In July, restaurateurs Aviad Peled, Ori Steinberg, Tom Gov, and Aliza Shraga, known for the acclaimed restaurant Pereh and wine bar Croûte—opened Gita, a lively and upgraded skewer joint in Tel Aviv’s Levinsky Market. Named after Gov’s grandmother, the eatery sits where Toni and Esther once operated.
“When our friends from Toni and Esther decided to downsize to a coffee kiosk, we joined forces and took over the space,” Peled explained. “What drew me to Levinsky Market was a passage from Amos Kenan’s book "To Your Country, To Your Homeland", describing it as the real Tel Aviv: authentic smells, colors, and people. Nothing fake.” Peled believes the market still holds that spirit. “It’s a welcoming environment, less judgmental, more open. People rooted in the past embrace the younger generation.”
Why a skewer restaurant? “We live in an alienating time, and everyone wants something that feels comforting,” Peled said. “There’s nostalgia in going out for skewers with your father, like I did as a kid. It’s the food that warms your heart and it’s delicious.”
Chef Ofir Vaknin designed a menu full of grilled favorites: kebabs, chicken thighs, chicken liver, smoked beef tongue, sirloin, lamb ribs, veal sweetbreads, schnitzel, hummus with chickpeas, mangold leaves, stuffed vegetables, and even fish skewers. Don’t miss the hand-cut fries, Bavarian cream, and chocolate mousse. Seating is first-come, first-served.
Gita, 39 Levinsky St. / 5 HaShuk St.
HaKatan: Fish on flatbread
It’s hard to miss HaKatan, Hebrew for “The Little One”, with its white tablecloths set in the middle of Levinsky Street. The tiny 15-square-meter restaurant, opened three years ago by chef Ido Kablan and restaurateur Ori Levin, specializes in seafood.
“I’ve loved Levinsky for years, long before it became a pedestrian street,” said Kablan, a former tank operator in the army. “Working in such a small kitchen is like being in a tank, you just make it work.”
His menu focuses on fish and seafood. “Meat is expensive and bores me,” he said with a smile. Kablan, who grew up in an ultra-Orthodox family in Bnei Brak, recalls a home always full of food: “We’re a family of eaters, I’m the thinnest one.”
While his Tunisian roots don’t dominate the menu, Kablan draws inspiration from Mediterranean, Thai, and Japanese cuisines. A veteran of chef Eyal Shani’s restaurants, he credits Shani with teaching him “taste, produce appreciation, and creativity with vegetables.”
Don’t miss the fish tartare with roasted eggplant and crème fraîche served on lahooh, a soft Yemeni flatbread, or the sweetbreads and octopus combo. On Friday evenings, a more casual menu is available.
HaKatan, 46 Levinsky St.
Saka Ba: Osaka-style nightlife
When night falls on Florentin, Saka Ba is the place to be. Inspired by the food and nightlife scene of Osaka, Japan’s culinary capital, this lively bar offers sake, cocktails, and Japanese street food.
Opened less than a year ago by Asaf Menachem, who lived in Osaka for 15 years, along with Oron Schwartz and Nadav Naaman from Men Tenten in Nahalat Binyamin, Saka Ba focuses on authentic Japanese drinking culture.
“The alcohol is at the center,” said Schwartz. “We serve 15 kinds of sake, six varieties of shochu made from rice and other Japanese ingredients, plum wine (umeshu), and creative cocktails.” The head chef, who runs izakayas in Osaka, visits regularly to refresh the menu.
Expect gyoza dumplings, sushi, udon soups, and plenty of raw fish dishes. “We like to serve items that might surprise the Israeli palate,” Schwartz said. “And we keep prices reasonable.” Open Fridays at noon, Sake Ba also features a cozy smoking room decorated with Japanese toys and crafts.
Saka Ba, 8 Zvulun St.
Jones: A New York bubble in Tel Aviv
Step inside Jones and you might feel you’ve landed in Manhattan. The brick walls, jazz soundtrack, and chic crowd transport visitors straight to New York City.
Founded five years ago by Ben Ring and chef Moti Titman, also behind the popular Milgo & Milabar, the bar occupies a space that became available during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The brick wall reminded me of New York,” said Ring. “I wanted to create a music salon.” Named after a song from D’Angelo’s album, Jones channels Ring’s New York experiences: jazz, cocktails, and late-night pizza.
“Our pizzas are airy with unique toppings,” said Titman. “The most popular one is pepperoni with harissa. They’re light enough that you can still dance—or more—afterward.” Early evenings draw an older crowd for relaxed music, while later hours bring younger patrons and louder beats.
Several times a month, Titman hosts chef’s nights with fine pâtés, salads, fresh fish, and handmade pasta. On Friday mornings, Jones turns into Café Society, serving a stylish brunch with oysters, shrimp, and cured fish.
Jones, 13 Zvulun St.
Tashkem: A classic café reborn
Partners Dor Dasa and Oren Eiland met while working at the legendary Orna and Ella café. “Oren was the best waiter there,” Desa recalled. “He later became a shift manager, and I was the barista. That place was a school for service.”
After opening Folk Café in Levinsky, the two launched Tashkem, a small, charming spot on Zvulun Street named after a line from the Book of Psalms. “I was into poetry and kept encountering beautiful lines that turned out to be from Psalms,” Eiland said.
Open for just a few months, Tashkem has already built a loyal local following. Neighborhood regulars crowd its small benches or sit outside chatting over coffee. One of them is Aviad Peled from nearby Gita. “Oren has a real talent for baking, and Dor makes great coffee,” Peled said. “They do everything themselves, which is rare. They’ve created a magnetic community vibe.”
The concise menu features top-notch sandwiches, the scrambled egg and salami pita and the tuna-and-egg sandwich are standouts, plus savory pastries like fatayer and a few sweets, including scones, brioche, and banana bread with butter and jam.
“The coffee is classic Italian style,” said Desa. “Strong, bitter, not from the trendy specialty scene.”
Tashkem, 5 Zvulun St.