4 Best Restaurants in Neveh Tzedek, Tel Aviv

Inside a beautifully restored historic building, this bistro has a rarefied atmosphere and an on-the-premises bakery that turns out a luscious array of French-style pastries. The breakfast menu highlights some of the baked delights, including smoked-salmon croissants and the indulgent French toast sandwich with fruit, ricotta cheese, and maple syrup. An enclosed patio, with its wrought-iron tables and chairs, is a lovely place to enjoy a late-afternoon coffee among a mixed crowd of businesspeople, surfers, and families. The executive lunch is a good value while the dinner menu offers more extensive (and significantly higher-priced) fish and meat options.

At this bistro in the heart of Neve Tzedek, the warm environment, hearty food, fine wine, and excellent service will leave you feeling satisfied. The wine menu boasts more than 160 Israeli boutique wines, and the friendly owner-sommelier, Yossi Ben Odis, will let you know exactly which wine pairs well with your meal. The house special is the "seared sirloin" that you cook yourself at the table on a specially heated rock. The menu is mostly meat and chicken dishes complemented with a few options for vegetarians.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of the city, this small, elegant bistro specializes in fine cuts of expertly prepared meat. It's purported to be the only place in Israel where you can enjoy a real porterhouse steak. And for dessert? That depends on the time of year. Tangy strawberry-vanilla pie is a winter specialty, while fig-vanilla pie is a summer favorite. The building is historic, yet the interior is contemporary, with Mediterranean tile floors in geometric patterns.

Few restaurants have made a splash on the Tel Aviv dining scene as big as Popina, Chef Orel Kimchi's trendy Neve Tzedek eatery. The menu is divided into cooking techniques—cured, steamed, baked, roasted, and slow-cooked—and uses innovative flavor combinations, like pumpkin jam ravioli with amaretto, foie gras, roasted almonds, and truffle foam; a shrimp burger with yuzu aioli; or raw fish tartare with gin and tonic jelly. Snag a table on the romantic outdoor patio, or take a seat indoors near the open kitchen and watch the master at work. The "Popina Experience" tasting menu is exceptional, if your budget stretches that far. Some find Popina pretentious, while others will tell you it's the best restaurant in Tel Aviv.