Levinsky Market
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked what’s the perfect gift from Israel - my first reply would always be: SNACKS! Halva, Bamba, Spices, Dates, Caramalized Pecan Nuts - we’ve got it all. Where to buy these things though? Right, on Levinsky Market. It’s way cheaper than in the supermarket and also well, I would say, more authentic.
Besides the food stores, you can find tons of little cafes and restaurants on Levinsky street. Make sure to stop at the coffee truck of Cafe Levinsky - here you get great coffee and home-made soda drinks with fermented fruits - they don’t just look fancy, they also taste delicious! The staff is incredibly nice and it’s fun to watch them prepare the drinks and put all kinds of yummy & healthy ingredients that I don’t even know the name of. The coolest part is, that they actually let you sit in the little truck next to the café (see pictures below). You get as many free top ups of soda as you like.
Besides Cafe Levinsky and all the little shops with nuts, spices and dried fruits, here are some of my favorites on Levinsky Street:
Garger HaZahav - great humus place where you can sit on a bar half inside, half outside and share lots of yummy appetizers.
Kaimak - delicious, authentic home-made food, little plates, perfect for sharing.
Levinsky Burekas - I have a weakness for those fatty pastries…for everyone who doesn’t know what burekas are: puff pastries with all kinds of different fillings (the ones with Bulgarian cheese are my favorite)!
Magic Halva - this is one of the best shops to buy halva. You’ll find a huge selection of different flavors and all of them are incredibly tasty.
