2 Best Restaurants in Tel Aviv, Israel

All of Tel Aviv is raving about Opa, a vegan hot spot in Florentin that has garnered a kind of universal approval that few—if any—vegan restaurants have achieved before. Although the entire menu is plant-based, the food is so delicious, so fresh, and so packed with flavor, that it appeals to vegans and nonvegans alike. Even the (otherwise notoriously unappetizing) vegan desserts get the thumbs up! What sets Opa apart from many of its competitors is the absence of meat substitutes on its menu; Chef Shirel Berger instead focuses on colorful, organic, seasonal vegetables instead of tired dishes of mushy tofu, seitan, or jackfruit. For the full Opa experience, try the tasting menu: one of every dish on the menu, to share between two.

Israel has the highest population of vegans per capita, so it's impressive that Meshek Barzilay started blazing the plant-based trail long before farm-to-table eating became trendy. Tucked away on a quiet, secluded street in Neve Tzedek, the restaurant serves only locally sourced, organic, plant-based ingredients. The original restaurant was founded in 2002 by Merav Barzilay in the small agricultural community of Moshav Yarkona. A few years later, she opened Meshek Barzilay in central Tel Aviv. The produce may not come from her own backyard any more but Barzilay continues to source directly from a meticulously selected group of Israeli farms and producers who deliver daily. Best-selling dishes include the mushroom, tofu, and lentil veggie burger and the beetroot gnocchi.