Restaurants in Tel Aviv

Messa

Run by one of the city’s most famous chefs, Aviv Moshe, Messa is a fine-dining restaurant that specialises in an upmarket version of local food with most ingredients sourced from the surrounding area. The black and white décor is slightly intimidating but it’s well worth it for the excellent food.

Manta Ray

 Although large and crowd-pleasing, there’s something about this restaurant that makes dining an intimate experience. Seats overlook the sparkling Mediterranean, and the food is creative as well as well crafted. Although the emphasis is seafood, many recommend breakfasting here.

La Shuk

This chic and cosy restaurant offers diners an original take on modern Israeli cuisine from the heart of Tel Aviv. Amid colourful cocktails and light fixtures, enjoy such fine and flavourful foods as black ink seafood linguini, fresh artichoke salad, and tender beef kebab.

Orna and Ella

A light and airy restaurant decked out in light pinewood and Scandinavian-style fittings, Orna and Ella is the place to go if you’re after healthy food or a light lunch. That said, the sweet potato pancakes are divine, and just about everything else tastes great and comes in large portions.

Cafe Noir

With dark wood furnishings and exposed brick walls, Café Noir offers an authentic splash of France in bustling brasserie surroundings. A block from Rothschild Boulevard, it’s open from early morning till the early hours of the next day, and offers a genuine French menu that includes everything from croissants to entrecôte bordelaise (steak).

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar

Chocolate goes with everything at this Tel Aviv institution, which has two further branches around the city. Among the offerings: chocolate pizza. The savoury dishes are good too, and it is possible to enjoy lunch or dinner here without touching the sweet stuff - but what would be the point?

Dr Shakshuka

Don’t be fooled by the slightly grotty exterior – this is one of the best places to eat in Tel Aviv. As the name suggests, the speciality is shakshuka, a pan filled with simmered tomatoes and a fried egg, but the shawarma (kebabs) and mezze are delicious too. Wash it all down with a lemon-mint juice.

Café London

Big, crowded, easy-going, and right beside the beach, this huge open-air eatery offers a very wide selection of dishes all day and all evening. Almost any and every kind of food is available, from brunch to late-night supper and between meals too. The quality varies but the location is unbeatable.

Pasta Basta

 If you find yourself tiring of falafel and hummus but still want carbs, Pasta Basta is the place to go for a quick and delicious meal. Their specialty is pasta but they have plenty of vegan and vegetarian options in addition to a delicious and fresh chopped salad.

Abraham Hostel

 If you’re in the market for a hostel there’s virtually no nicer place to stay than at the Abraham Hostel, which offers large dorm rooms, free Wi-Fi, a big breakfast, airport transportation, and a rooftop bar. The lounge area is notoriously chic and hipster, with hammocks hanging from the ceiling and bright, bold murals spread across the walls.