If you’re a bit of a food fan, the recently opened Jaffa Port Food Market is a must-see sight (and taste) to add to your Tel Aviv itinerary!
Located in the newly renovated port buildings at the northern end of Jaffa Port, this new market is small, chic, and alive with some awesome morsels and smells to overwhelm your senses.
At this market you won’t find the rough and tumble of the legendary Carmel market or Machane Yehuda in Jerusalem, but you will find a small collection of food and drink stands, including a drinks stand from the Scottish Company, meat and fruit stands, spice shops, a chocolatier, plus some of the tastiest felafel and hummus you’ll come across at Abu Ismail (we tried the felafel and were WOWed…).
In addition, one of Israel’s finest chefs, Eyal Levi, has opened a tapas restaurant in the market called Rokach Yam. On a busy Friday afternoon expect to wait in line for a place at the very popular bar.
There are other shops planning to join the market, including a bakery and even a gluten-free kanafeh (a very delish and very sweet Arab cheese pastry) seller!
We’d have to say that if comparing the Jaffa Port Food Market with the more established Tel Aviv Port Farmer’s Market, the Tel Aviv version currently wins, but with the additional shops on their way, this could soon be one of the finest places a foodie will find in Tel Aviv!
The market is open from Monday to Saturday (yes, not on a Sunday), from 09:00 – 23:00 every day. It is, of course, free to enter.
We’d recommend adding the Jaffa Port Food Market to a day trip to Jaffa, with a walk around the many sights of one of the oldest port cities in the world (see our complete guide to what to see and do in Jaffa). It’s probably not worth coming to Jaffa just for the food market, so combining it with the best of Jaffa will hopefully turn your day into something special!