Sarona Market

Plan Your Visit

• Location: Aluf Kalman Magen St 3, Tel Aviv-Yafo
• Open Times: Sunday to Wednesday 10:00-22:00. Thursday 10:00-23:00, Friday 09:00-15:00/16:00, Saturday 10:00-22:00. The pedestrian park area of the center is open 24/7, and the retail stores generally close at 20:00.
• Prices: It depends on what you buy, but entrance is free.
• Average Visit Duration: 1 hour.
• Popular Times: Lunch (1-2 pm) and dinner (6-8 pm) time are the most popular times at Sarona Market when the workers from surrounding office blocks stop by to get something to eat. You might prefer to come a little earlier or later to avoid the crowds.
• Special Events: Being one of the best markets in Tel Aviv, the place regularly holds special foodie events, and often features one particular food. Usually, the special events are held from Wednesday to Friday or Saturday, such as the "Kibbutz Comes to the City" event held in January where Kibbutz farmers were given a platform to sell their goods. There have also been “All-Israeli Food Festivals” “Hummus Festival” and a “Chocolate festival”. Each puts a spotlight on a specific product and there are tastings, demonstrations, and special deals.
• Relevant Tours: foodies usually take a Tel Aviv food tour in Carmel Market, but there are also food tours in Sarona; Dedicated, true foodies tend to start with Carmel and finish with Sarona. 

Looking for a lively, dynamic, trendy place to hang out with locals, to try gourmet dishes, and local specialties while enjoying a drink, then Sarona Market is the place for you. This is Israel’s largest indoor food market, offering a unique experience for foodies.

The entrance to Sarona Market, Tel Aviv (Image source: Dr. Avishai Teicher CC BY 2.5)

The market is located within the Sarona Center complex. It gets its inspiration from the food halls of Europe and offers a warm welcoming atmosphere with dozens of food stalls and booths selling a wide range of Israeli street food, organic produce, and homemade food items. The products are of extremely high quality, often specialty items. 

Sarona Center

Do you want to relax in a pleasant open space with greenery and water features right in the heart of bustling Tel Aviv? Then visit Sarona. This peaceful haven in the busy city was created from the restored structures of a 150-year-old German Christian Templer settlement. The historic buildings have been restored and now hold trendy restaurants and cool cafes, as well as galleries, and boutique stores. The buildings are spread out over a pedestrian-only area where there are benches, lawns, playgrounds, and ponds. 

What is the History of Sarona?

Sarona has a rich history dating back to the late 19th century. Originally established as a German Templer colony in 1871, the area was named Sarona after a blooming valley mentioned in the Bible.

The Sarona Market area from the nearby park (Image source: FeldBum CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Templars, a German Christian sect, were inspired to settle in the Holy Land by biblical prophecies. They believed that repopulating the land of the Bible would hasten the second coming of Christ. They built a thriving agricultural community with European-style architecture and advanced farming techniques in Tel Aviv (and at other locations in the country). Sarona became known for its vineyards, orchards, and utopia-style community.

Pro Tip: You can see historic Templer settlements in places like Jerusalem and Haifa’s German Colony at the foot of the Baha’i Gardens. 

Sarona Market in 1923

In the early 20th century, political changes led to the decline of the Templer community in the Holy Land. During World War II, the British who controlled the region and were at war with Germany, had the German Templers imprisoned, or confined in internment camps as enemy aliens. By the time the State of Israel was established in 1948 only a few Templers remained, and the Sarona area underwent various transformations. 

In the 2000s, Sarona was revitalized with the construction of Sarona Center, a mixed-use development featuring a blend of modern skyscrapers and preserved Templer buildings. Opened in 2015, Sarona Center has become a vibrant commercial and cultural hub, housing offices, shops, restaurants, and public spaces, seamlessly blending the area's historical charm with contemporary urban life. It retains the charm of the early Temper settlement.

Eating at Sarona Market

It's a good idea to visit Sarona even if you don’t plan to eat, but if you’re a foodie, or need somewhere to stop for lunch then this place is perfect. Take the opportunity to try some local culinary delights. The market is home to some of Israel’s top chefs who offer the latest culinary creations that blend Israeli food with food concepts from around the world. Here you can taste new food concepts that have only just been invented. Among the star chefs showcased at the market, there is Assaf Granit (Michelin star holder), Eyal Shani, and Rachel Ben Elul. 

Food stands in the Sarona Market (Image source: Dr. Avishai Teicher CC BY-SA 4.0)

Take a seat at one of the communal tables where you can chat with locals while you try the different dishes. Don’t limit yourself to one dish, take a few. And don’t forget to wash it down with some locally produced wine or beer.

Pro Tip: There is very little street parking near Sarona, but there are plenty of paid parking lots such as Sarona Parking at 5 Eliav Road. There are also bike-share stations at Sarona so you could rent a bike or electric scooter.

Star Dishes to Try at Sarona Market

• Meat Bar’s hamburgers

• Hummus by the Magician (HaKosem)

• Eyal Shani’s pita bread

• Ramen by Chef Yuval Ben Neriah

• A juicy sandwich by Rachel Ben Elul

• Brioche-challah sandwiches by GG Kubala

• Sample beers at the Beer Garden

• Specialty cheese, olive oil, pickles, halva, and spices

Pro Tip: The closest train station to Sarona is HaShalom Station located in the Azrieli Center a short walk from Sarona.

What Can You Do at Sarona Center?

Eat!

The first thing you can do is eat! There is no shortage of restaurant and cafe options. Many of the Sarona eateries are not kosher either because they serve non-kosher food or because they are open on Saturdays.

Enjoy eating at the market! (Image source: Dr. Avishai Teicher CC BY 2.5)

However, some have the new “Hashkaha” certificate which means the food is supervised by rabbis, it is kosher, and they don’t open on Saturdays, but they are not certified by Israel’s Rabbinate.

Shop

Among the many boutiques at Sarona Center are fashion stores, footwear stores, accessory shops, and cosmetic stores. Shop for perfume, leather goods, souvenirs, digital goods, designer home decor products, or toys. Pamper yourself at the L’Occitane store and spa, and visit the exclusive Tasting Room wine bar. Several jewelry designers have stores in Sarona, as well as leading brand sportswear stores. Sarona is home to one of the best ice cream stores in the city, Anita. At the unique Draydel House, you can see a display of dreidels (sevivons or spinning tops). You can also find stores dedicated to specialty food such as coffee, or spices.

Fashion Shopping in Sarona? good idea!

Pro Tip: The Whiskey Bar and Museum at Sarona is located below ground in a historic Templer tunnel once used to store wine barrels, then as a British prison, and later the Israelis used the tunnel to rebuild captured British airplanes. Legend has it the tunnel was also used by the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. The brick and stone walls are lined with thousands of varieties of whiskey, and there is a modern open kitchen serving meat dishes to complement the drinks. 

Relax

Take a stroll or sit down outside in the sun in the pedestrian-only area of Sarona. You’ll be surrounded by tranquil ponds and trees, and often you’ll get free entertainment from passing buskers.

Sarona Visitors Center

One of the historic Templer buildings holds the Sarona Visitors Center. Here you can get information about upcoming events in Sarona, and see exhibits highlighting the landmark moments in Sarona’s history. The center sells tickets for a pre-arranged tour of the underground Sarona tunnels.