek, an organic vegetarian restaurant where you’ll find delicious, healthy food. You may also buy breads, jams, cheeses (Vegan), great cakes (Like carrot cake) to take home. They also have a deli I visit often to get takeaway. The fun part about it is that you can buy several dishes in a box and then have a tasting meal with many dishes, like mushroom kibbeh, curry tofu, lasagna, moussaka (And everything is vegetarian).

The restaurant itself has great breakfasts as well. I like the Meshek breakfast with the tofu shakshuka (The hummus omelet is good as well). There’s also gluten free eggplant Punjabi which is tang and light and a fun dish to share.
By the way if you come by car – Rothchild mall is really close by.
Address: Ehad Ha-Am 6, Map, Website link

Tenat Ethiopian restaurant

A few years ago, I discovered my love for Ethiopian food. While I’ve never been to Ethiopia and don’t know how authentic this restaurant is, I’m absolutely addicted to Tenat. It’s a vegetarian restaurant with great food and many times when Roman and I are considering where you eat – We find ourselves there. On new year’s eve we decided this was the restaurant where we wanted to start the new year 🙂

You’ll of course find Injera there (Gluten free Ethiopian bread) with many tasty stews. And one of my favorite dishes is the mushroom Injera (A great dish!!!), as well as the bread with butter and tomato sauce, which is amazing. In summary, if you haven’t been to this restaurant yet, you have to try it.Address: Chlenov 27, Map, Website link

Okinawa

I really like Asian restaurants and Okinawa is a great restaurant for anyone looking for good sushi, sashimi, gyozas (Highly recommended as they make them in house), delicious noodles and an overall great experience of sushi and Japanese food, with a light atmosphere and good service.
Address: Shabazi 46, Map, Website link

Vong

A Vietnamese restaurant on Rothchild avenue. It’s been around for a long time now and many times when I schedule with friends or my sisters to go out, we somehow end up there. They have great food and a large variety of dishes. One of my favorite dishes is Cha Ca La Vong, which is quite similar to the Vietnamese dish Cha Ca but with an Israeli twist.

They have good noodle dishes and tasty buns. The atmosphere there is light and nice, definitely perfect for meeting friends.
Address: Rothchild 15, Map, Website link

Florentin House

Another Vietnamese restaurant in the Florentin neighborhood. A relatively new restaurant serving delicious Thai cuisine. When we were there we sat at the bar and shared several dishes. We ordered the steamed seabass dumplings (Really recommended, they were great). And for mains we had the Bon Cha (A dish we really liked in Vietnam and was good here as well, though not quite like the original) and a shrimp and noodle dish which was good as well.
So, for anyone looking for a Vietnamese restaurant, this is a good choice.
Address: Florentin 6, Map, Website link

Zakaim

Another vegan restaurant which entered the list thanks to it’s excellent shakshuka, addictive fries and giant, delicious bourekas.
This is one of Tel Aviv’s oldest vegan restaurants and for good reason. It serves delicious food and some dishes’ flavors will surprise you.Address: Simtat Beit Ha-Sho’eva 20, Map, Website link

Gourmet restaurants

If you ask me what the best gourmet restaurants in Tel Aviv are (Besides Blue Sky), my answer will be Popina, Taizu and Topolopompo. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to eat there lately and the photos I have of these restaurants aren’t great (I won’t put any pictures here which would shame my photography skill or the restaurants themselves :)), But I’ll be back there soon and update my photo stocks. For now, I had to write about them, as there simply can’t exist a good list of restaurants without them on it.

Popina

Popina’s menu is devided by types of cooking and each dish will drive you crazy. I think this restaurant is especially fitting for a romantic evening or a special occasion.
Address: Ehad Ha-Am 3, Map, Website link

Taizu

One of the most highly regarded and talked about restaurants in Tel Aviv, you’ll always find it full. It serves Asian dishes in a precise and delicious way and the restaurant’s design is very impressive as well. They hold Indian food nights every Sunday evening and have lunch business menus.
Address: Menahem Begin 23, Map, Website link

Topolopompo

If you feel like treating yourself and have a high meal budget, go there! We saved money for a meal there and it was one of the best we’ve ever had, a mixture of colors, tastes and the highest quality of ingredients. They also offer lunch business menus, but I highly recommend coming there during the evening and trying as many dishes as possible, as each one will blow you away.
Address: Ha-Solelim 14, Map, Website link

I got to visit Budapest a year and eight months ago, but unfortunately it was during a severe winter and the weather was -13 degrees Celsius, so exploring the city and enjoying what it has to offer was difficult. I still enjoyed it but was glad for the opportunity to return there at a warmer time. This time I went with my mom rather than Roman. We traveled in the middle of October and enjoyed perfect weather, except for one day that was a bit rainy but still allowed for a lot of walking around. We visited Budapest for a long weekend from Thursday night until Monday morning.

How to reach Budapest?

I booked us a cheap flight through the Skyscanner website, with the Wizz Air company. The flight cost around 400 Shekels a person, or 480 with the addition of priority.

Where did we stay in Budapest?

We decided to pamper ourselves with a 4-star, boutique hotel, Bo33 hotel. The hotel is in a good location, it isn’t on Vaci street (25 minutes away by foot) but I like this area more, as it isn’t as touristic and there are many restaurants and bars in its vicinity…
The hotel is high quality, with a bar and comfortable sofas in the lobby. The room was spacious, with two single beds (According to my request) and a small balcony overlooking the hotel yard.

On the hotel’s top floor is a spa with a free jacuzzi and reclining chairs on a balcony with a view of the city.
When we arrived we were given a coupon for a free drink at the hotel bar (Which we used on the last day of the trip). Breakfast was an excellent buffet with gourmet cheeses, hams, smoked salmon, vegetables, fruits, granola, pastries, breads and more. Service was amazing. The staff were super nice and helped with every request. Additionally, what I liked about the hotel is how much attention was given to detail. For example, the room had a coffee machine, a USB charger, robes and bath slippers, a black towel to wipe makeup off and more. In summary, there’s a reason for this hotel’s great reviews. Additional reviews about the hotel and link to hotel price comparison.

Budapest itinerary

Arrival at night by plan with Wizz Air and check in to 33Bo hotel.

Day 1 – Shopping, cable car, Cuban restaurant

Breakfast at the hotel

Buffet meal

Shopping

Budapest is a great destination for shopping at reasonable prices and with a lot of variety. We personally went to Vaci street (A 25-minute walk from the hotel). It’s Budapest’s famous street, with many brand stores like Zara, Mango, Bershka and more. Shoe stores, H&M, C&A and more.
We spent hours there and bought a bunch of stuff. Map.

Anna café

A famous café on Vaci street. It has two locations on the street, one by the great market and the other in the clothes shops area. We decided to grab something small to eat at the one by the stores. It’s famous for its cakes, but honestly, we just had chicken salad and a toast with goat cheese and cranberry jam. We also ordered regular lemonade and lemonade with strawberry and basil. It was a nice, light meal after a long period of exhausting shopping ? Map

Return to the hotel

After all the shopping we took a cab back to the hotel to put everything we’ve bought there and get some rest. The cab price was about 8 euros.

Cable car

One of the things I like doing on trips is finding good vantage points to take pictures of the city from above. When I saw Budapest had a cable car, I decided it was a good idea getting there. We took a cab to the cable car area. There was a rather long line, but then we saw there were salespeople who sold tickets outside the line (Blue shirted salespeople).

The advantage to that is avoiding the long line for buying a ticket for the same price (Like we did) and going in through the entrance on the right without waiting. We bought the two-way ticket but that was a mistake. The climb down is simple and only takes a few minutes. I recommend buying a one-way ticket and walking back down (Unless that would be difficult for you). The climb is really short and honestly this is one of the shortest cable cars I’ve been on, but it’s still quite nice. At the top is a café you can sit down for a drink at, and you can walk around the area and enjoy a gorgeous view of the city. Map.

Cuban restaurant

For dinner, we decided to go to a restaurant by our hotel (A 10-minute walk). We looked for something with a jovial atmosphere where you can also sit down for a meal and enjoy a beverage. I saw recommendations for La Bodeguita del Medio and we decided to try it.
While it’s a touristic restaurant, it’s still a good option. We arrived at the restaurant at 20:00 (The bad reviews about the restaurant talk about their service, but since we were relatively early, and it wasn’t crowded yet, service was actually quite good).

For starters we ordered the couples plate which included spiced chicken wings, corn, quesadillas with cheese, guacamole and yoghurt. We liked this dish a lot and in retrospect, we should have ordered another one or a different starter rather than a main course. The mains were alright, but felt too heavy for me, I ordered a dish of meat with rice and my mom ordered a vegetarian hamburger.
For drinks we had beer and wine.
There was a really good band playing which made for a very fun atmosphere and the place itself is also very nice, with a lot of outside sitting space. Map

Day 2 – Food tour, Margaret island, Tapas restaurant

Coffee at the hotel

Food tour or market and stroll around town

We chose to do a food tour of nearly 5 hours. The tour was through the Taste Hungary company and included an extensive tour of the great market with three stops for tastings, then a tour of town with stops for tasting special chocolates and a Hungarian lunch, lucrative café with coffee and cakes and to top it all off a visit to a wine cellar with wine and cheese tastings. It was a delicious and most interesting tour. Link to extended post about our experience on the food tour.
This company offers several different tours.
If you don’t want to do this tour, I recommend visiting the great market (Map) anyway and trying some food there. Don’t miss the basement floor with the pickles.

Additionally, you can do a free tour of town (Tip based), the last time we had a free tour of the Jewish quarter which was great, so you can do that or a tour among the main landmarks of Budapest. The company we went on the free tour through is called Original Budapest tours.

Margaret island

Margaret island is a small island in the center of the Danube. It’s a lovely place to visit on foot or rent a bike or pedal car there and explore the area. There’s a tiny zoo, a rose garden, walking and running tracks and a musical fountain with lights.
You can reach the island by light rail number 4 or 6 and bus number 26. You can also take a cab to the bridge and walk 200 meters on foot to the island pass. Map

Return to the hotel

Tapas restaurant

Since we were full from the food tour, we decided to have a light dinner. That same night I had received a recommendation from my friend, Hadas, who recommended Pata Negra, a Spanish tapas restaurant – Just in time for us.

We tried to book a table, but the restaurant was already filled, so we decided to try our luck and go anyway. As it happens, when we arrived there were two spots on the bar available.  As is proper for a Spanish restaurant we started the night with a Sangria. We ordered four vegan tapas for a start: Baguette slices with tomato sauce, grilled mushrooms with garlic, baked vegetables and spinach with chickpeas. The vegetables were a hit and to be honest, we finished our dishes quite quickly.

We then ordered a cod fish dish and I ordered a calamari dish as well, while my mom had chicken skewers. Overall, a tapas meal is one of the best meals possible. You can try many things and not have it be too heavy. We ended the meal with tea and a cheesecake.
This restaurant is very popular, and people came and signed on to the waiting list all the time. I recommend booking at least a day in advance. Map

Day 3 – Farmer’s market, Jewish quarter, Heroes square, Thai massage

Breakfast at the hotel

Farmer’s market

Every Sunday there’s a cute farmer’s market at Szimpla kert. Besides, it’s a bar worth visiting at night as it has a great atmosphere. Anyway, at the market you’ll find many delicious things like cheeses, hams, jams, spreads and more. I bought a cheese I took home with me and some dried apples and jam. On a pleasant day you can buy some tasty stuff and go have a picnic in the Heroes square park.
We also had a coffee and pastry break there. Map

Visiting the Jewish quarter

Szimpla kert is in the Jewish quarter, so after the market you can walk around the quarter and go visit the large Synagogue. You may also go on a free (Tip based) tour. We did it the last time we were here, and it was great. The company through which we took the tour is called Original Budapest tours.

Hungarian lunch

Pater Bonifac Kisvendegio is a nice Hungarian restaurant for those looking for good Hungarian food in a local atmosphere. Map

Heroes square

The whole area of the square is packed with things to do: There’s a beautiful park, a zoo, an arts museum and a stunning castle. In the winter there’s ice skating there. Map.

Thai massage

After the walking and shopping, a Thai massage can surely be great. I really like the traditional Thai massages without the oil, but there are other types you can have. The place I went to is called De Lanna Thai Massage. A traditional Thai massage costs 7900 forint an hour.  Map

Dinner at a Thai restaurant or food stalls by Szimpla kert

After the Thai massage I decided I’d like so Thai food, as well, and so we chose to go to a restaurant near the hotel. A simple restaurant with good Thai food, Kao Niaw Ping Kai Restaurant. Map.
If you’re not into Thai food, you can also go back to the Szimpla kert area. By the bar you’ll find an area full of food stalls where you can pick between many different kinds of food. Map.

Before the flight to Budapest with my mom, I decided to look for a quality food tour for us. I enjoy food tours immensely, since it’s a good way to see the city, taste local foods and learn of the region’s history and culture. After much searching I found the Taste Hungary company which offers a tour that looked really thought out and decided it’ll be great for our trip. The tour included a tour of the large market, a tour of town and wine tastings.

I can already summarize and tell you it was really good.
The tour was supposed to last for 4 hours, but ended up being closer to 5 and is definitely the most extensive food tour I’ve ever been on, with most things included. I recommend saving yourself half a day for the tour, as you might well want to rest after it’s done. The tour s a lot of fun and György , the guide, was really lovely. Our group was very nice as well, and we finished the tour feeling like we got to experience and learn a lot about Budapest.

Food tour in Budapest

Starting with a tour of the market

We did the tour on Saturday (Middle of October), and it started in the large market at 10:00am. We met our guide, György , and the rest of the group. Two more couples and a girl, all from the USA. Each of us received a water bottle and we began the tour.

Our first stop was for a drink made from 47 plants and spices, it was actually really strong and tasted like syrup, but it’s supposed to be really healthy for you, so we drank it. To pass the flavor we got to try Langos, a famous Hungarian dish which looks like a flat doughnut with sweet or sour toppings, we tried the classic style with cream cheese and grated cheese on top.

We then continued on an extensive tour of the market. We were in the market for about two hours and György  stopped by chosen stalls and told us about the history of each food and why it’s eaten in Hungary today. Here are two short stories. In the past, sugar was really expensive and only the rich could afford it, so the poor looked for cheap sweetening solutions and began to use honey. Also, the pork sausages are supposed to be white or grey but are red in Hungary. Why? Because of the famous red paprika in Hungary. Besides giving the sausage a unique flavor, it helps preserve it and kills bacteria.

We passed stalls of meat, spice, vegetable, cheese and more. At some point we stopped to try sausages. We each got a plate with many types of sausage and György explained every type before we tried it. From there we went down to the basement level (Did you know there was one? Apparently, the market has 3 floors and most people only know 2).

On the basement floor there are fish and pickles and if you like pickles you shouldn’t miss this one. At first, we stopped by a map of Hungary and discovered that Hungary is considered one of the best wine producers. Most people aren’t aware of the fact, since most Hungarian wine is used locally and isn’t exported to other countries. They have 22 different wine making regions!
Afterwards we tried different pickles (Yum). I really like pickles and there were special ones there, like pickled Shallots and prunes.

Food tour in the city

We finished the market tour and went on into town. We had perfect sunny weather, and walking the streets was very fun. György led us through pretty, less touristic alleyways and at some point we stopped to try gourmet chocolate in different, special flavors like chocolate with cardamom, plum chocolate, passion fruit chocolate and more. Everyone chose two flavors to try.
From there we moved on to a local Hungarian restaurant and ate like the Hungarians outside, standing by a long table 🙂

We began the meal with Hungarian soup with meat, carrots and potatoes and of course a lot of paprika. György then brought large plates with many kinds of meat and sides and put something new on our plates every time, while telling us the story of the dish and how it’s prepared. There were three kinds of sausage, schnitzel, a chicken roulade filled with cheese, puree, slaw and mustard salad. We also drank local beer.
It’s unnecessary to mention that at this point we were all quite full.

Lucrative coffee

After the great, huge meal we went to a lucrative café with used to be frequented by writers and inventors and host business meetings. This café is known for its impressive design and its great Hungarian cakes. We sat by a table and ordered whatever coffee we wanted. We additionally got two cakes. I passed on the cake stage, because I felt really full and I have to admit I don’t like cakes of this variety as much (Yes, I know I’m in the minority, but I prefer simple cakes like cheese or apple cakes).

Wine tastings and cheeses

Yes, I’m still going on about the same food tour 🙂 After coffee we moved on to a beautiful wine cellar where three wine glasses were waiting for us, plates with three different cheeses, pumpkin oil dip and two breads. At first, the sommelier poured red and white wines for us and explained which cheese goes with which wine, he then explained the Hungarian wine world to us.

He showed us a map of the regions and explained each one’s specialty.  Apparently, they began producing wine in the first century (Perhaps even earlier, though there isn’t evidence of it)

The final wine we tried was sweet wine from the Tokaji region. It’s the only region which produces this kind of wine, as it entails hard manual work of collecting the proper grapes one by one. This wine is famous because kind Louis the 15th tried it and crowned it “The wine of kings”. That made it a famous wine around the world and one of the only exported Hungarian wines.

I don’t like sweet wine as much, but the red and white wines were great. I actually really liked the red wine and the smoked cheese and was happy to discover that you can purchase it at the end of the tour. We also received a 10% discount on all the wine cellar’s products. So, after the tour, I bought a bottle of wine, cheeses, paprika and pumpkin seeds oil 🙂

In summary, as you must have noticed by now, the tour we went on was really extensive. While it isn’t cheap, I think you definitely get your money’s worth. I felt like I was on three tours rather than one. The market tour with three food tastings, then a tour of the city with chocolates, a full Hungarian meal and coffee with cakes and finally wine and cheese tastings.

If you’re looking for a culinary tour, full of experiences and historic information and stories of the Hungarian culture. I’m sure this tour will live up to your expectations and even surpass them.

Notes about the food tour

• I recommend not having breakfast before the tour, or eating something small, as this tour includes a loooot of food 🙂
• Bring comfortable walking shoes
• Don’t schedule major plans after the tour, as you’ll likely be too tired for activities that require physical effort or much walking.
• If you have allergies or food sensitivities, let the company know beforehand. My mom, for example, doesn’t eat pork, so I let them know ahead of time and György did his best to offer different options.

The tour was part of a cooperation with the company.

A good cafe is one of the best things, and since I live in Tel Aviv I get to sit at many of the local cafes and I’m always excited to get to know new ones.
I decided to do an extended project about Tel Aviv, including recommendations for all the cool things you can do here, one of those being finding a good cafe. I’ve made a list of cafes I like a lot and ones my friends like and went to check them out.
After visiting many cafes I’ve decided to list the ones I found the best and most recommended. Currently, I have a rather small list, which I believe will grow and change over time (Tel Aviv is a city that never rests with new places opening all the time).

The parameters by which I’ve made the decision regarding these cafes are

Good service (One of the most important features), high quality food and coffee, a pleasant atmosphere, good location and high ratings online (Google reviews, Facebook, Tripadvisor and more).
Additionally, all the places I’ve picked out are vegan friendly (I’m not a vegan personally but try to avoid dairy products and eggs and appreciate places with awareness of such things).

List of recommended cafes in Tel Aviv

XOHO cafe, Jonesy Gardener Café,  Citizen Garden Coffee House, cafe Shneor, Tony and Ester, cafe Malka, cafe Albi, Waycup coffee, cafe Hashmal

Cafes in Tel Aviv

XOHO cafe – Great coffee, near the beach

A few years ago, I lived in a building on Gordon – Ben Yehuda, and in front of my house was a location where something new would open every time. There was a bar, a cafe… And so, the places kept changing. Then came cafe XOHO!!
Not only has it been active for a few years, it’s considered one of the most popular cafes in Tel Aviv (With both Israelis and tourists), You’ll always find it full. There’s good reason for its success. The owner, Xoli, along with the talented chef have constructed a menu of light meals with a special twist (Like a bagel with egg and caramelized onion) and all the ingredients (Except the Tortillas) are made in house (Breads, spreads, salted salmon and more).

Since Xoli used to work as a barista in Australia, it was important for her to open a cafe with quality coffee, so you’ll definitely find great coffee there.
When I visited the cafe to write about it, I decided to try the vegan banana bread (Served with some whipped cream or cashew cream), Home-made muesli with granola, chia pudding with coconut and fruits and the bagel with fried egg, cream cheese, yellow cheese and caramelized onion. Of course, I didn’t miss out on the coffee (I ordered cold coffee) and kombucha (I discovered this drink in Thailand, it’s a fermented tea and one of the healthiest beverages you can find. If you’ve never had it, you have to try).

Firstly, the dishes were beautiful so of course I gave them their own photoshoot, and having finished taking pictures, sat down and enjoyed the food. The banana bread was delicious (It’s more like a cake than bread 🙂 and I liked the cashew cream, though the bread was really good even without a dip on the side. It’s even worth visiting just for it and a cup of coffee. The muesli was great as well and the bagel was so good I told Roman he should come with me next time, so we can try the salmon bagel (When I was there the salmon wasn’t ready yet, so I couldn’t order it). Roughly every half a year the menu is changed and renewed.
Address Gordon 17, Tel Aviv, Map, Website

Jonesy Gardener Café – a hidden gem with a lovely garden and tasty food

It’s so fun that thanks to the blog, I get to discover great cafés I wasn’t aware of in Tel Aviv. Jonesy Gardener is a café in Nahalat Benyamin, a few steps away from the Carmel market (It’s one of Tel Aviv’s busiest areas, especially on Friday mornings). What’s nice about this café is that despite being in the heart of things, it itself is quite and calm. The best thing about it is that you can sit in a peaceful backyard in it and forget you’re even in a city.

Roman and I got to meet the owner of Jonesy, who’s super nice and has a fascinating life story. He opened the café two years ago (There used to be a café named Loveat there) and he and his wife (Who also works there) put a lot of effort into maintaining the garden and renovating the place, as well as taking measures to create a positive atmosphere and kind, professional service. I also discovered there’s a top floor that’s fun to hangout on.

We got to taste a variety of dishes off the menu, so I can tell you that beyond being a fun place to be at, the food there is delicious. There are dishes for any time of the day. We really liked the fish plate, caprese salad of cherry tomatoes and mozzarella, the veal sausages (High-quality sausages) and salmon on cream cheese croissant (How can you not love a dish like that?)

Additionally, I ordered a Mimosa from freshly squeezed orange juice and Cava, which was excellent and Roman had a Mojito which was very good as well.

Finally, we were served coffee and a dessert of pancakes with fruit, whipped cream, maple syrup and chocolate. We’re aren’t usually big fans of desserts, but the pancakes were thin and not sweet – We honestly really liked this dish. Despite this being a café, it’s apparently a great place to come to after work for a cocktail.

This is a café with the magical combination of a fun garden, great food, a relaxing atmosphere, cocktails, desserts and coffee – What else can you ask for?
Address: Nahalat Benyamin 3, Website, Map

Citizen garden cafe – Super healthy dishes, photogenic dishes

I didn’t know this cafe before starting my Tel Aviv project for the blog. I heard of it from my cousin who lives in Tel Aviv and highly recommended it. One of the reasons I didn’t know the place is how new it is. It opened in November of last year by three companions (I got to meet one of them – Ariel, who is also their chief of marketing and is very lovely). It’s a healthy, delicious and colorful cafe, and if you’re into pretty Instagram photos, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

The menu includes healthy, super thought-out and delicious dishes. For starters I ordered the cold beet drink (Yes, it seemed strange to me as well, but those who like beets will love it). I went out to take a picture of it outside and within a minute two people stopped and asked me about it. You can order it hot or cold, I chose the cold version, as it was a summer day.

For mains I ordered the health bowl (A hot trend around the world these days), which included many ingredients. The mixture was tasty and really filling. It had egg, cashew, broccoli, Cheri tomatoes, tahini, mozzarella, zucchini noodles (Zoodels, a great name) and more. But for me, the crown jewel was the potato, baked in coconut cream and sea salt. I’d like to have it every day 🙂
For dessert I got a new dessert which wasn’t even on the menu yet, ice-cream with coconut chips and matcha sauce (Thinly ground green tea, adored in Japan). I’m not usually a fan of sweets, but this was a light dessert with delicate and unique flavors (Good for matcha lovers).There’s seating inside and out.
Addresst Montefiore 15, Tel Aviv, Map, Website

Cafe Shneor  – Good for working on a laptop, cozy with good service

A super fun cafe with a homey feeling and courteous service. In a quiet, yet central, location.
I discovered this cafe when someone scheduled a business meeting with me there. I was glad to have come to know an excellent cafe with a pleasant atmosphere due to the meeting. It’s the sort of place that makes you feel at home.

During the meeting I only had coffee, but I’ve returned to try the food and write about it for the blog as well, as it was clearly a cafe I want on my list.
I got to meet the owner, Ben, who was really nice and told me that one of the things most important to him in a cafe is that the staff is pleased – which means service is always with a smile and there’ll be a pleasant feeling at the cafe. Apparently, he did a good job 🙂

I looked at the menu and there were many dishes which seemed good to me, but in the end I decided to start with a coffee and for food I chose Quaker oatmeal with fruits and granola (Description of the dish as it appears on the menu: Quaker oatmeal – Vegan – Cooked in rice milk, rich granola and seasonal fruits, served with date honey). I love oatmeal as breakfast and this dish was great. I also loved the presentation and it had many fruits (Some places serve oatmeal with a couple of fruit chunks, which always bums me out as fruits are what make the oatmeal interesting in my opinion). I also ordered cold tea from an infusion which came in a cute jug and the tea was refreshing and perfect for a summer day.
There’s seating inside the cafe and out.
Address Pinsker 20, Tel Aviv, Map, Website

Tony and Esther –  for working with a laptop, for hanging out. Happy hour on weekdays 18:00-20:00, with 1+1 on drinks

The Tony and Esther cafe I discovered accidently one day while walking on Levinsky street in Florentin. From that moment forward it became one of my favorite cafes and one of the places I visit to work from my laptop. It has a bubbly, jovial atmosphere and is almost always full.

When I come to work from my laptop I sit inside, but when I visit with friends, sitting outside is very nice. One of my favorite things about this cafe is the high quality of the food and the variety of options to suit your mood. There are light options, decadent dishes, filling dishes and tasty drinks.

The dishes I like there are a sandwich with a tofu omelet and cashew cream, lentil and yam salad with fresh chili and Cheri tomatoes.  Bourikas with cheeses and leek are great and Roman really liked Challah bread with egg (It’s simple but delicious).
One of the things Roman and I like doing is coming there at night and ordering several starters, like a potato salad, Lox, lima beans with iced tea, and having fun sitting there. In summary, it’s the perfect cafe for a hangout with friends or just to visit and work from your laptop in peace.
Address  Levinsky 39, Map, Website

Anastasia – Vegan cafe with super foods and great shakes

Anastasia is considered a major establishment in Tel Aviv when it comes to vegan food. You’ll find it full at any hour of the day, so it’s recommended to book a table in advance if you feel like visiting for breakfast or brunch. The food there is of really high quality and all the ingredients are good and natural.

You’ll find a good breakfast there with interesting salads, awesomely tasty mains and the most unique shakes. There are natural coffee substitutes such as Carob powder and date seed powder. On the menu you’ll see gluten free dishes, raw dishes and those considered super foods (There are many dishes combining super food ingredients).

I ate there several times. Sometimes for the breakfast they serve, sometimes I came with a friend for a tasty shake. This time, for the blog, I came back there to try more dishes and see what else is worth ordering. I chose a starter of Masala Dosa , an Indian dish I had in India and really liked. For mains, I ordered Pappardelle pasta with mushrooms and asparagus and the Mangobiotic shake.

I can already tell you I ended up taking half of the dishes to go, as well as the shake, as I simply couldn’t eat another bite 🙂 The Dosa dish, while it is a starter, I found very filling and could easily be a main course if you’re not extremely hungry. It was delicious and the only reason I didn’t finish it was so I could save room for the Pappardelle pasta which was excellent as well.
The shake was amazing, I found the combination of Mango with coconut milk and pineapple, as well as a few other tasty surprises to be a real winner. By the way, if you’re on your way to the beach or just feel like sitting on a bench with a great shake, you can pass by Anastasia and get one for the road.
Address Frishman 54, Map, Website

Malka cafe-bakery – take-away breads, excellent pastries

A cool, intimate cafe we fell in love with for the breads (And sandwiches). The owner, a lovely girl named Ma’ayan who’s dream it was to open a cafe, decided to fulfill that dream by opening this place and turning it into a small gem in south Tel Aviv.
It’s a fun place to sit and there are great food and pastries.

This cafe we accidently came across while walking from Florentin to Jaffa. We went in for the coffee and have since been back all the time to buy breads (They have the best sourdough bread), as well as to sit for coffee with a sandwich or pastry. Everything there is fresh and Ma’ayan herself makes the pastries every day. There is now also a chef who prepares great dishes such as Chraime, vegan shawarma, couscous and more, and a different special every time. There’s one table indoors and most of the seating is outside. During the winter the outside area is walled up so there is no problem enjoying it during the cold months. And during the summer there’s a pleasant, cool breeze.
Address Elifelet 26, Map, Website

cafe Albi – Vegan friendly, for working from your laptop, calm hipster atmosphere

This cafe is actually a minute’s walk from my old apartment and for months I sat there nearly every day to work on the blog from my laptop. If you come during morning to lunch hours, you’ll see many people sitting there working on their laptops, for several reasons.
There’s good coffee and delicious food, the atmosphere is calm and pleasant, and the staff is lovely. I really like the Sabich dish and the Freekeh salad with beets. They also have special dishes like Falafel, vegetable givetch with rice, stuffed pepper and more.
There’s seating inside as well as out.
Address Ha-Gdud Ha-Ivri 8, Map, Website

Waycup coffee cafe – specializes in coffee

This is cafe whose specialty is coffee! If you’re looking for a high quality place for coffee, this one needs to be on your list. I got to know it while researching where you can find the best coffee in town and this was one of the recommendations, and for good reason. They work with the best coffee suppliers, grind the coffee in house and have a great coffee machine. Oh, and you can buy coffee to take home and prepare on your own.
Address Johanan Ha-Sandlar 23, Map, Website

Cafe Ha-Hashmal

I got to know this cafe when I gave a lecture in it. Afterwards, I came back there to work from my laptop, sine there’s a very pleasant atmosphere for work there, as well as good food and coffee.
The last time I was there I ordered coffee and a dish of filo pastry, stuffed with beet and a yoghurt on the side. It was a great dish, and I enjoyed sitting and working there.
Address Ha-Hashmal 12, Map, Website

One of our favorite things to do while traveling abroad is to try local food, and if possible, go on a food tour, so we can try as many dishes as possible. Lately it struck me that I’ve never been on such a tour in my own country and I’ve decided it was time to change that. I began searching for food tours in Tel Aviv and found several companies offering food tours before coming across Bhuka tours, which excited me a lot. Why? Both because of their many comments and recommendations and because they offer food tours in many areas of Tel Aviv.

Since I live in Tel Aviv, I’ve been to the Carmel market and Jaffa often and even Neve Sha’anan. However, I’ve never been to Schunat Ha-Tikva. It was immediately clear to me that I want us to go on a tour of Schunat Ha-Tikva, and after the fact I can say it was an excellent choice.

We met Moni, the guide (One of the founders of Bhuka tours) and two more couples (A couple from Ra’anana and a couple from Gadera. It turned out the girl from Ra’anana had a birthday and her husband brought her on the tour as a surprise, and the guy from Gadera had a birthday and his wife brought him on the tour as a surprise, and we were simply there because we love food :)).

The Bhuka cart

Moni came with a specially designed cart (They built and designed the cart especially for the tour), at first, I didn’t understand why he needed a cart – but it turns out it’s considered the symbol of the tours and it was one of the factors which made this such a fun experience.

The cart’s top part is a wooden plank which serves as a table and the bottom holds a cooler with a ton of wine bottles (Red and white), as well as water. Despite the tour starting at 10:30am, it didn’t stop Moni from serving us each a glass of wine. At first, I felt weird drinking wine so early, but let me tell you, that glass almost never stayed empty for long for any of us (Every time we finished our wine Moni hurried to refill it). Thus, we ended the tour full and very drunk, although it was only 1pm.

Food tour in Schunat Ha-Tikva Neighborhood Tel Aviv

First off, Schunat Ha-Tikva is so cool and I now feel like coming back there more. The market there is the most authentic of all of Tel Aviv’s and the atmosphere there is that of a real market, with shouting merchants, jovial people and lots of food. What I liked about this market is how wide it is, you can easily walk in it without feeling crowded, even on Fridays.

When we started the tour, Moni warned us that the food tour scene isn’t know in this market and people don’t understand the concept, so we he serves us food we need to watch our plates, as people might think he’s giving out free samples for everyone. We thought he was kidding but he really wasn’t!! We found ourselves closing a circle around our table to prevent people from taking the food. It’s a really funny experience.

Moni started the tour with stories of the area’s history, he told us many things I never knew, and it was really interesting. Also, he lives in Schunat Ha-Tikva so it’s great to hear his stories and experiences as a local. We spoke of the neighborhood’s stigmas and the point of the tour was to change our perception of it and show us it’s in a period of growth and development.

I don’t want to say too much about the food itself, as being surprised by the dishes is a major part of the tour. I will, however, add a couple of photos and say we had dishes from different origins, such as Armenian, Yemeni, Persian, Iraqi and others. I will also say that our first stop was a place which started as a hole in the wall and is now one of the most sought-after locations, which people come specifically to visit due to a writer who has written about the place (There’s a good reason why this was our favorite dish of the tour).

There were several stops during the tour and each time we ate different food and of course had more wine. I must admit that by the end of the tour I was really full, as were everyone else. Besides Roman who always manages to surprise me with his stomach’s capacity and could finish all of the food offered to us. I think he represented us well, as I couldn’t have any more and had to take two meals to go for later.

A bit more about the tour

Moni was one of the funniest, most interesting tour guide I ever met and lead the tour in a really fun manner. Both of the couples with us were charming and it was a special kind of culinary, intoxicating hangout on a Friday morning.
It’s an activity fit for friends, couples, singles and families and is definitely one of the food tours I’ll remember fondly. To be honest, I’m already considering joining Moni on his other tours of Tel Aviv, since this one was simply great.

• Come on the tour hungry (Skip breakfast before and if you’re on an evening tour, try not to eat too much beforehand).
• Bring comfortable shoes and clothing.
• Don’t schedule any plans afterwards, as you’ll be too drunk and it’s better not to come by car for the same reason.
• If you have any food intolerance or allergies, let the company know ahead of time.

Bon Appetit 🙂