Shuk Hatikvah (Hatikvah Market)

While living in South Tel Aviv I would do much of my grocery shopping at the market in Hatikvah neighborhood. It was not very far from my apartment in Kiryat Shalom and many of my volunteer sites were around the market. While many visitors to Tel Aviv know and flock to Carmel Market, the residents of South Tel Aviv flock to Shuk Hatikvah. If you want the best produce for amazingly reasonable prices, Shuk Hatikva has what you are looking for. Most of the produce that is sold in the market is seasonally grown. This is the norm for most of the markets in Israel. So if you are looking for mangoes in February you are out of luck at Shuk Hatikvah. All around the market you can see the amazing food being sold and also being prepared in the many different restaurants that are located throughout the market and that line Etzel St. The food that the stalls and restaurants sell tells the story of the people making and selling the food. There are Iraqis selling amba, sabich, laffa, and kubbe soup. There are Russians selling smoked salmon, vodka, black bread, and other Russian foods that a homesick Russian would want to have on hand at all times. The Eritrean women working at the pita bakery stuffing pita as it comes out of the oven into bags. Stopping by the same deli in the meat section to snack on schnitzel bites, stuffed grape leaves, moroccan cigars(meat or potato filled eggrolls but thinner), pickles of every vartiety, a plethora of prepared salads, and the abundance of olives. Smelling Israeli favorites such as shawarma, falafel, and kebabs also captivates your senses. Going on a Friday morning before the stalls close for Shabbat is a sight to see. The market bustles with activity everywhere you look. The scene is the neighborhood buying the food for their Shabbat dinner with family and friends. To get Shuk Hatikvah is quite easy. Many of the buses within Tel Aviv and also the shared taxis called Sherut can be used to get to the market and the Hatikvah neighborhood. You can also have a taxi but it is going to be more expensive than taking the bus or sherut. I love Shuk Hatikvah not because it was close by, it was because it had everything you would want to eat. Fresh, seasonal produce, fresh meat, hot out of the oven pita, and some of the most delicious falafel and shawarma anywhere in Tel Aviv. Its not a tourist trap like Carmel Market in the city center, it serves the South Tel Aviv community. For a different market experience Shuk Hatikvah is a very delicious option.