Best Tel Aviv and Jaffa Markets – Complete Overview

In this guide, we will review all significant Markets in Tel Aviv and Jaffa. And then we will see which are the best ones.

Best Markets

We will start by listing the best markets, and then we will do an overview of all of them.

If you are limited in time, I would suggest visiting the markets according to the following priority list. In other words, the recommended minimum is #1. If you have more time, then also add #2. And so on.

1. The first option covers two places: Carmel Market and Nachalat Binyamin Market. Since they are close to each other, you can easily visit both of them together. Just visit on Tuesday or Friday while Nachalat Binyamin Market is open. Moreover, if you can visit during the holidays, favor that option as you might see street performers at Nachalat Binyamin.
2. The best time to visit Jaffa Flea Market is on Friday morning when all stores, boutiques, galleries, and thrift stores are open.
3. New Markets of Tel Aviv offers gourmet food and various delis. Of course, this comes at a price, but it is worth it to people who love it. Where should you start? I would go to the biggest one – Sarona Market.

If you love spices, dried fruits, and nuts, consider visiting Levinsky Market.

Here is a table with the listing of all major markets.

Market Name	When to visit	Specialization	Rating on Google/Number of Reviews	Notes
Carmel Market	Tuesday or Friday	Food and restaurants	4.4/10,969	Probably the most popular market
Nachalat Binyamin	Only Tuesday or Friday	Arts and Crafts	4.6/1,104	Located near Carmel Market
HaTikva Market	Sunday – Friday	Food	4.3/8,687	Authentic market
Levinsky Market	Sunday – Friday	Specializes in spices, dried fruits, and nuts	4.4/12,110	There are many restaurants in this area
Jaffa Flea Market	Friday	Wide variety of stores, including thrift stores, boutiques, and art galleries	4.4/15,404	There are many restaurants in this area
Tel Aviv Port Market	Any day of a week	Food and restaurants	4.2/2,527	Located at Tel Aviv Port (Namal Tel Aviv)
North Market	Sunday – Friday	Food and restaurants	4/4,207	Similar to Tel Aviv Port Market
Sarona Market	Any day of a week	Food and restaurants	4.3/32,171	Largest indoor food market
Vintage Market	Friday	Antiquities and second-hand items.	4.3/310	Located near Sarona Market
Rothschild Allenby Market				Closed
Jaffa Port Market				Closed

Types of Markets – New Vs Old

You can see referrals to the new and old markets in my blog. I usually divide them by their creation date. The number of years a market operates is not that important, but it affects the types of stores in the market. Markets that were created many years ago are usually more traditional. There are many fruits and vegetable stands. And some bakeries and fish and meat stores.

The newer markets are generally more upscale places. And for example, besides standard fruits and vegetables, you can also find unique produce. Moreover, there are typically many restaurants and small food joints in the new markets.

Though founded many years ago, tourist markets like Carmel Market and Mahane Yehuda changed significantly over the last decades. You may not find the same fancy produce as in Tel Aviv Port Market, but you can eat at many food stalls and restaurants while visiting them.

Here is the division of the markets. The “Old” Markets In Tel Aviv are Carmel Market, Nachalat Binyamin, HaTikva Market, Levinsky Market, and Jaffa Flea Market.

And the “New” markets are Tel Aviv Port Market, North Market, Sarona Market, Rothschild Allenby Market, and Jaffa Port Market (though the last two are not operational anymore).

Carmel Market

Carmel Market is probably the most famous marketplace in Tel Aviv. Similar to other markets (like Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem), it changed in recent years. Bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and chef-owned food stalls appeared. Travel firms started to offer Market tours. And today, it is a mix of the old market and a tourist destination.

You can find my full guide at Carmel Market.

Nachalat Binyamin Market

Nachalat Binyamin Market has several names. It is also called the Nachalat Binyamin art fair and the arts and crafts fair. And it is the most significant art fair in Israel.

You can find my full guide at Nachalat Binyamin Market.

HaTikva Market

HaTikva Market and Carmel Market compete for outdoor markets in Southern Tel Aviv. But since Carmel Market is closer to the sea and there are numerous hotels in the area, it has become popular among tourists over the years.

HaTikva Market, on the other hand, is a more authentic market with fewer tourists, and it almost had not changed over the last decades.

You can find my full guide at HaTikva Market.

Levinsky Market

Levinsky Market is a small market named after the street it is located on. The market specializes in spices, dried fruits, and nuts.

You can find my full guide at Levinsky Market.

So far, we have covered the “old” Markets In Tel Aviv. They are Carmel Market, Nachalat Binyamin Market, HaTikva Market, and Levinsky Market.

Now let’s go over the New Markets of Tel Aviv. They are: Tel Aviv Port Market, North Market, Sarona Market, and Rothschild Allenby Market.

Tel Aviv Port Market (Shuk HaNamal)

Port Market in Tel Aviv was opened in 2008. And it is the first one to open and start a new trend of “new” markets.

You can find my full guide at Tel Aviv Port Market.

North Market in Tel Aviv

Following the success of the Tel Aviv Port Market, the same people decided to open a similar place.

You can find my full guide at North Market.

Sarona Market

Sarona Market is the largest indoor food market in Israel. There are about ninety stores, kiosks, and restaurants from all categories.

You can find my full guide at Sarona Market.

Rothschild Allenby Market

Update: the owners of Rothschild Allenby Market run into financial difficulties. This market was closed. And today, in this compound, you can find a Decathlon store. And if you want to see how it was, continue reading the original post.

Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk Hapishpeshim)

Jaffa Flea Market offers various stores, including thrift stores, boutiques, and art galleries. Moreover, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes. Check out my full guide to Jaffa Flea Market.

Jaffa Port Market

When Tel Aviv Port Market became successful, other similar markets started to pop up. One of them was Jaffa Port Market. But, not all markets thrived, and some closed or decreased their activity significantly. You can find additional information at Jaffa Port.

Vintage Market

The vintage market on Givon Square in Tel Aviv offers antiquities and second-hand items. And you can find additional details at Vintage Market.

Summary

As a kid, I hated visiting markets, but today visiting markets is tasty and photographic. See the Best Markets section above to help you decide which ones to visit.

What markets in Tel Aviv and Jaffa did you visit? Which are your favorite ones? Tell us in the comments below.

That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!

Stay Tuned!

For additional points of interest nearby, see Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Additional Resources

Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:

• Trip Planner with Attractions and Itineraries is the page that will help you create your perfect travel route.
• What is the Best Time to visit Israel? To answer this question, we will consider the weather, prices, holidays, festivals, and more.
• Information and Tips for Tourists to Israel will answer the most common questions tourists have about Israel (including safety, passports, weather, currency, tipping, electricity, and much more).
• Israel National Parks and Nature Reserves include a complete list, top ten, map, tickets (Israel Pass, Matmon, combo), and campsites.
• If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, Akko (Acre), Eilat, Nazareth, Safed (Tzfat), and Makhtesh Ramon.