9 Best Restaurants in Tel Aviv, Israel

This shop serves what is often called the country's best hummus, which is not an easy task with so many places serving this addictive chickpea dish. For something quite different, order the masabacha with chunks of chickpeas served in warm hummus, or the hummus ful, made from Egyptian fava beans. Get here early and expect to wait in line, because once the pot is empty the restaurant closes (usually around 2:30 pm).

There's always a crowd forming outside Abulafia Bakery, south of Jaffa's clock tower. For a simple snack with an exquisite flavor, order a pita topped with za'atar (a mixture of herbs, spices, and seeds), or stuffed with salty cheese, calzone style. In winter, Abulafia is a good place to try sahlab, a warm drink sprinkled with coconut and cinnamon.

This small corner café, a neighborhood favorite, is where you can catch a glimpse of the beauty of European café culture. Coffee is the main event, over which you can linger for hours along with your newspaper, computer, or friends from the neighborhood. Because it's in the heart of the upscale Basel area, patrons include celebrities that live nearby. The menu includes sandwiches and salads, pastas, and schnitzel.

The aromas emanating from this street-corner bakery and café make it well worth the visit. Choose from the savory or sweet section of French-style baked goods, made throughout the day by chefs trained in Paris. A plentiful Israeli breakfast is upgraded with house-made jams, French butter, and a diverse bread basket filled with sourdoughs, brioches, and sweet croissants. This place is obviously not for the gluten averse.

Doubling as an art-and-music haven for locals, this inviting neighborhood café will make you feel as if you're in someone's fun and relaxing living room. The service is personal, the patrons are friendly (you will most likely end up in a conversation with many of them), and the extensive menu has options for everyone. The in-house baked goods including homemade bagels, and the ever-changing array of muffins makes for a light breakfast or afternoon snack. The salads and sandwiches are made fresh, so you can choose any toppings you like.

Passed down from father to son, this local landmark has been serving some of the best falafel for more than 50 years. For a few shekels, you'll get a pita filled with plentiful, perfectly prepared falafel balls, fried potatoes (called "chips" here), and just the right amount of salad. Sit on the outdoor bench or stand and enjoy this classic Israeli street food done right.

Chocolate lovers should run, not walk, to this eatery for a mouthwatering, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory experience. Beneath pipes of imaginary chocolate crisscrossing the ceiling, children of all ages can order the likes of chocolate pizza—topped with chocolate chips, of course—or chocolate fondue for dipping toasted marshmallows and fruit like melon, dates, and bananas. There's even chocolate soup! For a souvenir, take home some hand-stenciled pralines in artfully designed tins. And yes, there are non-chocolate options, including pastas and salads. Service is famously iffy but who cares when you can gorge yourself on chocolate?

The specialty at this hole-in-the-wall eatery is sabich, a meal-in-a-pita popular in the region. It's considered a breakfast food (the word comes from the Arabic for "morning") because it includes a hard-boiled egg, in addition to hummus, eggplant, potatoes, salads, and spices. It's a filling snack at any time of day, however. Another popular menu item is the platter of meatballs served in a light tomato sauce. The indoor dining area consists of three or four stools at a counter, and there are a few tables outside as well.

This food stand is one of the best spots to sample the classic Iraqi-Israeli street food called sabich. The Zen-like concentration of the owner results in a hearty and thoughtful dish consisting of fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, tahini, and spice (if you say you can handle it)—a perfect combination of flavors. Here you have the rare options of a whole-wheat or gluten-free pita.