Don’t get me wrong, I love a good recommendation. I spend most of my waking hours (outside of work hours, obviously) collating restaurants, recipes and destinations onto one of my many extensive lists and databases, stashing them away in case of emergencies. If I ever find myself suddenly dropped in the middle of Japan, for example, I already have an album of twenty restaurants dotted all over the country saved on my fatvicks Instagram account, so survival is guaranteed. 

When planning my trip to Israel – a process that took 1-2 months, you’ve got to do these things properly – I was generously sent lists of restaurant recommendations and travel tips which formed an essential part of my planning. I did notice, as with anywhere, that most people’s restaurant recommendations overlapped, distinguishing the most famous spots in the city that Google would attest to. While I recognise the importance of trying some of these places out for myself, a niggling and possibly proud part of me really yearns to discover *new* destinations that *I* can then recommend to my friends and fatvicks disciples. So here we go:

Sultan Ibraham

Jaffa

Why I love it: 

  1. Open on a Saturday, unlike the rest of the city (Shabbath)
  2. There are literally three tables in the whole restaurant and then stools at the bar. These are the golden seats, as you get to chat to the chef and watch him cook your impeccably fresh food
  3. The seafood is so incredibly well cooked and seasoned
  4. The chef and owner remembered us and gave us a free portion of Persian rice on our second visit, as well as extra large portions. And no, I don’t only love this place because they gave me free food, but I can’t deny it’s a strong factor
  5. No-frills, no holding back on the flavour/aromatics. They know what they’re doing and they smash it

What we ate:

  1. Seafood mix – just do it. It’s squid and prawns fried in front of you with caramelised red onions, green olives, tomatoes, huge chunks of garlic, parsley and butter. Topped with lemon, za’atar, sumac
  2. Fries – again, seasoned in front of you with the above herbs and lots of salt

Hummus Hason

Florentin

Why I love it:

  1. That hummus. Try the Hummus Hason special hummus and you’ll have no regrets. As mentioned in my last post, it’s flavoured with egg and is like taking a dip into liquid silk
  2. The pita is perfect. It’s springy, thick and almost sticky when you tear it 
  3. The vibe. Due to the lack of English translations anywhere both on the shop exterior or the menu, the only people there were chilled locals, mostly older than your typical edgy Florentin resident. It’s so unbelievably laid-back and inviting. The food came out in minutes as we were swept up into their routine.
  4. It’s actually cheap! A rarity in Tel Aviv

What we ate:

  1. The lunchtime deal: Shakshuka, hummus, side salad per person, 3 falafels per person, 1 delicious fresh lemonade per person, pita to share

Hamalabyah

Florentin and Jaffa

Why I love it:

  1. Holy moly I miss these delicious, ricey, yogurty little treats called malabi. They are like a smooth rice pudding and set with sweet yogurt in the fridge. Its closest relative is a panna cotta, I’d say. Our favourite variety – you can opt for dairy or vegan yogurt – was the vegan, soy-based malabi. They are just incredibly refreshing and delicious. Malabi are sold universally in Israel but this particular joint was elite. We stumbled across (sorry, but the cliche is actually true in this case) the Jaffa site and instantly fell in love. The second best day in Israel, after the day we discovered the first site, was when we checked into our new hostel on our return to Tel Aviv and found another Hamalabyah in Florentin, too
  2. The toppings! You can choose from 5 different syrups to top your malabi with. My favourite was the ‘Classic’ pomegranate and rosewater syrup. Then you can choose from various crunchy toppings to top off the topping with another topping. My favourite combo was desiccated coconut, crumbled biscuit and peanuts. Crunchy, sweet, salty, nutty
  3. This little local chain is incredibly cool. Banging music, uber-cool staff, spacious outdoor areas to plonk yourself in. Great drinks and cocktails to boot. At all times of day you’ll find trendy locals sipping pints outdoors, dipping into a malabi. Our record was two a day per person, but it was hard to resist going after every meal and in between them as well. We loved this as a pre-dinner spot, perfect for nestling in with a pint, a malabi and a deck of cards. If you forget your cards, they offer various boardgames to keep you entertained

What we ate:

  1. LOTS of the below