cook like a local Tel Aviv

From smoky kebabs to herbal chopped salads - dive into the rich culinary offerings of this vibrant Israeli city

-  ODED OREN

Tel Aviv has many diverse culinary influences thanks to immigrants who came from all around Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The sheer number of amazing eateries, from Jaffa in the south to the Dizengoff area in the north, make this already fascinating city even more special.

Devoted hummus experts consider the dip at Abu Hassan/Ali Karavan in Jaffa to be one of the best in Israel. It is served only with pitta and raw onions on the side- and believe me, you don't need anything more.

Grilled veal sweetbreads wrapped in a soft pitta at Jasmino on Allenby Street are a must for a late-night snack. And in Kerem HaTeimanim, Tel Aviv's Yemenite quarter, you will find delicious soup made of calf's feet and hilbe-a condiment made from fenugreek, coriander and lemon.

Some of the best places to eat in this vibrant place are tucked away down small streets and market alleyways. One of these is the M25 restaurant, which serves the best arayes (minced lamb stuffed in a pitta and grilled over charcoal), served with tahini and a spicy tomato salad on the side.

Levinsky Market is bustling with spice vendors, old-school delicatessens and pastry stalls selling bourekas filled with cheese. Here, you'll find a restaurant called Sender, founded in 1948, which serves traditional eastern European Jewish food such as chopped liver salad, cholent and housemade pickles.

The list is endless but, when it comes to food and going out in Tel Aviv, rest assured you will not be disappointed.

Lamb and beef mince kebabs with burnt aubergine