by Yael Cohen ~
Tel Aviv’s Za’atar Za’azar Carmel Market smells of hot falafel fried to order and the acrid aroma of za’atar being ground. There seem to be hardly any corners that are not filled by brightly colored shaded stalls piled high with pomegranates bursting with juice, smoked meat, and great piles of hot light pita bread. It’s a bazaar, no doubt, but a pulsating, glittering mosaic of Israel’s culinary soul, nurtured over centuries-of-long tradition and a mosaic of cultures.
Israeli street food is an oral history of the hot, multicultural past and prosperous life of the nation. It’s a tale of migration, innovation, of camaraderie, and one narrated in taste hot, bold, and conjuring magically warm comfort. From traditional falafel to lesser renditions such as sabich and bourekas, Israeli street food is as much a people’s tale as it is a cuisine’s.
The Heartbeat of Markets and Streets
Markets such as Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda and Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel) are food centers, from Tunisian couscous to Yemenite jachnun. The markets are now no longer just a food tour but rather a destination, with tourists pouring in and locals visiting to get their best and genuine street food.
In Mahane Yehuda, or “The Shuk,” spices float over pyramids of vividly colored shapes, and the hum of surrounding cafés fills the air. The bazaars are “a microcosm of Israeli society” declares Chef Yotam Ottolenghi, the world culinary trendsetter for introducing Middle Eastern cuisine to the world’s plate—where tradition and modernity blend.
Notes
Falafel: More Than a Snack
No discussion of Israeli street food can be called complete without the falafel—fried chickpea burger that is Israel’s equivalent today. Crisp outside, light inside, falafel is usually served wrapped in warm pita accompanied by creamy hummus, crisp greens, and a dash of tahini. It bears witness to Israeli affection for simplicity but for maximum taste.
While the true history of the falafel is disputed, it is now nationally and locally embraced. In Haaretz, food historians still aver that nowadays, falafel is more than culture and is comfort food that unites the vast majority of Israelis every day.
Sabich and Bourekas: Secrets on the Go
Apart from the falafel, most of Israel’s street food is a reflection of the country’s dynamic immigrant culture. Iraqi immigrants brought sabich, a fried eggplant sandwich filled with hard-boiled egg, tahini, and amba (spicy mango pickle), into the State of Israel. Crispy on the outside, its refined flavoring has made it a cult favorite and a “must-try” among tourists.
Companion to the bourekas, fried cheese or potato or spinach-filled pastry that is rooted in Sephardic Jewish tradition. Warming pockets of deliciousness purchased from the ubiquitous street vendors are Israeli fast food and homesickness for home.
Innovation Meets Tradition
Israeli street food is tradition-based but in no way immobile. Gourmet chefs and food kings are innovating comfort food with imaginative flavors—daring into vegetal stuffings, handmade breads, and innovative spice blends. Tel Aviv has hosted a succession of street food festivals to celebrate such innovations that make the city a culinary incubator.
In fact, Tel Aviv Street Food Festival welcomes thousands of visitors annually and offers a combination of old and new tastes that characterize the changing taste of the city.
More Than Food: A Shared Experience
A little bigger than an appetizer, Israeli street food is communal. Breaking bread at the shoulder-to-shoulder street stand is sharing conversation and companionship, unifying strangers into groups. From blue-collar workers stalling work during rush hour for sabich to families popping by late at night for shawarma, street food gives life’s moments meaning.
As food journalist Michael Solomonov writes in The New York Times’ Food Issue, “Israeli street food is a reflection of the country’s warmth, sophistication, and remarkable capacity to unite people through food.”
