Levinski Food Market was never just another market. You know, with stalls and vendors. But always a merchant street with lots of shops selling raw materials, vegetables, and spices, back when it was established in the 20s by immigrants from Thessaloniki. In recent years, the market has changed its face, and many shops have also been joined by many restaurants and eateries. The process gained even more momentum when the municipality turned the street into a type of pedestrian walkway close to vehicles about two years ago.
Levinsky Food Market
What has not been said about Levinsky Food Market? When I make my way on my Tel Aviv Day Tours through this maze of streets packed with spice stands, boutique delicatessens, and old working-class restaurants alongside contemporary gourmet restaurants and trendy bars. No wonder the market has been named one of the top food markets by a respected travel magazine.
Exploring The Market
So I guess when touring Levinsky Food Market, you got to try some of the food right? So a good start would be the Yum Tov Deli which is quite famous and a must on every visit! The next place should be on my Best 10 Street Food in Israel. The place I’m talking about is in Levinsky 53. Now if you are a fan of Kobe soup like I am, you are invited to enjoy different types of this excellent Iraqi delicacy.
Avi the proprietor of the establishment, prepares the traditional Kobe. According to the recipe he learned from his Iraqi grandmother in the back kitchen. His wingman is Dalit, and his wife is responsible for the slow cooking pots on Kerosene in the front of the restaurant.
But there are various other types (all types are also served in a vegetarian version). Besides Kobe soup, Avi and Dalit also serve fried Kobe, homemade kebab, schnitzel, and various homemade dishes.
Ouzeria
Chef Avivit Priel restaurant is one of the market’s happiest and most popular places. The food here revolves around Greece for the most part, with nods to other countries in the Mediterranean region. The atmosphere is always happy and light, and the evenings can also become particularly loud and cheerful. Don’t miss out on the beetroot ravioli filled with goat cheese, the great soufflé, and the black pasta with sardines, ricotta, and yellow cherry tomatoes.
Levinsky Food Market: Dalida
Dalida is one of the oldest restaurants in the new wave of the market, which has been here for over a decade. The happy menu here includes dishes that have become urban mythology; such as the spicy pepper roll. In the afternoon, the place turns into “Dalida skewers” under the direction of Hamudi Abolafia, with excellent meat dishes in a pita or on a plate, with the opening of a table of salads and spreads, at market-breaking prices, and on weekends a huge and decadent brunch is served here.
Levinsky Food Market: Hachapuri Sisters
After being located on Nachalat Binyamin Street right next to the Market, this small Georgian restaurant moved directly to Levinsky Street. The sisters in charge of the place come from an Iraqi family. But one of them is married to a Georgian dude, hence their love for this kitchen. You can find most Georgian cuisine highlights here.