Middle East - Anthony Ham [235]
Lanski (Map; 517 0043; 1st fl, Shalom Tower; 6 Montefiore St; 9pm-late Sat-Thu, 10pm-late Fri) Built in the shape of an ‘H’ for maximum eye-contact opportunities, this bar makes claim to being the biggest in the Middle East, an assertion we won’t try to dispute. Sunday is bartender’s night, when Tel Aviv’s barmen come in to swap war stories.
Betty Ford (Map; 510 0650; 48 Nachalat Binyamin St; noon-late) A cool-as-Chardonnay lounge bar on a strip teeming with great small bars and eateries. This is a hip choice for a late night tipple, or a good spot for a tasty lunch, with lots of bar snacks gracing a good-value menu.
Bukowski (Map; 523 2323; 39 Frishman St; 10pm-late)A cool, brick-walled hangout hidden behind an unassuming, unmarked exterior. As you might expect, it has a slightly literary feel and attracts a cool crowd, from students to Tel Aviv professionals.
Whisky a Go Go (Map; 544 0633; Old Port; 9pm-late) One of a bevvy of trendy drinking destinations at Tel Aviv’s Old Port, this massive, highly designed place is a delight for fans of burnished steel, matte wood, glass and chandeliers. The music’s great, the drink portions are generous, and the crowd is a 20s-to-40s mix.
Mike’s Place (Map; 052 267 0753; 86 Herbert Samuel Esplanade; 4pm-late) On the beach, this is the place to go for live music. Blues and rock bands play nightly from 10.30pm. There’s also a sizable menu of grill-style meals, cocktails and, especially, beer. Happy hour lasts from 4pm to 9pm, and all day on Saturday.
Entertainment
Tel Aviv is well known for its nightlife, and the mind-boggling variety of spots can keep you crawling all night long.
NIGHTCLUBS
Tel Aviv has a number of world-class, party-till-dawn clubs, most without any of the ridiculous dress codes imposed, for example, in London. Check out Time Out Tel Aviv (Click here) for club night listings.
Breakfast Club (Map; 6 Rothschild Blvd; midnight-late) Night owls rejoice. One of the hippest clubs in town doesn’t get going till around 3am, and only lets out when the sun comes up. A line-up of Israel’s top DJs completes the picture; admission varies depending on which high musical priest is guarding the decks.
HaOman Tel Aviv (Map; 88 Arbanael St; admission 100NIS; 1am-late) If you missed it in Jerusalem, catch this megaclub in its equally vast Tel Aviv incarnation. Five floors of mayhem, picky bouncers (dress your best) and an in-house sushi bar to boot.
TLV Club (Map; 544 4194; Old Port; admission 50-100NIS midnight-late Mon, Fri & Sat) This massive party place in the port often hosts well-known Israeli rock stars. Admission prices vary depending on who is performing on the night.
THEATRE
New Cameri Theatre (Map; 606 0900; cameri.co.il; Golda Meir Centre, cnr Leonardo da Vinci St & Sha’ul HaMelech Ave) Hosts theatre performances in Hebrew, with simultaneous English translation of its most popular shows three times per week.
Habima Theatre (Map; 629 5555; Habima Sq, Tarsat Blvd) Home to Israel’s national theatre company, Habima stages performances with simultaneous English-language translation most Thursdays.
Shopping
In case you lose the battle with your worthier instincts, the best clothes shopping districts are Sheinkin St (with lots of small boutiques), Dizengoff St (with Israeli designer stores toward the northern end), and the tiny one-of-a-kind shops dotting the Florentine and Neve Tsedek neighbourhoods.
If it’s markets you’re after, a Nahalat Binyamin Craft Market (Map; 9.30am-5.30pm Tue, 9am-4pm Fri)runs twice weekly on Nachlat Binyamin St, with a festival-like atmosphere enhanced by some pretty good buskers. On Dizengoff Sq, an ‘antiques’ market (Map) is held on the same days; haggle hard for the gems amongst the junk. The Carmel Market (Click here) is the place for more perishable goods.
For shopping centres, try the central, sprawling, and confusingly-designed Dizengoff Centre (Map) or the Azrieli Centre (Map), which is a slightly classier