What a Tel Aviv Local Really Wants You to Know: An Honest Interview
Noa Levy, 34, moved to Tel Aviv from Haifa to study architecture. Twelve years later, she runs a design studio in Florentin, writes about food for a local magazine, and has opinions about everything from hummus to nightlife to why tourists waste time on the wrong beaches. We met at a kiosk on Rothschild Boulevard over iced coffee (15 ILS) and shakshuka.
Q: What's the first thing tourists get wrong about Tel Aviv?
Noa: They confuse it with the rest of Israel. is secular, liberal, beach-focused, and hedonistic. It's LGBTQ+ capital of the Middle East. It has one of the world's best nightlife scenes. It's nothing like Jerusalem, and visitors who arrive expecting religious tourism are confused.
Also: they don't plan for Shabbat. From Friday afternoon (around 4PM) to Saturday evening, most public transport stops, many restaurants close, and shops shut. Secular Tel Aviv stays more open than other Israeli cities — restaurants in the Rothschild and Florentin areas keep going — but the buses stop and that catches people off guard.
Q: How do you deal with Shabbat as a local?
Noa: It's actually my favorite time. The streets empty of cars. People walk and cycle everywhere. The beaches are packed. Saturday morning brunch culture is huge — every cafe in the city does a massive Israeli breakfast (shakshuka, salads, bread, cheese, eggs — 50-80 ILS per person). The city becomes quieter and more human.
But plan ahead. Stock up on groceries by Friday afternoon. Have cash (ATMs work but you might not find open shops). Walk or use a bike — Tel-O-Fun bike share (17 ILS/day) works on Shabbat.
Q: Best beach?
Noa: Tourists go to Gordon Beach because every guidebook says so. It's fine — popular, volleyball nets, good swimming. But I prefer Banana Beach (south of Gordon, younger crowd, has a bar) or Metzitzim Beach (north, calmer, has a dog-friendly section).
The real Tel Aviv beach experience is at night. After 9PM in summer, the beaches become social gathering spots. People bring guitars, picnic spreads, arak (anise liquor) with grapefruit juice. Swimming at midnight with the city lights reflecting on the water is one of the most Tel Aviv things you can do.
Q: The hummus question — where should tourists eat?
Noa: (leans forward) Abu Hassan in Jaffa. No question. It's been there forever, it's cash only (25 ILS for a plate of the best hummus on Earth), and it closes when the hummus runs out — usually by 2PM. The line moves fast. Don't sit — eat at the counter, dip your bread, and leave.
People will tell you Abu Adham or Hummus Ashkara. They're good. Abu Hassan is better. This is not a debate.
For shakshuka: Dr. Shakshuka in Jaffa (45 ILS). It arrives in the pan, still bubbling, with warm bread for dipping. Order the Tunisian version with merguez sausage.
Q: What about the food scene beyond hummus?
Noa: Tel Aviv has become one of the world's great food cities. For another Mediterranean food capital, Barcelona offers a completely different flavor. We have more vegans per capita than anywhere on Earth, which means vegan food here is actually good — not sad salads, but creative, flavorful cooking.
Must-eat:
Sabich (sabich Frishman, 35 ILS): Fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, tahini, amba, in a pita. Better than falafel. Fight me.
Malabi at Shuk HaCarmel: Rosewater milk pudding with syrup and pistachios. 15 ILS. The best dessert in the city.
Miznon (Bograshov Street): Raz Rahav's casual spot. The cauliflower in a pita (45 ILS) is legendary.
OCD (tasting menu, 850 ILS): If you want to splurge, this is the restaurant. Counter seating, 18 courses, wine pairings. Book weeks ahead.
Q: What's overrated?
Noa: The White City Bauhaus tours. Don't hate me — the buildings are historically important (4,000+ Bauhaus/International Style buildings, UNESCO-listed). But most tourists take one look at the concrete facades and think "these are just... buildings." The Bauhaus Center on Dizengoff has good context (free ground floor), but unless you're genuinely interested in architecture, skip the guided tour (100 ILS) and just walk Rothschild Boulevard at your own pace.
The Carmel Market shuk is also crowded and overpriced compared to five years ago. Still worth a visit for the energy, but don't buy spices there — they're cheaper at regular stores.
Q: What's underrated?
Noa: Florentin. My neighborhood. It's the gritty, street-art-covered, cafe-filled area south of Neve Tzedek. No tourist attractions — just excellent bars, bakeries, and the best people-watching in the city. Walk Florentin Street and the surrounding alleys.
The Tayelet (boardwalk): 14 km of coastal promenade connecting all the beaches. Runners, cyclists, and walkers use it from dawn to midnight. Walking from the Tel Aviv port south to Jaffa at sunset takes about an hour and is the best free activity in the city.
Levinsky Market: A small indoor market in Florentin specializing in spices, dried fruits, and Georgian/Turkish/Yemenite food. Less famous than Carmel Market, more interesting, and cheaper.
Q: Nightlife — what should visitors know?
Noa: Tel Aviv nightlife starts late. Like, really late. Bars fill up after 11PM. Clubs don't get going until 1AM. Many stay open past dawn. The biggest nights are Thursday and Friday.
Rothschild Boulevard kiosks (kioskiot) are the pre-going-out move — cheap beer (15-25 ILS at a kiosk vs. 35-50 ILS at a bar), outdoor seating, social energy.
For clubs: Kuli Alma (underground art/music), The Block (techno, serious sound system), Beit Kandinof (eclectic, live music). Cover: 50-100 ILS, cocktails: 45-65 ILS.
The LGBTQ+ scene is fully integrated — Tel Aviv Pride (June) is the biggest in the Middle East.
Q: Is Tel Aviv safe?
Noa: (pauses) Day to day, yes. Very safe. The city functions normally. People go to beaches, restaurants, clubs every night. Women walk alone at 3AM without worry.
But always check your government's travel advisory. Security is a reality — if a siren sounds, you have 90 seconds to reach a shelter (mamad). Every building has one. Follow locals. The Iron Dome system covers the city. Don't leave bags unattended anywhere — security forces will destroy them.
In peaceful periods, which are most of the time, Tel Aviv is as safe as any European city.
Q: Budget tips?
Noa: Street food. Falafel (15-25 ILS), sabich (30-35 ILS), hummus plate (25-35 ILS). You can eat incredibly well for 60-80 ILS per day on street food alone.
Happy hours (usually 5-8PM) cut cocktail prices by 30-50%. Business lunch menus (50-80 ILS at sit-down restaurants) are the dining hack. Kiosk beers are 15-25 ILS vs. bar prices of 35-50 ILS.
Use Tel-O-Fun bikes (17 ILS/day, first 30 min of each ride free) and buses (5.90 ILS) instead of taxis.
Tel Aviv is expensive by global standards — one of the world's most expensive cities. But it's possible to do it on a budget if you eat street food, drink at kiosks, and use public transport.
Q: Your perfect Tel Aviv day?
Noa: Wake up at 8. Iced coffee from a kiosk (12 ILS) and a walk on the tayelet. Morning swim at Metzitzim Beach. Brunch — Israeli breakfast at Benedict or Cafe Nana (60-80 ILS). Walk through Neve Tzedek's boutiques and galleries. Afternoon: Jaffa flea market and hummus at Abu Hassan.
Sunset from the Jaffa port, looking north at the Tel Aviv skyline. Aperitivo at a Rothschild kiosk. Dinner at a restaurant I've been meaning to try — Tel Aviv changes its restaurant scene every six months. Late night: a bar in Florentin, then the beach at midnight.
Noa asked me to mention that if you visit during Shabbat, the bakeries in Florentin (specifically Lechem Basar on Vital Street) make fresh challah on Friday mornings. "Get there before 11AM. The challah alone justifies the visit."
