PRIVATE FOOD TOURS · JERUSALEM & TEL AVIV
Jerusalem or Tel Aviv?
Choosing between my two food tours
I run private food tours through two very different markets, Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem and Levinsky in Tel Aviv, and the question I hear most is which one to pick. If you only have time for one, the right answer depends on what kind of trip you are having. Here is how I help people decide.
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THE SHORT VERSION
First time in Israel and you want the market everyone has heard about? That’s Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem. Been before, or you’d rather skip the crowds for the quieter, local side of the country? That’s Levinsky in Tel Aviv. Both tours are fully private, both run about two and a half hours, and on both you’re going to eat a lot more than you planned to.
Mahane Yehuda or Levinsky at a glance
Mahane Yehuda
Jerusalem
Levinsky
Tel Aviv
Choose Mahane Yehuda if…
Pick Mahane Yehuda if you want the Jerusalem you’ve heard about. It’s the city’s legendary market, more than a hundred years old, and the tour is really the story of Israel told through its food and the waves of immigrants who built the place. We eat, walk, sit, and eat some more, because this is a food tour, not a tasting tour, and you’re going to eat a lot. Even if you’ve been before, you’ll learn something new and eat something you haven’t, I guarantee it. The whole tour is kosher, every stop certified, and I’ll shape the route around your level of observance.
Choose Levinsky if…
You want the Tel Aviv that most visitors never find. Levinsky grew up in the 1920s as a spice market built by immigrants from Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey and Iran, and it still smells like it, with saffron, dried limes and sumac sold loose from open sacks. It is smaller, pedestrianized and far more relaxed, the kind of street where people sit outside with coffee. Pick it if you have already done Jerusalem, or if old-world flavors mixed with new-school Tel Aviv bakeries is your speed.
Can you do both?
Plenty of guests do, and if you have the days for it, I would not talk you out of it. The two markets tell different halves of the same story, Jerusalem’s traditions and Tel Aviv’s reinvention of them. I only run one city per day, so we would book them on separate days with a little room to recover in between.
What's the same on both tours
Whichever market you choose, the tour is fully private, just you and your group, and runs about two and a half hours. All your food and drink is included, and I mean a real meal, not a few sample-sized tastes. Your guide is me, Harry, a trained pastry chef who writes about food for a living, so you get the history and the stories behind every bite. Pricing is the same for either tour, from $480 for up to four guests, $100 for each additional guest, and kids under eight are free.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Jerusalem or Tel Aviv food tour better?
Neither is better, they are different. Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda is the famous, high-energy, fully kosher market. Tel Aviv’s Levinsky is the relaxed, aromatic, local one. First-timers usually start with Jerusalem.
Can I do both markets on the same trip?
Yes, on separate days. I only guide one city per day.
Which tour is better for kids?
Both are very family-friendly. Mahane Yehuda has more constant activity and sweets within reach, which younger kids tend to love.
Are the tours kosher?
Mahane Yehuda is fully kosher. Levinsky is mostly kosher with some uncertified vendors, and I will build your route around your needs if you tell me when booking.
How much do they cost?
Both are from $480 for up to four guests, with all food and drink included.