Recommended cafes in Tel Aviv – Cafes with great food, good service, high quality coffee and a great atmosphere

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