Wednesday, October 31, 2012

TEL AVIV

(includes Herzliya, Jaffa, Rehovot & Umm al Fahm)

BAKERIES, COFFEE, ICE CREAM, JUICE & TEA
Bialik Café – 2 Bialik 2; 011-972-03-620-0832; cafebialik.co.il; notable for Israeli breakfast; wide selection chopped salads with eggs; neighborhood-hangout feel & old-fashioned chrome bar stools and wooden tables.
Café Europa – 9 Rothschild; 011-972-03-525-9987; coffee.
Café Suzanna – 9 Shabazi (Neve Tzedek); 011-972-03-517-7580; suzana.rest-e.co.il; for brioche & coffee.
LovEat – 37 Nachalat Binyamin (near Carmel Market); 011-972-03-566-6699; loveat.co.il; organic coffee shop with excellent, in-house coffee blend; wooden deck out back is lovely place to sit.



BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
Bialik Café – 2 Bialik 2; 011-972-03-620-0832; cafebialik.co.il; live music in evenings.
Cafe Europa – 9 Rothschild Avenue (Habima); 011-972-03-525-9987; trendy watering hole.
Café Suzanna – 9 Shabazi (Neve Tzedek); 011-972-03-517-7580; suzana.rest-e.co.il; rooftop terrace bar in evenings.
Dan Tel Aviv – 99 HaYarkon (at Hotel); 011-972-03-520-2552; danhotels.com.
Dizzy Frishdon – 121 Dizengoff Street; 011-972-03-523-4111; great bar that also serves fine food; name made up of 3 street names (Dizengof, Frishman, Gordon), located right in busy Dizengof’s core; dark atmosphere and always lines to get in, but never packed once you get in.
Har Sinai – 2 Har Sinai (at Allenby Street); facebook.com/harsinai; tiny, in-know spot, where action spills into street.
Messa – 19 Haarbaa Street; 011-972-03-685-6859; messa.co.il; dramatic black-on-black designer bar in which to see and be seen.
Micatronix – 28 Ben Yehuda Street; 011-972-03-603-4005; really hidden, no way of finding if you don’t already know about it; hidden inside shop, have to buzz intercom to get in; electronic music, techno, off-electro.
Next Door – 52 Chen Boulevard; 011-972-03-695-6276; cozy bar, belonging to well-known restaurant “Meat Bar”; great food & music.
Otto Bar – 76 Ibn Gvirol (directly across from Rabin Square); no phone or website; no real door at entrance, so just look for beer crates stacked in corridor; once you’re inside, impressive array beer, cocktails & wine.
Radio E.P.G.B. – 7 Shadal (at Yehuda Halevi Street); 011-972-03-560-3636; radioepgb.com; Israeli take on New York’s late, lamented rock club CBGB.
Rothschild 12 – 12 Rothschild Boulevard; 011-972-03-510-6430; facebook.com/r12tlv; New York style bar located in old building designated to be torn down; live shows on Tuesdays & Saturday.
Shalom Hotel & Relax – 216 Hayarkon Street; 011-972-03-542-5555; shalom-hotel-ta.co.il; block from beach; 24-hour roof-top deck bar (open to public in summer); beautiful at sunset.
Shesek – 17 Lilenblum Street; 011-972-03-516-9520; drunkintelaviv.co.il/?p=839; good DJs; open late.
Shine – 38 Shlomo Hamelech; 011-972-03-527-6186; restotlv.com/cafes/shine; happening bar scene.
Taxidermy – 18 Ha Rakevet or 33 HaHashmal; 011-972-05-4260-9003; facebook.com/pages/TAXIDERMY/282851770996; dark boîte whose walls are mounted with stag heads & stuffed pheasants.
Wine Bar – 36 Nachalat Binyamin; 011-972-03-510-2923; telavivme.com/NightLife/places/Wine_Bar; tapas.



BEACHES
Herzliya.



HOTELS
Brown TLV – 25 Kalisher Street; 011-972-03-717-0200; browntlv.com; boutique.
Dan Accadia Herzliya Hotel – Herzliya Beach; 011-972-09-959-7070; danhotels.com/HerzliyaHotels/DanAccadiaHerzliyaHotel; 3 buildings surrounded by gardens, which surround pool overlooking sea; standard rooms in older wing have balconies with sea views; ground floor rooms have outdoor whirlpools.
Dan Tel Aviv – 99 HaYarkon; 011-972-03-520-2552; danhotels.com; grande dame on beach; floor-to-ceiling views; room 372 is excellent.
Hotel Montefiore – 36 Montefiore; 011-972-03-564-6100; hotelmontefiore.co.il; boutique.
Rothschild – 96 & 71 Rothschild Boulevard; 011-972-03-629-0555; the-rothschild.com; luxury boutique.
Shalom Hotel and Relax – 216 Hayarkon Street; 011-972-03-542-5555; shalom-hotel-ta.co.il; 51-room boutique; block from beach; ask for sea-view spa room; 24-hour roof-top deck bar (open to public in summer).
Hotel Varsano – 16 Hevrat Shass (Neve Tzedek); 011-972-077-554-5500; thevarsano.com; modern retreat near sea.



RESTAURANTS
Anina – 2 Hayim Levanon (Ramat Aviv); 011-972-03-641-2288; anina.rest-e.co.il; near Eretz Israel Museum.
Babai – 153 Kedem Street (Jaffa); 011-972-03-659-3999; fish.
Al Babor – Ein Ibrahim Junction (Umm al Fahm); 011-972-04-611-0691; famous; must try rice-stuffed roast leg of lamb.”
Basta – 4 Hashomer; 011-972-03-516-9234; chef Maoz Alonim operates this place and Cafe Europa; Israeli but not kosher.
Brasserie M&R – 70 Ibn Gvirol Street (City Hall Area); 011-972-03-696-7111; among city’s most popular restaurants; French; always busy; oysters, pate, steaks; neighborhood atmosphere.
Café Ben Ami – 22 Nachmani Street; 011-972-03-560-9960; telavivcity.com/eng/places/3211/Ben-Ami/Tel-aviv; closed Friday night/Saturday; full of models and media types, during day; serves some of best pastries in town.
Café Europa – 9 Rothschild; 011-972-03-525-9987; chef Maoz Alonim operates this place and Basta; Israeli but not kosher.
Cafe Ha’Tachtit – 9 Lincoln Street (at Wilson & Saadia Gaon Streets; 011-972-03-561-8759; facebook.com/pages/Cafe-Tachtit/107937349278659; notable breakfasts (popular with locals); bar & cafe; open 24 hours; cozy; attracts artsy/bohemian crowd that includes some well-known media types.
Caffé Michal – 230 Dizengoff Street (corner of Jabotinsky); 011-972-03-523-0236; cafemichal.rest-e.co.il; Levantine/North African food is memorably delicious; upscale flea market decor; regulars include some famous authors & poets.
Café Suzanna – 9 Shabazi (Neve Tzedek); 011-972-03-517-7580; suzana.rest-e.co.il; charming spot filled with people from nearby theater and dance groups, boutique shoppers, and locals; light meals include cheese, focaccia, pasta, salads, seafood & soups.
Caffeine – 63 Nachalat Binyamin Street; 011-972-03-686-8986; charming, Georgian-Russian café; try khachapuri (signature bread filled with suluguni, national cheese).
Canteen – 71 Rothschild Boulevard; 011-972-03-620-5051; alonhadar.co.il/?p=268; Italian; Italian; best place for people-watching: actors, models, Russian oligarchs.
Catit – 4 Heichal Ha-talmud; 011-972-03-510-7001; catit.co.il; no menu in country more complex, expertly prepared (Meir Adoni), or rich; try grilled calamari, filled with lamb meat and mozzarella, in grilled eggplant, goat yogurt, techina, roasted bean, and olive oil or sea fish ceviche with red beet carpaccio and sheep yogurt ravioli in basil and green oil or foie gras on grilled semolina with vanilla pastry and caramelized bananas in coffee and veal stock sauce; prices among highest in Israel but 2 luncheon prix-fixe specials make tolerable.
Delicatessen 79/81 – 79-81 Yehuda Halevy; 011-972-03-968-1010; facebook.com/Delicatessen7981; scene-y lunch spot.
Dr. Shakshuka Restaurant – 4 Beit Eshel Street (Jaffa); 011-972-03-518-6560; with long, shared tables; great food and prices; among country’s best ethnic restaurants; shakshuka is pan-fried poached egg and spicy tomato sauce casserole; also worth trying are Tripoli-style couscous with mafrum (potato stuffed with ground meat, served with stewed beef and vegetable soup), stuffed vegetables, and kishke (North African-style intestine stuffed with meat and rice).
18 Balfour Street – 18 Balfour Street; 011-972-03-808-0017; restotlv.com/cafes/balfour-18; tucked away on quiet corner; beautiful little café looks like something out of Paris during Belle Epoque; croissants are better than Paris, though; closed Saturday.
Haj Kahil – 18 Raziel Street (Jaffa); 011-972-03-518-8866; hajkahil.rest-e.co.il; Palestinian.
Hashaked – 90 Hashmonaim; 011-972-03-561-0546; hashaked.co.il; great seafood.
Ha’Kovshim – 48 Ha’Kovshim; 011-972-03-510-8555; hakovshim.rest-e.co.il; pleasant, pretty bistro-cafe; notable for breakfast; not too far from Ha’Carmel Market.
Ha’Salon – 8 Ma’Avar Yavok Street; 011-972-52-703-5888; market-to-table food; only open 2 nights weekly.
Hotel Montefiore – 36 Montefiore; 011-972-03-564-6100; hotelmontefiore.co.il; brasserie; good for lunch.
Kalamata – 10 Kedumim Square (Jaffa); 011-972-03-681-9998; kalamata.co.il; Greek-Israeli mezes; tables high above Mediterranean, in ancient building in old city’s heart.
Doris Katzavim Restaurant – 65 Yigal Allon Street; 011-972-599-500-021; doris-k.co.il; some of city’s best hamburgers and steaks.
Manta Ray – Alma Beach (on promenade); 011-972-03-517-4773; mantaray.co.il; grilled seafood and mezes, right on beach.
Messa – 19 Haarbaa Street; 011-972-03-685-6859; messa.co.il; in market; reservations; daring, much-talked-about, 21st Century design (white on white, polished white marble floors, drapes, and long white communal table with polished burl-wood top running down dining room’s center, lined with facing columns of white upholstered arm chairs; gourmet menu choices (some touched with chef’s Kurdish family traditions) constantly change; look for calamari served with lemon cream eel and goose liver; main-course hits include seafood toast grilled coquilles St. Jacques and shrimp served on thickly sliced toast with anchovy butter and/or seafood couscous in crab and lemon thyme broth; dramatic black-on-black designer bar in which to see and be seen.
Mizlala by Meir Adoni – 57 Nahalat Binyamin (Jaffa); 011-972-03-566-5505; mizlala.co.il/en; lunch and dinner; seems almost more like well-designed club than restaurant; inspired modern Israeli-Moroccan-Mediterranean.
Miznon – 23 Ibn Gvirol 23; 011-972-03-716-8977; rethinks “pita joint” concept.
Nanuchka – 30 Lillienblum Street; 011-972-03-516-2254; Georgian-Russian specialty foods in late-night, ebullient atmosphere (dancing on tables).
Café Noach – 93 Ahad Ha’am (corner of Ha’Hashmonaim); 011-972-03-629-3799; book-lined café popular with writers; closed Friday night/Saturday.
Old Man and Sea – 83 Kedem Street (Jaffa); 011-972-03-681-8699; 2eat.co.il/eng/hazaken; grilled fish; on cliff, overlooking sea.
Puah Café – 8 Rabbi Yohanan Street; 011-972-03-682-3821; restotlv.com/cafes/cafe-puah; just few steps from Jaffa flea market; stunningly beautiful café-cum-art gallery; upscale café food & excellent homemade French pastries.
Rothschild 12 – 12 Rothschild Boulevard; 011-972-03-510-6430; facebook.com/r12tlv.
Herbert Samuel – 6 Koifman Street; 011-972-03-516-6516; herbertsamuel.co.il; overlooks beach; very chic; must have reservations.
Suzanna – 9 Shabazi Street (Neve Tzedek, opposite Suzanne Dellal Center for Modern Dance); 011-972-03-517-7580; suzana.rest-e.co.il; Mediterranean & North African cuisine.
Tapas 1 Ha’am – 27 Ahad Ha’am; 011-972-03-566-6966; small plates hangout.
Tzfon Abraxas – 40 Lilinblum (Rothchild Quarter); 011-972-054-678-6560.
Yam 7 – 122 Ramat Yam (Herzliya, near Dan Accadia Herzliya Hotel); 011-972-09-956-6950; rest.co.il/sites/Default.asp?txtRestID=2932; have ceviche under umbrella on beach, overlooking Mediterranean.



SERVICES
Or Rein – 011-972-052-236-6006; offers personal Bauhaus district tours.



SHOPPING
Ayala Bar – 36 Shabazi Street (Neve Tzedek); 011-972-03-5100-082; ayalabar.com; jewelry designer Ayala Bar uses beads, fabric, and glass.
Dorit Bar Or – 6 Kol Israel Haverim Street; clothing.
Dunia – 11 Yehudah He’Chasid Street (Neve Tzedek); 011-972-03-5161-813; dunia-bags.com; leather bags.
Elemento – 15 Hazorfirm Street; 011-972-03-620-9848; elemento-design.com; contemporary textiles.
Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk Ha Pishpishim) – Yefet Street (Jaffa, at Old Jaffa foot, east of clock tower); shuktlv.co.il/en/category/jaffa-flea-market; best buys here early Sunday morning; weave way through mixed array junk & treasures: brass, copper, jewelry, old Persian tiles, as well as Judaica, old family-photo albums, and tons of used jeans and mildewed clothing from India.
Litvak Gallery – 4 Berkovitz Street (at Museum Tower); 011-972-03-716-3897; litvak.com; glass art.
Maya Negri – 10 Ahad Ha’am Street (Rothschild I Tower); 011-972-9-835-6450; mayanegri.com; Tel Aviv’s Donna Karan.
Maya Negri – 132 Zabotinsky 132 (Kikar Hamedina, on He Be’Iyar corner); 011-972-03-695-5133; mayanegri.com; Tel Aviv’s Donna Karan.
Maya Negri – 5 Tel Giborim; 011-972-03-683-2152; mayanegri.com; Tel Aviv’s Donna Karan; outlet.
Mizo – 51 Shabazi Street (Neve Tzedek); 011-972-03-5164-105; mizo.co.il; Zen-inspired clothing boutique.
Pas Pour Toi – 6 Kol Israel Haverim; 011-972-077-440-5516; paspourtoi.com; luxe caftans.
Ruby Star – 13 Amiad; 011-972-03-683-2172; rubystar.co.il; vintage-inspired jewelry.
Samy D. – 56 Shabazi Street (Neve Tzedek); 011-972-03-5164-968; samy-d.com; unusually styled kitchenwares.
Shouk HaCarmel – bordered by Allenby Street and Magen David Square, principally located along Carmel Street (which becomes King George Street after Magen David Square), but has expanded over streets such as Nahalat Binyamin Street; Tel Aviv’s largest bazaar; open every day except Shabbat (Saturday); sells mostly food but also home accessories and flowers.
Sigal Dekel – 26 Shabazi Street (Neve Zedek); 011-972-732-150-150; sigaldekel.com; women’s fashion.
Sigal Dekel – 228 Dizengoff Street; 011-972-732-150-150; sigaldekel.com; women’s fashion.



SIGHTS & SITES
Bauhaus Centre Tel Aviv – 99 Dizengoff Street; 011-972-03-522-0249; bauhaus-center.com.
Bauhaus District – around Rothschild Boulevard.
Beit Hatfutsot – Gate 2, Tel Aviv University Campus; 011-972-03-745-7800; bh.org.il; “Museum of Jewish People.”
Beit Rishonim – 8 ha-Nadiv Street (Herzliya); 011-972-9-954-8561; “Founders’ House.”
Charles Clore Park – Tayelet Boardwalk; 011-972-03-640-2222; clore-foundation.org; beachfront public park along Mediterranean Sea.
Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance & Theatre – 6 Yehieli Street (Neve Tzedek; 011-972-03-510-5656; suzannedellal.org.il; pair of whitewashed buildings (1 built in 1892, other in 1908) make up this attractive complex; square, designed by foremost landscape designer Shlomo Aronson, modelled on medieval Middle Eastern courtyard with orange trees connected by water channels; 1 side square decorated with tile triptych, which illustrates neighborhood history and famous people who have lived here (e.g., S. Y. Agnon); café-bar on premises.
Gesher Theater – 9 Yerushalaim Boulevard; 011-972-03-515-7000; gesher-theatre.co.il; Russian theater.
Ilana Goor Museum – 4 Mazal Dagim Street (Jaffa); 011-972-03-683-7676; ilanagoormuseum.org/eng; Israeli artist Ilana Goor works and resides in this restored 18th Century house with its romantic stone arches and high ceilings; originally housed 1st Jewish inn for holy land pilgrims.
HaYarkon Park – Hata’arucha Road; 011-972-03-642-2828 or 011-972-03-699-0307; park.co.il; green wooded expanse beside HaYarkon River; row boats for hire; basketball courts, climbing wall, football fields, skate park, and 3.5 miles jogging trails.
Holon Design Museum – 8 Pinchas Eylon Street (Holon); 011-972-7-3215-1515; dmh.org.il.
Jaffa Port – Jaffa; founded, per Old Testament, by Japheth, in wake of great flood; Israelites lost town in 1468 BCE to Egyptians, whose soldiers made their surprise entry hidden in clay pots; came to prominence as port under Solomon; Islam swept over port in 8th Century, to be repelled briefly during Crusader conquests; from that time on, remained in Muslim hands until British General Allenby drove out Turks in 1917; worth special trip.
Kikar Hamedina – among Tel Aviv’s largest squares; prime shopping area.
Matkot Museum – 61 Rehov Shabazi (Neveh Tzedek); 011-972-52-277-7188; olympicsport.area.co.il; often referred to as Israel’s unofficial national sport, Matkot combines ping pong, squash, and tennis; quintessential beach pastime in Israel.
Nachalat Binyamin Pedestrian Mall – Jaffa; arts-&-crafts bazaar worth special visit.
Ariel Sharon Park – near Holon; 011-972-03-739-6633 (recycling center tour); israeltraveler.org/en/site/ayalon-park; view from 60 m high mound is spectacular (Mediterranean to Judean Mountains, with Tel Aviv’s skyscrapers in between); less than decade ago, active landfill; carefully tended garden near visitor center is mini-wetland; at 2K acres, among world’s largest urban parks; cycling & walking trails, recreational pond, tiny zoo, and picnic areas.
Neve Tzedek – Tel Aviv’s 1st Jewish neighborhood; now all galleries, restaurants, and shops; lovely for strolling.
Palamach Museum – 10 Haim Levanon Street (Yafo); 011-972-03-643-6393 (must have reservation); info.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?itemId=8096&levelId=42798&itemType=0; museum makes you feel as if you were back in Palmach (pre-State underground) Era with young defenders.
Tayelet Boardwalk – promenade that runs along Mediterranean seashore from Jaffa to Tel Aviv.
Tel Aviv Museum of Art – 27 Shaul Hamelech Boulevard; 011-972-03-607-7020; tamuseum.com; holdings include Chagall, Kandinsky, Lichtenstein, Picasso, Pissaro & Rothko.
Weizmann Institute of Science (Chaim Weizmann House) – 234 Herzl Street (Rehovot); 011-972-08-934-3111; weizmann.ac.il; graduate studies institute; worth special trip is Chaim Weizmann House; designed by Jewish architect Erich Mendelsohn, and recognized as masterpiece; now houses small museum.

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