Tips for tourists - cool things to do in Tel Aviv:
The Secret Tel Aviv Events Newsletter
A weekly list of events in The Viv
Ultimate Hipster Guide to Tel Aviv
Great ideas re stuff to do in the VIV.
DIY Tel Aviv - Alternative City Guide
Listing of parties and events to join while you're here, hip and groovy.
Cafe: Casbah. The epitome of the Florentin spirit, with art exhibitions, muffins plus the odd dog or two. Check out the nice terrace, although they smoke there. 3 Florentin St.
Port: Jaffa Port. Smell the fishing nets and hop on the Sababa-5 boat, which will take you for a 30 min. tour outside the port for 25 shekel. You will get to see TLV from the sea, and she is beautiful. See map here.
Park: Midron Yafo Park. South of the Jaffa Port lies this new park, and sunset here combines what I love about life: Stars, planes, boats, moon, sea. Lying down on the lawn and watching the stars is highly recommended.
Falafel: Ha-kosem, meaning 'the magician', is my favorite falafel. It's scrumptious, fresh, the place is clean, and the staff are amazing. Look for William, the guy who hands you a falafel ball while you're standing on line, while saying "zehirut, ze ta'im!" ("Be careful, it's delicious"). Check out the eggplant sabih, the shawarma and the tasty mujaddara.
Address: 1 Shlomo Ha-melekh ; Buses: 25, 125, 18
Falafel Tadmor is the "taxi drivers falafel". You'll see them pulling off, getting their pita fix, and continue with their day. This is an old school falafel hangout, not a fancy north Tel Avivi place at all. This is what I grew up on in Ashdod. You can check out the schnitzel in a pita. Make sure to take some hamutsim, pickles, in a plastic bag, and consume them outside, sitting on a plastic chair. People watching is free of charge. Address: 98 Salame St.; Buses: 1, 42, 142, 189, 289
Shuk: Shuk Ha-tikva, at the Ha-tikva neighborhood, is the real thing: Wide, with fresh produce and hardly any tourists, this is the place to be early on a Friday morning. Check out the olives and figs, look at pitas descending from heaven - the oven is on the second floor and the pita stand is downstairs - and have some Yemenite delights at the shuk entrance or Iraqi kubbe at David Haviv inside the meat market. Address: Corner of Derekh Ha-hagana and Ha-Etsel; Buses: 104, 204, 16, and sherut no. 16.
Sandwiches: Yom Tov, 43 Levinsky St., has great sandwiches. Sherut 4, 16.
Xoho, 73 Ben Yehuda St., is where you go for great bagels, coffee and other goodies. Closed on Saturday.