Tel Aviv is considered amongst worldwide vegans as a go-to-city for the daily mass consumption of cruelty-free cuisine to 200,000 eager vegans journeying into Tel Aviv. Not only will diners spot many a vegan logo (double leaf) on local menus, but Tel Avivian restaurants (established and otherwise) as a whole have acknowledged the existence of a large market ready to consume, literally.
From vegan-only bakeries and vegan Eatwith dinners (Italian expat Nadia’s 6-course feast is a must!) to recently-opened vegan spots like Goodness, Nature Boys, and Phi, or even the transition of a 60-year-old menu at the father-daughter helmed Falafel Mevurach - it seems like everybody is jumping on the vegan bandwagon. Not too long ago, circa 2010, the word vegan was associated with those always side-eyeing others' plates and wildly protesting about animal cruelty. Frankly, it hasn't changed much since then, but more people are starting to get it; maybe breaking away from meat might not be the end of the world after all.
Starting with the supermarkets like Nitzat Ha'Duvdevan, Eden Teva Market and Teva Castel, which offer a wide range of solely vegan products, now general stores like the ubiquitous AM: PM offer a vegan section in every last one of them.
To top off those options, Israel's very first all-vegan market recently opened in the Carmel Market. Hagal Hayarok (The Green Wave) is a significant milestone ofor the vegan revolution in Israel. Its unique model aims to make veganism accessible to the general public, and provide a culinary shopping experience that is 100% vegan, involving all the senses. It carries some 4000 vegan products: cheese substitutes, meat substitutes, grains and pulses, sauces, preserves, spices, superfood products (various seaweeds, adzuki beans, frozen acai), special gluten-free flours, and more…
With a wide range of “soul suppliers” and its own private label brand, Hagal Hayarok offers an exciting, vegan culinary experience of colors, flavors, and smells from around the world – vegan Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian), Italian, Ethiopian, Mexican, Israeli, American, and so much more (Hagal Hayarok, Carmel Market, 50 Hacarmel St)
The online vegan shopping game is also on-point. Find reasonable prices for a week's worth of ingredients at sites like vegansupplies.co.il, daganvegandeli.com, ComeTrue and vegamarket.co.il. Thouthgtfully-prepped vegan meals can be found at Crumbs - Vegan Bakery, Oten'Tivey - Healthy nourishments, DFood-Masha's Kitchen. For the lazy or too-busy-for-anything type, the delivery services of Agadir – although a burger joint – offers a delicious Mushroom burger and Donattelo offers a cashew-based substitute to sprinkle over your pizza.
Many local Facebook groups have become hubs for advice, sharing loads of recipes and dining out experiences, expanding the spotlight and making every culinary whim possible in Tel Aviv while in the process creating an inclusive community for local vegans.