Let’s go on a tour of the Levinsky Market! Beginning in the corner of HaAliya Street and ending near HaMashbir Street, this lively and diverse shuk (market), lies in the heart of the
hip Florentine neighborhood.
Start your tour at Pereg ( pictured above), a local spice shop that has been around since 1906. Originally founded by a Libyan family, this store's popularity has sky rocketed since its founding and is now a multi-national brand. Explore the many lovely spices, grains and spreads. Our favorite thing to buy there is the preserved lemon located in the fridge section. Visitors are offered a mejadera sample topped with crispy onions, and an almond- cranberry mix. Levinsky 50
Next make your way to Sabich Frishman which specializes in Falafel and Sabich, a delicious eggplant- potato-egg pita sandwich. They have a couple locations ar
ound Tel Aviv and embodies the “traditional” Israeli street food. In addition to the dishes mentioned above they have a few vegetarian and vegan friendly options like shakshuka in a pita, french fries, and vegan shnitzel. We get a sampler platter for our tours of fully loaded quarter portions ( shown below) for 10nis a piece. They come smothered in tehina and with amba to dip.
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Afterwards, check out Levinsky Bourekas. In our opinion, these are some of the best bourekas in Tel Aviv. Flavors to choose from include spinach and cheese, plain cheese,
potato, and spinach. They cost 25nis with an egg, olives and a tomato dip. You can also get it without egg for a couple shekles less. If you choose to eat it there they will put it on a plate for you, cut up into smaller pieces.They are big and great for sharing.
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Once you finish your borekas, it's time to head over to Arma Spices. It wouldn’t be a proper tour in the levinksy shuk without trying spices, arguably what this market is most famous for. Make sure to try the shop's different blends of Zaatar, Sumac, and chicken spice mix. They conveniently sell pre packaged spices for 5 nis on their table outside. They also offer Turkish coffee for 10nis.
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The next stop on our tour is Yom Tov Delicatessen. This deli is run by a Turkish mother-son team. The son, Eitan, speaks English. You can get a selection of things to try including
stuffed grape leaves, peppadews,
cheese stuffed figs, imported cheeses, olives, mushrooms, and grilled artichoke hearts. Keep in mind, Yom Tov supplies the best quality ingredients so it can be pricey. We recommend to tell them how much you want to spend before they make you a plate.
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The next stop on our tour is something a little lighter. Check out Gazoz Cafe, a popular spot for probiotic bubble drinks, coffee and sweets. The barista will choose your flavors, adding in a variety of fruit, herbs, and fragrant leaves like mint, rosemary, and kale. Gazoz Cafe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, especially on a summer Tel Aviv day!
The owner, Benny Briga, recently wrote a book with popular cookbook author, Adeena Sussman which provides recipe to these magical sparkly drinks. You can find the book here on Amazon.
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For Dessert, we recommend going to Sultana for Turkish delight, baklava, and other sweets. You can pair this with a Turkish coffee or lemon-mint slushee. Sultana has a nice backyard patio ( and bathroom) allowing you to relax and enjoy the
delectable treats. For 15 nis you can get a sample
of Turkish delight and coffee. Levinsky 35
We hope you enjoyed this tour around the Levinsky Shuk! We have designed this tour to guide you through a full culinary experience, starting off with little bites and ending with something sweet.
If you don’t want to explore on your own join us for a tour or a cooking class at our studio, close to the Levinsky shuk.