For more than six years, Israeli restaurants have faced challenges that, in any normal country, would be enough for a lifetime, pushing restaurateurs to the brink, forcing them into constant survival mode. The people who create moments of comfort and escape for the rest of us are often focused simply on keeping their businesses afloat.
The public, experienced but exhausted, needs comfort more than ever, and few things deliver it better than a good meal.
Tenne Deli is a place trying to meet exactly that need. It is a new concept built on a veteran operation that has expanded significantly in response to the current climate, now offering delivery from Haifa down to south of Rehovot, a reach that is not to be taken lightly.
Behind Tenne is the team that created the successful catering company “Ta’am VaTzeva.” Recently, they launched a full prepared-food operation working out of three main hubs: a central kitchen in Emek Hefer, and locations in Ra’anana and Tel Aviv. These include delicatessens with dairy cafés and baked goods, alongside a wide selection of ready-made dishes sold by weight or served on-site, all kosher.
Like Ruthie Brodo’s successful Delicatessen chain in Tel Aviv, which helped popularize ready-made gourmet food and full hosting solutions, Tenne aims to provide a complete experience. The difference is that here, the food is more approachable and less complex.
Between matbucha and beef bourguignon
We arrived at the Tel Aviv branch on a midweek afternoon after a sleepless night of missile sirens. The place was packed. Tables were filled with bleary-eyed diners seeking a brief escape between alerts. It was a reassuring sight, a reminder of a basic need for a bit of life and sunlight.
One section houses the bakery and café, the other the deli and prepared foods. The selection is broad and varied, including salads, fried items, sides and a long list of mains. Families with children of all ages will find plenty to choose from. With so many options, tasting everything is impossible, so we relied on the friendly staff to help assemble a balanced meal to take home. Each dish came with clear reheating instructions and pairing suggestions.
We started with salads and fried items, all priced at 11 shekels per 100 grams, alongside an excellent rustic baguette from the bakery. The egg salad was simple and very well executed. The Austrian-style potato salad with onion, dill and pickles was good, though the mustard-heavy mayo dressing slightly overpowered it. The matbucha looked vibrant and had great texture but leaned too sweet, not quite what you would find in a North African home kitchen, though still enjoyable.
The baked potato latkes were the weakest link, with a bland flavor and floury texture. The meat empanadas had a good filling but suffered from overly thick dough. In contrast, the fried cauliflower and broccoli patties were outstanding, delicately flavored and proof that, done right, vegetables can easily appeal to children.
For the kids, we sampled the expected staples: schnitzel and pasta. Tenne offers three types of schnitzel. The standard nuggets felt industrial and less impressive. The homemade schnitzel, however, was exceptional. Large, well-seasoned, perfectly balanced in thickness, with an outstanding crispy coating, it ranks among the best we’ve had this year.
The pastas were serviceable. The tomato version is simple and will satisfy children, while the Bolognese is better, with a straightforward, home-style flavor.
Among the mid-course dishes, the grilled sea bream, cooked on a plancha with olive oil and herbs, retained its juiciness and crisp skin even after reheating. The vegetarian stuffed vegetables, grape leaves, onions and small zucchini filled generously with rice, were excellent. Cooked precisely and pleasantly tangy, they delivered exactly what you want from traditional Kurdish-style stuffed dishes.
Tenne offers a wide range of main dishes. We tried three that, in our view, provide a broad and representative snapshot. The first, and most obvious, was the rotisserie chicken (120 shekels for a whole, 60 for half), which is impossible to ignore.
The rotating grill sits front and center, showcasing birds slowly roasting as their juices drip onto potatoes below. The visual promise fully translated to taste. The chicken was superb, juicy, well-seasoned and rich without being heavy. Alongside the schnitzel, it was the highlight of the meal.
Another standout was the beef bourguignon. Tender chunks of meat, slow-cooked with root vegetables, sat in a deep, wine-based sauce that was both rich and refined.
We also tried a dish labeled oshpalo. It was an excellent rice dish with ground meat and chickpeas, well cooked and satisfying, though not a traditional oshpalo, which typically includes carrots and chunks of beef cooked together with the rice. Still, there is no need to nitpick. At the end of the day, the measure is simple: is it good or not. And it is.
We paid about 550 shekels for the entire order, enough to feed five people of varying ages for more than two meals. It is not cheap, but it feels fair for the current moment.
At a time when uncertainty dominates daily life, especially in a restaurant industry desperate for stability, Tenne arrives at exactly the right moment, as if anticipating a need that has become essential. For us, it was a convenient and satisfying solution that pleased everyone at the table.
Like everyone else, we are hoping for a swift return to normal life. Israel’s independent businesses and restaurant sector have absorbed enough. Let us get back to eating and supporting them.