Sarona Market, Tel Aviv – Visitors Guide
Sarona Market is the largest indoor food market in Israel. You can find there about ninety stores, kiosks, and restaurants.
Map
Sarona Market is situated on Aluf Kalman Magen Street 3, Tel Aviv. That is about a five to ten-minute walk from the Azrieli Center.
Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps
Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit
Interactive map of the area:
And here is a map of Sarona. The market is located on the ground floor beneath the three skyscrapers. And it has four entrances – two on the sides and two on the front.
Note: you can click on the map to enlarge it.
Directions
If you are using public transport, then a variety of buses reach this area. Also, the Azrieli train station is within a ten-minute walk. Here is already a preset link to Moovit. Just enter your starting point, and you will get the updated directions.
And if you are driving, then you will need to find parking.
Parking
There are several paid parking lots in the area. I usually prefer to park at the Azrieli Center due to the easy access from the Ayalon highway. And walk the rest of the way.
Currently, you can find a parking offer at the official site (only in Hebrew). The offer is a one-time entrance for 15 NIS to the Millennium parking lot (at HaArba’a Street 17). This offer is not valid on weekdays after 17:00.
Opening Hours
Sunday – Thursday: 10:00 – 20:00
Friday: 09:00 – 16:00
Saturday: 10:00 – 20:00
Source: official site
Stores
At the indoor market, you can find food-related stores, whether these are stores that sell fruits and vegetables, spices, fish, or kitchen appliances. And if you are looking for another category of stores (monthly clothing stores), you can find them near the market in the Sarona neighborhood (see the tiny houses on the map above).
Restaurants
Over the years, I visited the Sarona market about a dozen times. And I dined at different restaurants. Some places, like this lovely Georgian restaurant, are no longer there.
Side note: If you wonder what Khachapuri is, it is a traditional Georgian dish of cheese-filled bread. The simplest Khachapuri is like a pizza with cheese on the top and inside.
And other places, like Rachel’s Shpachtel, were opened.
From our experience, all the places (Segev, Fauchon, Soft, Rachel’s Shpachtel, and others) were tasty. However, I suggest using your favorite app and choosing according to your kitchen type preferences and the current rating.
Note: you can find a list of all restaurants here.
Restrooms
You can find toilets near the western front entrance.
At Sarona Market
We were passing through the Sarona neighborhood towards the market.
In the neighborhood, you can mostly find restaurants and clothing stores. For additional info, see Sarona neighborhood.
Sarona Market is a one-floor market beneath the three towers. The market mainly specializes in food, but you can also find books and office supplies.
Wine Card? Why Not
On one of our visits, we stumbled upon a unique place. Something that I have not seen in Israel yet.
That is a wine shop. But not the regular type. It allows you to buy a glass of wine. The system is that you buy a card that will enable you to buy X glasses of wine. And each time you pass the store, you can select one of the wines, enter your card and select whether you want a full glass or a half glass.
Note: this store was already closed.
Fauchon
Fauchon is a French gourmet food and delicatessen company. And when Sarona Market opened, they inaugurated its first store in Israel there.
Fauchon is famous for its macaroons. And at the market, they are mainly selling sweets.
Update: in August 2017, Fauchon officials said they would close the big store at Sarona, and only a small stand will remain. They will also stop preparing the food themselves and outsource it. And in 2023, you can not find anything bearing the name Fauchon.
If you love spices, then check out my guide about Levinsky Market. And if you want a broader look, including a list of the Most Popular Herbs And Spices, check out Herbs And Spices.
As part of the tasty things for ten NIS initiative, many stores offer small snacks. Not only bakeries but other stores as well. You can find different tapas and finger food with fish, meat, and cheese.
You can find a branch of The Halva Kingdom at the Sarona market. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will probably know them from Mahane Yehuda.
Overall, the stores in Sarona Market can be roughly divided into three categories. About 40% are food stores, 40% are restaurants, and 20% are the rest.