Didn’t we boast that Israel has come a long way from the modest culinary beginnings of eastern European or native Mediterranean dishes? Here is the proof. Look at the endless number of international culinary awards.
Did you know that there are 4,536 eateries and three large food markets in Tel Aviv? This means that there is one restaurant for every 1,000 people.
According to the prestigious and highly influential U.S. magazine of gourmet food and wine, Saveur, Tel Aviv, the city that never stops, has been ranked as ‘outstanding’ in the ‘Best Culinary Destination, Small International’ rating for 2014. In first place in this category is Copenhagen with its numerous Michelin star restaurants. San Sebastian in Spain, won the readers’ Favorite Restaurant Award and Tel Aviv shares second place with long time fusion culinary capitals such as Lyon and Florence.
In the magazine’s category of ‘Best Markets and Shops’, Tel Aviv received an honorable mention. First place in this category, chosen by experts and readers, was Tokyo. Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market was ranked ‘outstanding’, this time together with those markets of Barcelona and Paris.
Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda Market was also ranked a ‘notable’ destination amongst the magazine’s list of cities with the best markets and shops, together with Bangkok’s Night Market and the markets in Istanbul and Madrid.
The ‘Imperial’ Bar, a cocktail bar, was chosen as one of the ’50 Best Bars in the World’.
El Al, Israel’s national airline, received the Outstanding Wine List Award for the excellent wine from the Ramat Hagolan, Recanati, Castel, Yatir and other vineyards offered during flight.
For the first time, Israeli architects were among the final nominees for the U.K. and International Restaurant & Bar Design Awards, equivalent to the Oscars in this field, in the Middle East and Africa category for their design of Topolpompo, in Tel Aviv, and the Pastel restaurant in the new wing of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.
And, Tel Aviv has received more commendations in recent months. These include being named the Middle East “capital of cool,” the best city for gays (Gaycities), and one of the world's leading 10 beach cities (according to Lonely Planet).
Welcome to Israel!