Herzl Street, Tel Aviv

By Petal Meshraki | Published on 10/10/2024

Tel Aviv’s Herzl Street runs from Rehov HaPatish to Derech Jaffa, in the Florentin neighborhood. it’s not a street usually visited by tourists, but if you’re exploring Tel Aviv on foot you’ll probably walk along Herzl Street at some time. Locals know Herzl Street as the place to go if you’re looking for wholesale stores, especially furniture. It’s a commercial street but also home to several interesting cafes, restaurants, and historical buildings.

Plan Your Visit

Location - Herzl Street, Tel Aviv
Open Times - 24/7
Prices - Free
Popular Times: Visit during business hours, Sunday to Thursday, and Friday morning to get a real feel for the hustle and bustle of Herzl Street
Average Visit Duration - 1 hour
Tours - Discover the hidden gems on Herzl Street with a guided Tel Aviv walking tour

History of Herzl Street, Tel Aviv

The street is named after the father of modern Zionism, Theodor Herzl who had a vision of a Jewish homeland and a city called Tel Aviv. One of Herzl’s greatest admirers was Akiva Arye Weiss (1868-1947), one of the founders and city planners of Tel Aviv. So when it came time to name Tel Aviv’s streets, Herzl was a natural choice. Not only did Weiss name the street after his hero, but he also built his home on this street in 1909. The street was also home to the first coed school to offer tuition in Hebrew, the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium. The school was later demolished, but it wasn’t the only “first” on Herzl Street. Here, Tel Aviv’s first shopping center was built and inside the city’s first elevator. Herzl Street was also home to Tel Aviv’s first skyscraper, Shalom Tower which still stands today.

What to See and Do on Herzl Street

The hustle and bustle of modern Tel Aviv, with a concentration of restaurants is at the northern end of Herzl Street. As you progress further south the street becomes less gentrified, and you’ll see graffiti and neglected buildings.

Herzl Street Shopping

The stores along Herzl Street are geared towards retailers, and they often turn the general public away. So, it is not the type of shopping street tourists would normally visit. The most popular products sold on Herzl Street are beds, furniture, electronics, evening wear, and toys.

Where to Eat and Drink on Herzl Street

Shalom Meir Tower - At the northern end of Herzl Street soars Tel Aviv’s first skyscraper constructed in the 1960s, and at the time the first skyscraper in the Middle East. At the entrance level is a Visitors Center featuring Tel Aviv’s first streetlamp, a model of early Tel Aviv, and a collection of historical photographs depicting Tel Aviv’s early days. The highlight of the center is two magnificent mosaics, one created by Nachum Gutman and the other by David Sharir.

Shalom Meir Tower

The Gutman mosaic covers 100m² and was made using one million mosaic stones. It tells the history of Tel Aviv in four parts. Sharir’s mosaic covers 80m² and was made using Italian glass tiles, or Tesserea. This mosaic depicts Tel Aviv with a focus on Old Jaffa, Ahuzat Bayit, and the modern city.
1 Herzl, Weiss House - In 1909, this was one of the first houses built in Tel Aviv (known at the time as Ahuzat Bayit), it was to be the home of the Polis jeweler, and one of the men who planned the layout of Tel Aviv, Akiva Arieh Weiss. The house has been renovated several times over the years and served as a restaurant, and as offices.
3 Herzl Street - The childhood home of Nahum Gutman who would grow up to be a world-renowned artist and author. Note the building’s beautiful balcony rails.
6 Herzl, The Eliavzon House - Built on the corner of Herzl and Rothschild Blvd. in 1909, the original building was demolished in the 1930s and replaced with the present structure. The building has an L-shape and was designed in the International Style, featuring horizontal windows, hanging terraces, and rounded corners.
Rothschild Blvd. - Herzl crosses Rothschild, one of the city’s most famous streets. At the point where the two intersect there is an entrance to an underground parking lot and several eateries. Rothschild is worth exploring for its iconic Bauhaus architecture, historic landmarks, and picturesque sidewalk cafes.
First Kiosk - At the corner of Herzl and Rothschild, you’ll see a small, round structure that was the first kiosk built in Tel Aviv to sell drinks. Today the kiosk is still used as an eatery.

The first kiosk in Tel Aviv

The first kiosk built in Tel Aviv

Pensak Passage - See the city’s first elevator inside the large structure built in 1925 as Tel Aviv’s first shopping center.
Frank House - Alongside the Discount Bank Tower is a restored historic building that was originally built for the Frank family in 1910. The building now houses the Museum of Banking and Tel Aviv Nostalgia. It also happens to stand on the corner of Lilienblum and Herzl Street, a place once frequented by money changers and people dealing on the black market.
Ecological Botanical Gardens of Tel Aviv - At 155 Herzl Street, this unexpected greenery in the city center is a welcomed change from the concrete jungle. Not to be confused with the Botanical Gardens on the Tel Aviv University campus, this branch of the gardens takes the form of a more natural community garden, and untamed green space. Surrounded by the Botanical Gardens, and Park HaHorshot is the Saint Peter and Saint Tabitha Russian Monastery.

Herzl Street Shopping

Where to Eat and Drink on Herzl Street

Herzl 16 - This cafe bar hosts live performances and has an outdoor seating area where you’re surrounded by lush plants and an escape from the noisy city.
Bread Station - Bank Discount Tower - Where Herzl meets Yehuda Halevi Street is this cool, modern cafe on the ground floor of a tall office block.
Kiosk Europa - At the point where Herzl crosses Rothschild you’ll find a chic outdoor cafe housed in the historic “kiosk” perfect for people-watching.
Meatos Street Food - Try this restaurant, known for its kosher meat dishes.
Cena - This classy restaurant at #10 Herzl, is run by Chef Gil Dahan and serves modern Israeli cuisine prepared with French cooking techniques. The restaurant is in the Theodor Brown Hotel.
The Other Side - A cool bar-restaurant with a vibrant atmosphere.
Port 19 - For hamburgers try this slick restaurant.
Retro Bis - At #24 is a restaurant serving homemade food, sandwiches, and simple but hearty comfort food.
Kanu - One of the few eateries at the southern end of Herzl, this restaurant has an extensive menu of Asian dishes including pho soup, curry, and Vietnamese buns.