With its bohemian clientele, hanging plants and vegan wine list, Bana is a great example of the type of popular vegan cafe found in abundance throughout the city.

Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch

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Photo story: going vegan in Tel Aviv

While the whole of Israel is vegan-friendly, in Tel Aviv, plant-based dining is taken to another level. Going vegan in this laid-back city of skyscrapers and sun-kissed beaches means sampling some of the best food in town.

Story and photographs byKarolina Wiercigroch

Published December 12, 2022

• 5 min read

This article was adapted from National Geographic Traveller (UK).

At Bana, visitors can feast on bowls of lima beans topped with avocado and harissa, exquisite yellow tomato gazpacho or a beetroot salad with handmade cashew cheese.

Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch

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Elsewhere, the deli at Meshek Barzilay — a plant-filled restaurant in the upmarket neighbourhood of Neve Tzedek — is known for its vegan creations and memorable cocktails, as well as scrumptious pastries and freshly made sandwiches. Other must-visits include Herzog, one of Tel Aviv’s oldest vegan establishments, famous for its tempting selection of raw vegan sweets, made without processed sugar.

Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch

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At Green Roll, situated near major thoroughfare Allenby Street, Biran Perets and Shiraz Shachar are taking vegan sushi to the next level.

Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch

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Highlights at Green Roll include ‘tuna’ rolls with a flaky vegan tuna, Japanese pickles and a dollop of a spicy, plant-based mayo; fragrant steamed dumplings; and a crunchy root salad of kohlrabi, beetroot and carrots mixed with tofu and a homemade peanut sauce.

Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch

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Green Roll is one of several cutting-edge vegan establishments in the city — others include 416, in Sarona, which attracts vegans and non-vegans alike with its homemade seitan steaks; and Opa, which serves a tasting menu of 11 vegan dishes from a former storage unit of the Levinsky Market.

Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch

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The Carmel Market is the largest in the city.

Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch

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The market's stalls are overflowing with eye-catching produce, with large bunches of grapes shimmering in the hot sun and deep-coloured halves of pomegranates and oranges squeezed into luscious, thirst-quenching juices. Once you’re done with haggling, pop to nearby Shlomo & Doron, which, since 1937, has been serving up some of the city’s best hummus.

Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch

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Meanwhile, further north, near Rabin Square, Cafe Anastasia turns local vegetables into delectable creations, which can be enjoyed on its shady, plant-filled patio. The restaurant has its own factory, which produces its desserts, dips and cheeses — such as the tangy cashew cream that’s mixed with soba noodles, cauliflower and kale to make one of its lunchtime specials.

Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch

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To the south of the city, near the winding sandstone streets and the historic port of Old Jaffa, Michelangelo Cafe attracts a well-dressed clientele with great coffee and simple, plant-based cuisine. Its Jaffa-style breakfast consists of a fluffy omelette of quinoa, tofu and mushroom, a selection of salads and dips — including tahini, cashew labneh and garlic cashew cream — and a sweet date ball. The freshly baked vegan pastries and ma’amoul biscuits — made with semolina flour, dates and walnuts — are similarly popular.

Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Published in Issue 17 (autumn 2022) of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK)

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