Tel Aviv ranks No. 7 in top locations every food lover should visit

'For stellar street food there’s nothing like Tel Aviv’s hummus, falafel and shakshuka, served at hole-in-the-wall joints, street stands, and stalls lining local markets,’ the BBC said.

Olive Leaf at the Tel Aviv Sheraton Hotel  serves excellent food in beautiful surroundings (photo credit: Courtesy)
Olive Leaf at the Tel Aviv Sheraton Hotel serves excellent food in beautiful surroundings
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Tel Aviv ranked seventh on the BBC’s “Good Foods” list of the “Top 10 destinations for foodies 2020.”
The White City outranked the cuisine and food-centric culture of Spain, particularly the city of Cadiz, as well as the cordon bleu of Scotland’s coast, with their premier shellfish, fine scotch and whiskeys.
Tel Aviv’s vegan-friendly culture is what made the BBC put the Israeli coastal paradise city at number seven.
“In recent years, Tel Aviv has upped its game to become the world’s self-designated vegan capital, with slick vegan coffee shops and local chains such as Domino’s offering animal product-free pizza,” the BBC said in its review.
BBC described the benefits of eating in Tel Aviv, including plant-based food that oftentimes travels from farm-to-table within the same day, followed closely by the beautiful beaches and other fine scenery throughout in the city itself – followed by its bustling, youthful atmosphere and secular culture.
Tel Aviv features a rapidly flourishing culinary prowess with restaurants popping up left and right, hailing different disciplines and specialties. With Israel being a melting pot of citizens from all over the world, the dining establishments spread out across the White City include a wide range of both foreign and domestic cuisines, according to the report.
The most appealing aspect for the BBC, however, was the “budget eats.”
“For stellar street food there’s nothing like Tel Aviv’s hummus, falafel and shakshuka, served at hole-in-the-wall joints, street stands, and stalls lining local markets such as the sprawling Shuk Hacarmel,” the BBC wrote.
The six locations that outranked Tel Aviv on the BBC’s list included the subtle spices and flavor combinations of the dishes of Morocco; the Arabic and Italian influences of Malta; the Dutch cuisine of the Netherlands; the Latin inspired culinary style of the city of Los Cabos, Mexico – blessed with availability of fresh seafood creating a stunning combination. Others top ranked cities: Lyon, also known as the de facto culinary capital of France and at the top of the list, the shellfish friendly and ample-sized Irish breakfasts in Galway, Ireland.
The following are the “Top 10 destinations for foodies 2020”:
1 – Galway, Ireland
2 – Lyon, France
3 – Los Cabos, Mexico
4 – The Netherlands
5 – Malta
6 – Marrakesh, Morocco
7 – Tel Aviv, Israel
8 – Scotland
9 – Porto
10 – Cádiz, Spain