Our Levinsky Market Tour and Cooking Workshop will take you to explore the many layers of the age-old Levinsky Market, which has been welcoming customers for decades. Our tour will take you on a gastronomic journey, during which you’ll absorb the colorful sights of dried fruits and nuts and the scents of cardamom and fresh coffee beans. Space is a luxury in Tel Aviv, and you’ll find cafes and specialty shops squeezed tightly against one another, with some taking up no more than a sliver of a storefront.

At the Levinsky Market, you’ll find quaint mom and pop boureka shops adjacent to hipster coffee roasters serving the entrepreneurial bohemian crowd. On our tour, you’ll discover the highlights of the market, meet some of the vendors, and hear fascinating stories of the market’s history. Your tour will start with a brief overview of the market, before you make your way through its juice stalls, nut and herb shops, and bakeries. You’ll learn about local ingredients, and about the must-have spices and herbs in your Israeli kitchen. You’ll sample local dishes like gazoz, soda water mixed with natural fruit syrup, and bourekas, stuffed phyllo pastries filled with potatoes, spinach, or cheese.

After browsing the market and purchasing ingredients, you will make your way to the chef’s kitchen, where together with your new knowledge and the chef’s guidance, you’ll learn to prepare local dishes. Your menu may include baba ganoush with green tahini and mujadara, a Levantine dish consisting of rice and brown lentils with caramelized onions. Wash it down with the national liquor, Arak, mixed with grapefruit, mint, and cucumber. Hopefully, you’ll still have room in your stomach because dessert will be a popular local specialty – malabi, a rose water-infused milk pudding with coconut or peanuts sprinkled on top.