Winter sun in Tel Aviv — East London Mornings

A Long weekend in Tel Aviv

If you need just one reason to visit Tel Aviv it certainly is it’s famous culinary scene. Prepare to eat, drink and be merry here 27/7. Let’s explore Tel Aviv’s dining scene, Bauhaus architecture , wide sandy beaches and intense night life.

Food

Breakfast. Bread & Co. 128 Ben Yehuda Street. ££ 20-25pp

Freshly baked bread, crispy croissants, smooth tahini, homemade jams, awesome shakshuka, you name it. We stayed around the corner and it was our favourite place for the entire trip. Open from early morning until late (including Saturday) so you can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner here whenever is convenient. Not to forget great staff, friendly and efficient with perfect English.

Lunch. North Abraxas. Lilienblum St 40. Lunch with wine £££ 50-60pp

Do insist to be seated by the bar, it will allow you to watch the great chefs at work and have a chat about Israeli wines with the bartender. For a moment you may forget that you in Israel, rustic interior and table set up will remind you of the best eateries in East London (Brawn, Bistroteque), but only until you get the food. It is insane. Freshest ingredients, presentation and magic touch of the head chef will take you to a food heaven.

To make sure you get a table, reserve in advance.

Dinner. Port Said. Lots of small plates with a lot of wine £ 30-40pp

An iconic place that embodies Tel Aviv. Party-like hipster vibes, outside sitting and delicious take on the middle-eastern food by top Israeli celebrity-chef Eyal Shani. The best time to arrive is probably after 11pm when the queue dies up and staff has time for a chat.

2. Architecture

Tel Aviv is home to one of the best collections of Bauhaus architecture in the world. 4 000 Bauhaus-style buildings were constructed in Tel Aviv between 1920 and 1940. The majority of Tel Aviv's examples can be found in the central White City – a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is protected as "an outstanding example of new town planning and architecture in the early 20th century". Bauhaus manifests the spirit of modernism and decorations reflecting different social classes are replaced by functionalism. I’ve bought a special architecture guide to explore the best examples, but you can just walk down the Bialik street and admire these white creations.

3. City Beaches

Tel Aviv is one of those cities that includes both: buzz of the big city and peaceful chill of the seaside. The city has some of the best beaches in Israel, from Jaffa in the south to Tel Aviv Port in the north. Here is my favourite five.

Bograshov Beach. Great beach with sugary soft sand and is protected by a barrier. Nice spot for people watching and close to many good eateries.

Frishman Beach. The one for active beach-time lovers that features valleyball nets, fitness equipment and working out in the sun spaces.

Mezitzim Beach. Closest beach to our apartment offering really good food, a late night lounge bar and a super-chilled atmosphere with beach loungers and DJs.

Jerusalem Beach. Perfect spot for catching the sunset and you’re very likely to find a seat in the spacious Tzfoni BeTayelet beach cafe.

Hilton Beach is famous for it’s water-sports scene. Choose a spot on a windy day and enjoy watching elegant wind-serfers.

4. Food

Yes, again, food. Because there is nothing else like Tel Aviv’s food scene.

Markets. If you have limited time inn the city (we only had four days) the main two markets to visit are: Food market Shuk HaCarmel and Flea market in Jaffa.

At Shuk HaCarmel try it’s famous freshly squeezed pomegranate juice from one of many stalls and try shakshuka in one of the restaurants or great kiosk kitchens, particularly near Shefer Street.

Known as Shuk HaPishpishim or the flea market in Jaffa, there are permanent shops and stalls selling luxury, second hand and vintage furniture, homeware and home furnishings, jewellery, some clothes and lots of cafes and restaurants. At night the bars on Yehuda Margoza Street (Yehuda mi-Ragusa) spill out into the street, covered in fairy lights and buzzing with atmosphere.

Street Food. Whether it’s hipster-ish take on shrimp-stuffed pita, lamb sausage and lemony matchstick fries or authentic street food in Jaffa, you’ll be blown away by all it’s flavours. But as much as I can praise the food, the vibe is no less important. Busy eateries, laughs of happy customers and chefs shouting your name, all add to the experience. Don’t miss no-fuss shakshuka in the famous Dr. Shakshuka. You will see this place in every guide, but it is not touristy as you may think. Sit outside in the shade and enjoy tomato and sweet pepper goodness!

Drinks. The one and only The Cuckoo’s Nest. We were passing this bar on the way home as everything was closing down on a Friday afternoon preparing for Shabbat. We’ve heard a live band and couldn’t pass it by without checking it out. The bar that is an art gallery, cultural centre and a live music space. The live stage hosts local bands, graffiti covers the walls and atmospheric lighting finishes the terrace. The rooftop bar is the only one in the neighbourhood. There’s nowhere cooler to sip cocktails and nibble on bar food. It’s a truly unique Jaffa experience.

On our last day we rented a car and drove to old Akko. To explore the rest of the country wasn’t on our list, but we couldn’t resist to have our last lunch at this epic spot.