In this city of never-ending options, it’s easy to find good food at any time of the day. What’s even better is that you can get so many quick deals for under NIS 50. We hunted down some of the best value-for-money bites in the city.
Pita Perfection at Jasmino
© Anatoly Michaello
Perched on Allenby Street is what could only be the hottest bite in a pita right now. Jasmino serves up huge pitas, filled with kebab, sausages, or spicy veal hearts, layered with salads and amba. All this, for under NIS 40. Next time you find yourself a little wasted after a night out, pop in to Jasmino to fuel up on this hearty snack.
97 Allenby St
Endless Salads at Café Birenbaum
Courtesy of PR
Down the street from the beautiful Nahalat Binyamin craft market (open Tuesdays and Fridays) stands a neighborhood institution. Since 1962, Café Birenbaum has offered an extensive salad bar buffet of down-to-earth hot and cold dishes alongside endless healthy vegan food, salads, and quiches – all for NIS 50. It’s home-cooked food at its best!
31 Nahalat Binyamin St
Continental Breakfast at La Repubblica di Ronimotti
Courtesy of PR
Continental breakfast is usually code for an old croissant and coffee. Here, it couldn’t be any more different. For NIS 38, you’ll get a selection of freshly-baked bread and pastries made in-house, two soft boiled eggs, homemade jam, coffee, and fresh juice. Enjoy all this with the happening Tel Aviv morning vibe. What a gem!
3 Maze St
3 Maze St
The Thali at Ma Pau
© Anatoly Michaello
This Mumbai-inspired street food joint became intensely popular overnight, thanks to its Thali (NIS 38-48) – a tasting platter of cooked sauces and stews, showcasing sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy flavors. Don’t leave the joint without a side of the Tandoori chicken – expertly grilled and marinated in yogurt.
59 Nahalat Binyamin St
Lunch Box at Back Door Bakery
Behind Nithan Thai, the gorgeous Thai restaurant on Ha'arba'a Street lies Back Door Bakery. They have the most adorable lunch boxes with a selection for under NIS 50 like the papaya salad to go, curry meatballs, or salmon in dashi sauce with rice.
21 Ha’Harbaha St
South African Curry at Bunny Chow
Courtesy of Bunny Chow
Originating from South Africa, the Bunny Chow is a rich, flavorful curry, served up in a hollowed out bread bowl. Of course, since this is Israel, it is served up in a sweet challah instead. Every bite gives you the perfect amount of spice with layers of flavors. It pairs especially well with a beer or the hard-to-find kombucha: get them at the Carmel Market or at the Shuk Allenby-Rothschild location for just NIS 40.
36 Rothschild Blvd
Sausages at Port 19
If you're going to have a sausage, it should be homemade with the best ingredients, and this is the deal at Port 19. They make their own sausages for NIS 29-32 and offer spiced-up versions like the Sicilian with dried tomatoes, raisins, capers, or the cheddar with garlic, nutmeg and cheddar. Their new location on Hashmonaim has an old-school diner vibe and is more focused on burgers which are a great deal too!
2 Shlomo HaMelekh St
The Loveburger at Nature Boys
Vegan burgers are all over the city, but Nature Boys have burgers that taste just like the real thing. This adorable vegan fast food eatery is still somewhat of a secret, even though they serve up vegan schnitzels kebabs and other meaty versions of vegan favorites and sweet potato fries baked in the oven. For NIS 39 you’ll find the Loveburger, a super treat if you’re trying to go meatless.
30 Levontin St
The Lunch Menu at Dalida
© Ori Taub
Open for lunch Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 7 Zvulun St
A Bounty of Buns at Hiro Levontin
One of the popular restaurants on the burgeoning Asian food scene is celebrity chef Israel Aharoni’s Hiro Levontin, and though most people know to come for the ramen, the selection of steamed buns is also not to be missed. For under NIS 50 you can mix and match a couple of them. Try the duck version with hoisin sauce, or the vegan version with eggplant, aioli, and miso – there’s always an a-bun-dance to choose from.
19 Levontin St
Shakshuka at Shukshuka
© Anatoly Michaello
This lively Carmel Market spot is a shakshuka haven, serving up fancy versions of the über-popular baked eggs in tomato sauce. Take your pick of any of the unique renditions of this local dish, such the Spanish version with salami, spinach, and chickpeas, or the Italian version featuring goat cheese and basil (Shakshukas from NIS 34).
3 Simtat HaCarmel
Crepes at La Creperie Bretonne
This is the crème de la crème of crêperies in Tel Aviv. Fresh, homemade batter transforms the savory version into a hearty lunch with wholesome ingredients like the labneh (yogurt cheese) and eggplant version packed with soft-cooked potatoes and tahini, or the popular goose breast with smoked cheddar, Emmental and spinach (NIS 20-38).
This is the crème de la crème of crêperies in Tel Aviv. Fresh, homemade batter transforms the savory version into a hearty lunch with wholesome ingredients like the labneh (yogurt cheese) and eggplant version packed with soft-cooked potatoes and tahini, or the popular goose breast with smoked cheddar, Emmental and spinach (NIS 20-38).
52 Ibn Gvirol St
The Business Lunch at Ha’achim
© Anatoly Michaello
This down-to-earth eatery has its own Tel Aviv vibe, and is always bustling with locals chowing down on Middle Eastern food in style. The lunch menu (from NIS 45) includes a main dish with two small plates, featuring options like a meaty hummus with ground lamb, the juicy burger or chicken from the coal-fired oven.
12 Ibn Gavirol St
Business Lunch at Hashdera
Situated on Ben Gurion Boulevard, this lively spot known as “Hashdera 34” had been a comfort-food hang out for years. Revamped and renamed “Hashdera Fun Food” with a new focus on local ingredients, everything is made in-house. Try the lunch, which includes one main and one generously-sized appetizer, such as the beet Carpaccio with feta-like brinza cheese (starting at NIS 49).
34 Ben Gurion Blvd