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 🙂

I have to admit that prior to the trip, I hadn’t heard much about the Franconian Switzerland region in Germany. But following an invitation we received from the Nuremberg tourism board, who also suggested we visit there, we got to discover a stunning region of Germany we would love to revisit.
The Franconian Switzerland tourism board arranged a very fun itinerary for us according to our preferences and we ended up having an amazing trip, combining city life, nature, rest and challenges and a lot of beer and delicious food.

How to reach Franconian Switzerland?

Franconian Switzerland is in the Bavarian region of Germany. We arrived via a direct flight to Nuremberg with Germania Airlines. After two days in Nuremberg, we drove to Franconian Switzerland in a Papam Papam. It’s a short drive of about an hour.

Where did we stay?

This was one of the trip’s special experiences. We got to stay at Burg Rabenstein. A stunning castle with many attractions in its vicinity. You may read about our experience at the castle in detail in the post about “Sleeping in a castle in Franconian Switzerland, Germany – A royal experience from the middle ages”.
Hotel price comparison and additional reviews.

Things to do in Franconian Switzerland

Forest climbing park

This was my first time in a ropes park, and to be honest, I was scared at first. I did try many extreme activities such as bungee jumping, free falling, wall climbing and such in the past, but I’ve got no coordination or balance and sometimes get scared of heights! Kletterwald park forced me to face all these problems ? and I had a fun, challenging time.

This park has many tracks of varying difficulties and is suitable for both children and adults. At first, we went through instruction by one of the instructors (After he helped us put our gear on). We got the instruction on a training track and the guide explained, step by step, what we need to do – before letting us try on our own. Only after seeing us do the track properly did he allow us to go on to the regular courses on our own. The courses include passing over bridges of all sorts and doing omegas (Which was my favorite part).

We decided to start with the medium difficulty course and it was honestly quite hard, but I managed it successfully. We then did a hard course, which was definitely quite difficult, but I succeeded that as well (Despite difficulties along the way and letting a girl pass me along the way, since I felt like I was slowing her down).

Roman then decided we should go try the hardest track, named “The Gorilla” (The guide warned us ahead of time that the course isn’t for everyone, as it’s truly difficult and requires a lot of strength), I followed Roman and right away we understood it was going to be very complicated, and after several stages we decided there was no chance we could go on. It was too hard and we kept slipping. So, we backtracked and decided to let that one go (I’m tall, and Roman is very tall, and it turns out that in these places the taller and heavier you are, the more you’ll struggle. We had to admit the Gorilla course wasn’t for us, at least not the first time we visit this kind of park).

Then we had the most fun (And scary) experience, a course called “Flying fox”. It’s essentially a course made up of climbing to a great height (The scary part), then going on a few omegas and finally a very long omega (The fun and scary parts, combined). The course costs an additional 3 euros, and is highly recommended. It’s a bit of a stressful experience, as the first climb is both physically exhausting and caused me a fear of heights, you have to climb a swaying ladder. However, with Roman’s encouragement I made it through that part and the fun began. For those who aren’t afraid of heights, this is definitely the highlight of the park.

The employees are the park were really nice and our guide explained everything in a clear and patient manner. If you like a bit of a challenge and are looking for a fun activity for you, and your kids if you have them, I definitely recommend this park. If we weren’t on a tight schedule, we would stay there for half the day, as each course takes about half an hour and we had a few more to try. Link to website.
Address Kletterwald Pottenstein, Weidenloh 10091278 Pottenstein, Map

Private tour of Forchheim, including beer tastings at a beer brewery and a visit to the world’s largest beer garden

We took the tour through the Forchheim office of tourism. The office offers private tours, as well as group tours (Tours of the old town, beer breweries, Segway tours and more). Link to the tours they offer. We took the private tour with Christiane, our guide, who was extremely lovely.

We started the tour in Forchheim city. It’s one of the Germany’s ancient cities and is sometimes called the gateway to Franconian Switzerland. It’s a beautiful city, which is more reminiscent of a small town. Everyone there knows each other and there’s a homey, pleasant atmosphere there. For example, there’s a garden there with many planter boxes and apparently, those without a garden at home who wants to grow plants can rent a planter box at this garden and grow whatever he wants there (Pretty cool, right?).
It used to have over 30 beer breweries, with only four remaining today.

So, we started the tour of the city and Christiane told us of the town’s history and life there (She’s lived there for 10 years with her husband and children). Most houses there are hundreds of years old, with only a few new ones. In fact, even the new houses have been built in the old style, and so it’s hard to differentiate between them. One of the things Christiane told us excitedly of is the Anna festival.  It’s an 11-day festival in the end of July and includes a lot of beer ? Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit this festival and celebrations continue all day long with beers, music and a jovial atmosphere. Honestly, she made us want to come back during the festival, as it sounded very cool.

After the tour of the city, we visited a beer brewery (Which has won many awards for its beer), the Neder brewery (Map). It’s a brewery since 1554. We ordered three different beers, one of which is called Black Anna (I really liked it). Christiane taught us the signals of beer at a bar. If you put the glass to the side, it means you want it refilled, if you put it on its handle – it means you want half a glass, and if you put the coaster on top of the glass – you’re done for today ? If you’re ever there, you should try it and tell me if it works.

After the brewery, we continued to the world’s largest beer garden. It’s actually an area full of small beer gardens (Some are only open during the Anna festival and some year-round). At first, we took a small tour of the basement which used to serve as a brewery, and then sat at one of the spots for a local dinner with more beers (At this point, I ordered water). At the restaurant I ordered a Currywurst and Roman had meat and white sausages. We also ordered some fries and Christiane ordered a plate of sausages and local cheeses.

The tour was so fun. Christiane was an excellent guide and a joy to talk to (We’ve spent time just chatting about life), and it was nice to hear about the city’s history and culture. If you want a private tour, you may contact the office of tourism and ask her as your guide specifically or just join the tours they offer.

Kayaks

Well, in retrospect, I can tell you that Kayaking is apparently one of the challenges we don’t enjoy as much. We’re more into bike riding or trekking, but those who enjoy this kind of extreme activity, will surely like kayaking in the Franconian Switzerland area.
I’ve told you this area is beautiful, and kayaking is another great way of enjoying the sights (If you know how to row properly and aren’t occupied with survival, like we were).

Let’s start at the beginning. We came to Aktive Reisen and received floatation gear and a water proof box for valuables, such as our camera and phones (Important tip: Don’t go on this trip without a phone, and when properly closed, the box is truly water proof, from experience). We then parked the car at the nearby lot and got our kayak and paddles, as well instruction about the route. The guide explained that most of the course is quite calm, but there are a few stormy parts and the entire course is about 7km.

When went out optimistic and excited about an experience in such a beautiful place. At first, we took photos and were even optimistic enough to bring take-away food onto the kayak. We didn’t have time for lunch and were naïve enough to think that we could eat while rowing. Very early on we reached a small waterfall. We somehow managed to go into it horizontally and got stuck between two rocks. The kayak quickly filled up with water (And so did we) and we had to exit it onto a rock and try to dislodge it, but it was too heavy. Roman somehow managed to dislodge it but it immediately got carried away by the fall’s quick current.

At this point we were stranded on a rock with paddles and the sealed box. We called the company to let them know what happened (I told you it’s important to have a phone with you) and they said they’ll come rescue us, but it’ll take some time. 15 minutes later came a fisherman who was in the area and managed to catch our kayak (We have no idea how). We had to cross the frozen river on foot (With water up to our belly buttons) to take the kayak off his hands.

We decided to continue the course (Since we knew it’ll take time to rescue us and preferred to just keep going). The rest was hard and exhausting, and we were already too traumatized to enjoy the view. We took a few more photos and otherwise fought not to get into another problematic situation. After an hour and a half of rowing we got to the end of the track, wet and frozen, but pleased to have finished it without getting hurt and with only a slight trauma and a story to remember for a long time.

One of the guides came to pick us up with the car at the end of the course, we reached the car in one piece. In summary, this is definitely an experience we’ll remember for a long time, and we’ve also learned kayaking wasn’t really our thing. Next time we’re in the area, we’ll come back to this company and rent a bike from them to ride around the region (Biking is definitely a favorite of ours).

Staying at a castle or visiting it and its surroundings

As I’ve mentioned, one of the things we loved on our trip was staying at Burg Rabenstein. However, even if you don’t stay there, you may still join their special events (If it works out for you in terms of dates, as they don’t always host them, but if they do – It’s highly recommended). We were lucky enough to be at an event called “Sophie at night”, which included visiting a large, impressive cave by the castle and then a 3-course gourmet dinner. There are also differently themed events, with things like magic, medieval and murder mysteries.

There are also nice walking tracks by the castle. The routes are marked and go through the forest, with caves and a beautiful vantage point over the hotel. Some routes are only a few kilometers but can go as long as 22 kilometers.

There’s also a birds of prey reservation, including a show and the option of holding a falcon. We got to hold Kosma, the 11-year-old falcon.
You can also join tours of the castle itself for half an hour (Every hour, starting at 11am. Note that the tours are in German, but will still allow you to see the unique rooms of the castle, such as the ballroom, the knights room and more).
There’s a very nice beer garden by the castle where you can grab a beer and some local food.

The Franconian Switzerland area is amazing for trekking, riding a bike, beer breweries, visiting old towns, staying at a castle, good food and wonderful people. We were there in early September and the autumn colors have already begun coming in, only adding to the beauty of the place.

When we were invited on a trip by the Nuremburg and Franconian Switzerland tourism boards, we were really excited, since we saw that Nuremburg is an interesting and beautiful town and that the Franconian Switzerland region looked exciting and full of views and nature. We then found out about sleeping in a castle in Franconian Switzerland, which was simply amazing.

We arrived at the castle from Nuremburg with the car we had rented. We’ve seen pictures of the hotel and read the great reviews it has and were excited even prior to arriving.
The drive to the castle was stunning and we wanted to stop every few minutes to take photos. We passed amongst beautiful villages and everything was green with the beginnings of autumn colors (We traveled at the end of September).

Burg Rabenstein castle

Luckily, we had great weather! It was warm and sunny, without even a single drop of rain. Eventually we reached the Burg Rabenstein castle. We entered the parking lot, first stopping next to the castle entrance to unload our baggage, then parking nearby.

The castle entrance is very impressive. There’s a huge silver door, with a small bridge leading up to it. We rang the bell and were welcomed in. The girl who welcomed us was very nice and gave us room keys (The heaviest key we had at any hotel :)) and the Wi-Fi passwords (Each device gets a different password). She then led us to the room.

The room itself

The room was large and pleasant. Entering it feels like going back in time and being in a royal bedroom in a castle. There’s a twin bed with a bench in front of it (Just like back in the day), two couches with a table, a shower room with a bath and toilet and two windows with a view to the green mountain.
There’s no TV or air-conditioning in the room (It’s pleasant in the summer and there’s heating in the winter). Our room felt like a princess’s, everything was in shades of pink, with a pink wall rug.

Since we arrived at lunchtime, we decided it was a good time to get some food

Lunch

Outside the castle is a restaurant called Gutsschenke, it’s a beer garden. There are seats both inside and outside the place. Sabine, the manager and owner of the hotel came to greet us and show us some of the castle, but since we were really hungry we decided to exchange the castle tour for lunch 🙂 and she joined us.

There was good weather, so we sat outside and, of course, ordered beers (I got a light beer which is mixed with lemonade, it was delicious and refreshing). Sabine explained the menu to us and I decided to order a dish of vegan mushroom dumplings (They aren’t like Dim Sum, but a type of bread patty with mushrooms on top). Roman had meat with potato balls and Sauerkraut and Sabine had a fish dish with salad (Her dish was the most photogenic).

Sabine told us about the hotel and the activities they have, such as special events at the castle. They have a magics evening and a medieval evening, a murder mystery evening and “Sophie at night” (An event at Sophienhöhle). They have walking routes, a birds of prey reservation, a gourmet dinner and tours of the castle. These activities are available to everyone, not just hotel guests.

The rest of our day was on a tight schedule, we drove to a climbing forest and went on a beer brewery tour in a nearby city (You can read all about that in the Franconian Switzerland post).
The following morning began with breakfast at the hotel

Breakfast at the castle

As you can expect from a castle, the breakfast is high-quality and delicious. There are good hard cheeses, smoked salmon, breads, fruit (Mango, Figs, Pineapple and more), hard-boiled eggs, vegetables, pastries and more
There are all kinds of teas and juices, there’s a jug of coffee on the table and I, of course, ordered a cappuccino as well.

Hiking near the castle

By the castle you’ll find many walking tracks and people often come there just to tour the area, even without being guests of the hotel. The route we walked was about 6 km and we completed it within an hour and a half. (We were on a tight schedule and didn’t want to be late for our other plans, so we didn’t stop for pictures often).

The route was in the forest, and we walked by several caves. There are signs by the road and you can see exactly how long you have until the next milestone. The track was circular, and I liked it a lot for being relatively light (A large part of it is uphill since the castle is on a mountain, however, it isn’t steep and you can calmly walk it). There’s a part offering a vantage over the castle, it was very nice seeing it from a distance and knowing that’s where we’re staying.

After the track we had a free half hour, so we sat at the castle and ordered another cappuccino.  I was glad we finished the track half an hour early, that way we got to enjoy the castle some more.

Tour of the castle

Everyday, starting at 11:00 (Every hour) there’s a half hour tour in the different hotel rooms. The tour is in German (Hoping there’ll be an English version someday), but even if you aren’t a German speaker, this is a good chance to explore the castle and see its unique rooms. There’s one that looks like a ballroom, a knight’s room with a large round table and a large knight in the center. You start the tour in the fireplace room, a room always accessible where you can sit at night and have a glass of wine in front of the fireplace or during the day with a good book, you really feel like a king in a castle there. The tour is 5 euros and is available whether or not you’re a guest of the hotel.

Falconry

By the hotel is a reservation for birds of prey, including falcons. The reservation opens at 13:00 and has specific hours for shows (The birds are trained on the reservation). You may meet Cosma the falcon. We held Cosma, who is 11 years old. Sabrina, her trainer, was very nice and showed us how to hold her while telling us about the reservation and the birds there. The crazy part is that Sabrina has been working there for 15 years (It’s cool to have a job you look that much).

Sophie at night event

Luckily, while we were at the castle, on our second night there, there was a special event and we got to be at “Sophie at night”. We started the evening in the fireplace room. Everyone who took part in the event came there and we were given a welcome cocktail, then continued to the Sophie cave. It’s an easy 10-15 minute walk to the cave.

At first the hostess talked for a few minutes at the entrance to the cave, she spoke in German so I’ve no idea what she told about the cave 🙂 But when she was done talking, I asked her to explain the important parts. She told us we had about 25 minutes of free time in the cave, and to be careful not to slip or touch any stalactites.
The cave is very large and impressive and there were lights and music, it was just a beautiful place to walk around. We walked slowly and took many photos. I liked the cave a lot. For some reason, I’ve had some claustrophobic experiences in other caves while traveling in Asia, and this was a bit of a redeeming experience.

After our magical visit to the cave we went back to the castle for a celebratory dinner

Gourmet dinner

At the beginning of the evening we received a card with our table seat numbers. When we came back to the castle we went back to the dinning room and found our seats. Each table has room for 8 people, and there were 6 tables (I highly recommend booking events in advance, as they are in high demand).

On the table were breads with butter and you could order drinks for an extra cost. We of course ordered two glasses of white wine (You may also order a vegetarian meal ahead of time). The meal was a 3-course meal, and despite us being really hungry I can tell you it was one of the best meals we ever had. For starters we got pumpkin soup with cream sauce. Wow, the soup was incredible. We finished it so quickly.

For our mains we were served a perfectly cooked pork fillet with roasted vegetables and an amazing sauce. For dessert we got Panna Cotta with berries. This meal was great, with a 5-star service.
I didn’t expect the meal to be of such high caliber, but even if you aren’t staying at the hotel, you must have dinner there and visit one of their special events (Assuming one is available during your trip). It’s a great experience.

More information about the hotel

Everything I’ve described, such as the walking track, castle tour, birds of prey reservation and the special events are also available to those who aren’t hotel guests, and I recommend them highly as the area is truly beautiful, and the events are considered very sought after.

The hotel itself only has 22 rooms, so you should book there as far in advanced as possible, especially during peak seasons. Oh, and you can even get married there, useful information for newly engaged couples 🙂

Additionally, one of my favorite things about the castle is the possibility to walk around and discover something new every time. Once we discovered a nice balcony, and another time one of the employees showed us a charming balcony with greenery and a gorgeous view of the mountains.

Every time we visited a castle I’ve dreamt I’ll someday get the chance to sleep at a place like that, and in Germany it finally came to pass! We stayed at a castle and it was a special and luxurious experience. I felt like I’m in a medieval movie and enjoyed every moment.