The BEST Coffee Shops in Tel Aviv ☕️

Ahhh... Tel Aviv. One of the vibiest places I've ever been to, and next to London probably the city with the most coffee shops per square foot I've ever seen.

Tel Aviv does indeed feel very European in the sense that consistent caffeine and cafe culture are a way of life here and a decently authentic foray into the culture of the city at large. They will sit for hours upon hours at cafés and restaurants and talk and hang out for as long as possible- usually until it's time for dinner. Also, like other Western Mediterranean cultures, Israelis and Arabs value togetherness, slowing down, and talking (a lot) over shared food and beverages more than most things.  They are also European in the nature of the coffee itself. You will rarely find drip coffee or cold brew.. almost everything is espresso-based. And half of the coffee (most of the coffee once you leave the city) is terribly strong and tastes like dirt while the other half is specialty and delicious. 

Remaining true to form while living and teaching in Tel Aviv for the past year means that, just like in London, I spent most of my free afternoons at coffee shops. I've tried most that I've come across, which is saying a lot for the outrageous amount of them here.  Also, like everything else in Tel Aviv, coffee can get pretty expensive. And especially if you have limited time or a limited budget, weeding out the quality from the touristy and overpriced is not always the easiest.

All of this is to say that most coffee shops here I would not return to, but there are a few that I adore. I've compiled a shortlist of the ones I find myself continuing to recommend and wanting to come back to. Hopefully, I can spare someone from a mediocre drink should they make it all the way to Tel Aviv! 

Best All-Around

dama

@sarahpollock

My favorite place in the whole city. It’s a Scandinavian cafe with very good branding and very good people who work there and very good food and drinks. Some of the only legitimately good matcha in Tel Aviv, or at least good enough to spend an obligatory $6 on. Their rice pudding is exceptional, as are their scrambled eggs and homemade sourdough bread with whipped butter. They also have delicious coffee and happy hour with great natural wines every day until 6. Definitely go.

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Edmund Coffee

@sarahpollock

This is usually where I am if it’s not Dama. Really great vibes, and very good food and drinks. The banana bread and chocolate chip cookie are some of the best I’ve ever had, as are the house-made pre-bottled matcha and chocolate beverages (both non-dairy). You can purchase both from the fridge and they’ll give you a cup of ice to go with it. If you’re there during breakfast time, get the hotel-style scrambled eggs on a pretzel bun- an Edmund classic. One thing to note is there’s a lot of smoking since it’s all outdoors, but it gets aerated out enough that I’ve never found it to be a problem.

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Cafe Annabelle

@sarahpollock

A little shop in the middle of King George, across the street from Meir Park. Some of the cheapest drinks in the city and great great quality for money. They also have the best chai latte I’ve tried in Israel.

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For Serious Coffee People

HOC - House of Coffee

@sarahpollock

This is the fanciest of where most coffee snobs will tell you/other coffee snobs to go. It’s a Japanese cafe which essentially just means a very heightened attention to detail. The prices reflect it for sure but so does the quality. The egg sandwich on milk bread is also exceptional. Note: most people will also recommend House of Coffee to get good matcha in Tel Aviv. Again, it's Japanese so that makes sense. And it's better than most! But I still much prefer Dama's matcha if I'm making the beverage investment.

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Nahat Coffee

@sarahpollock

In-house roastery and coffee snob-approved place- in fact, I think they literally only serve coffee here. Super reliable. It's my favorite of the Dizengoff area offerings for sure.

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Caffe Tamati

@sarahpollock

A hole in the wall little place right next to the Carmel Shuk. I only heard about it through a local chef I follow Adeena Sussman (@adeenasussman on Instagram) who featured the owner on her story highlights. I'm so glad she did.

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Mae

@sarahpollock

Another serious roastery in Tel Aviv. Not much else to say about this. It’s great and popular. If you’re near one of their locations I’d recommend it.

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Jera

@sarahpollock

aaaand the last legit roaster I will include here. This one is on Ibn Gibriol a few blocks from Rabin Square. It’s not better or worse than Mae or Nahat or HOC, but for the difference in location alone another good one to keep on your radar if this is where you happen to be closest to.

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Cafelix - Florentine - Levinsky

@sarahpollock

I'm going to be completely honest with this one- Cafelix is actually not my favorite. BUT, in this rare occasion I suggest taking my opinion with a grain of salt. Almost everyone I know who has been here LOVES it (especially Tel Avivians). Like, seriously loves it. Would pick it out of a lineup and proactively seek it out. Cafelix is known for the quality of its beans and its baristas. I personally find their coffee to be a bit strong for my taste, but I've also already made it clear that for as picky as I am about the shop overall I don't actually know shit about coffee. Listen to my friends instead, especially if you're in Florentin.

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For Vibes

Little Prince Bookshop

@sarahpollock

It really is all about the vibe here, which is phenomenal. It’s an independent bookstore as well, with a cool indoor/outdoor concept and a plethora of comfy seating arrangements and English titles to ponder. I particularly love the art/art history/design offerings here. A great place to kill lots of time. You’re bound to run into cool people here. Very cool artsy employees as well.

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Nabi Yuna

@sarahpollock

a Tel Aviv local watering hole in between the beach and the shuk. It’s always crowded but for good reason. There's lots of outdoor seating as well. Normal-good (rather than oh my god-good) coffee if I’m being honest, but there’s a green smoothie on the menu that might be my favorite smoothie in Tel Aviv. I usually stop in for that if I'm in the area. P.S. if you were interested, the smoothie is called Nabi Green :)

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Cafe Puaa

@sarahpollock

Technically, this one is a restaurant and not a cafe. But there’s good coffee and a good homemade bread basket on the menu, so it’s fine. More importantly, the space is cozy, inspiring, eclectic, and perfect for being productive. Even more importantly, even though the establishment functions as a restaurant, the employees won’t get mad at you for parking yourself at a table for way too long (I’ve done it a good handful of times)!! Be sure to check out the quiet/working room next door to the restaurant. Same people and atmosphere, but better if you don’t want to be bothered by waiters. Also bonus points for being located in Jaffa, easily the best part of the city in my opinion. Work till sunset then go watch the sky change colors on the beach- the true Tel Aviv way. ☀️

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Makers TLV מייקרס

@sarahpollock

Part cafe, part plant sanctuary. It’s not always the easiest to find foliage in the middle of a big city in the Middle East, so I appreciate it for that alone honestly. Note that this is definitely not an internet-driven cafe (outlets are sparse and most people seem to be very present here), so maybe not a place to park with a laptop. But a GREAT spot to bring good company.

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p.o.c café

@sarahpollock

Another eclectic, plant-centric haven but this time in the middle of Florentin. I come for the wonderful natural lighting when I want to sketch for a while, and also because it’s open on Saturdays. There’s a blueberry muffin here that I love. And all the local Florentin hipsters of course.

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Kiosko

@sarahpollock

Across the street from P.O.C. Where I go if they don’t have any seating or vice versa. Same but different.

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