Tel Aviv District Travel Forum

Hi Everyone,
My wife and myself will be in Tel Aviv shortly. We are spending a few nights at the Renaissance Tel Aviv Hotel at 121, Hayarkon Street. The hotel has an excellent restaurant. Apart from that, could anyone recommend a few good places closeby that we could eat lunch and dinner in. We are not vegetarians and eat all meats and sea-food/fish. We are NOT looking for an Indian restaurant, please.
Suggestions would be much appreciated.
Many thanks in advance,
Carlos de Souza.

The area is full with restaurants and as Tel-Aviv is not that big you can get to a restaurant in other parts of the city without any problem. As a rule, hotel restaurants in Israel are less recommended because they are Kosher. You can usuaully find a much better and cheaper alternative outside the hotel. One excellent restaurant in the area is "Refael". It's located next to the Dan hotel on Hayarkon street (a little south from your hotel). It has a great view of the Med sea and a creative (but not cheap) cuisine.

BTW, in your hotel you can get a free copy of the English version of TimeOut magazine for Tel-Aviv. You can check out the digital issue at: http://digital.timeout.co.il/english

Thank you very much, Bregman, your replies have been most helpful.

I shall go through the website in detail.

Many thanks,
Shambo !!
Carlos.

Hi Carlos,
Here are my 3 preferred ones within a walking distance from your hotel:
1. "Mamaia" restaurant, on Ben-Yehuda 192, tel 03-5237784, specializes in the best of Romanian type of food and grilled meat. If you go there, I strongly recommend you to try the "Mititei", that’s the Romanian kebab. Going there with a Romanian born friend, who can explain you about the various dishes and talk in native language with the owners, can definitely improve the experience.
2. "Edelson 10" bistro, Dizengof 117, tel. 03-5299295; exquisite cakes and pastries, very good breakfast/brunch, nice lunch, wouldn’t recommend it for dinner. If you go there, I strongly recommend you to try their "Millefeuille" (or "Cremeschnitte"), IMHO the best in Israel. A word of warning: there is a high demand of this particular type of cake, so arriving there after 10:00-11:00 diminishes the chances to find any left. Another warning - after eating their millefeuille, you will be never ever able to enjoy the British custard slice.
3. Thailand House, on Bugratchov 8, tel. 03-5178568 – one of the best Thai food houses in Israel. Fairly inexpensive.
Enjoy,
Marius

My favorite in that area is the plain fish & seafood restaurant - Shchopak, 258 Ben-Yehuda st.

They will serve you with delightful entrees, fresh bread and cold water, as soon as you sit at the table to keep you busy. These are included in the price of the main dish. Everything is so fresh.

Don’t go there on a rainy day, as you will probably have to wait for a table on the sidewalk for some time. It is a popular site.

pili

Thank you very much, Marius, for your 3 suggestions.

I have noted them and shall try to visit them.

Many thanks again for the time and trouble taken.

Shalom !!
Carlos.

Thank you, Pili, for the suggestion.

It certainly appears good. My wife and myself are both fond of sea-food.

Much obliged to you.

Shalom !!
Carlos.

If you like seafood, you might want to try "Manta Ray". It's on the beach, south of your hotel, right between Tel-Aviv anf Jaffo.

Thanks, Bregman. Manta Ray is indeed on our "must go" list.

Have read a lot about Manta Ray. Looking forward to it already :-)

Are there some really good places for steak closeby, Bregman ??

Many thanks for all your help.

Shalom,
Carlos.

Right next to your hotel there is the Whitehall steakhouse, on Mendale street near the corner of Hayarkon street (across the street from Refael and the Dan hotel). BTW, in the corner there is the Molly Blum Iris pub which is highly recommended. If you want fancier places a little further away (no more than 5-10 minutes in taxi) you can try "NG" at ^ Achad-Haam street, Neve Zedek (see: http://www.rest.co.il/sites/Default.asp?txtRestID=4834&txtSR=1), or one of the best places in Israel for beef, "Yoezer Bar-Yayin" (Yoezer wine bar). It's located in the entrance to Jaffo, right next to the clock tower. It's a beautiful old stone house and they serve a great selection of wines and beef (see http://rest.co.il/sites/Default.asp?txtRestID=1323 it's in Hebrew but you can see some photos).

Thanks you very much, Bregman, for the 4 choices you have given me.

I checked out the websites and loved the decor and ambience of "NG" and
Yoezer Bar-Yayin. Would you be able to tell me approximately how much would it cost for the two of us, a couple of drinks included ??? Just an idea, please.

Thank you very much, Bregman, that was very helpful indeed.

Shalom !!
Carlos.

Looking at the NG menu I see:

*) A starter is between 35 to 52 shekels.
*) A risoto is 75 shekels
*) The beef main courses are 95-115 shekels (you can also take a heavier cut from 550 grams to 1.2 kg, for more money)

If you go there on Tuesday's bettwen 12:00-17:00 you can have a business lunch starting at 75 shekels per person. Also, if you go to the site: http://www.rest.co.il/sites/Default.asp?txtRestID=4834&txtSR=1&txtNavID=3&txtItemID=38301, and click on the button on the lower row, to the left, a window with a coupon will be opened. If you print this coupon and bring it with you, you will get a free home made lemoncello as a digestif.

Yoezer is a little more expansive. But, you an have a tasting dinner for 199 shekels a person. This includes 3 starters, more more small dishes and a main course. If you come between 12:30-17:00 Sun-Fri, there is 20% off all prices (including wines in glasses). They offer special Saturday deal, between 11:00-16:00 for 95 shekels a person (bloody marry or mimosa, a salad and different choices of eggs, sausages or entrcote cuts). The wines can go up to thousnads of shekels, they have a huge selection. But, you can get half a bottle of Israeli wine for 50 shekels. Or a glass for about 30 shekels.

Thank you very much, Bregman, for all the trouble you have taken on my behalf.

I think the "tasting dinner" at the Yoezer for 199 Shekels per person, should suit us fine. I am already looking forward to it. Unfortunately, we are in Tel Aviv only on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

We will also try and visit "NG" for lunch.

Thanks again, Bregman, you have been exceedingly helpful.

Much obliged to you.
Shalom,
Carlos.

These two places are a good choice, not only because of the food. Jaffo and Neve-Zedek are the two main touristic places in Tel-Aviv, so you need to visit them anyway.

Absolutely, Bregman. Sooo, we shall combine sightseing and shopping with some superb dining. Thank you very much for all ther help.

If you ever come to Bombay, please let me know. I'll be delighted to help in any way.

Shalom !!
Carlos.