About LocaLocal
Hi, I’m Tal
I’m an anthropologist who loves interesting food, history, culture and meeting new people. In 2019, I started LocaLocal to show you Tel Aviv as I know it, through its food and the people who live here.
How did this dish find its way to Tel Aviv? When did this shop or restaurant first open? Who’s behind it, and how has the neighbourhood changed over the years? I love finding out the answers. On my tours, I share those stories, with good food to help me tell them.
Food and stories run in the family
I grew up in Jerusalem, in a family where food was always a big deal. I’m a fourth-generation home cook, and good food has always been part of my life. From a young age, I was encouraged to try new foods and explore different cuisines and flavours. And with two archaeologists for parents, the history and stories behind places always caught my interest too.
When I travelled, I was always curious about the people living in the places I visited. What does everyday life look like here? What do people love about where they live? And, of course, what do they eat, and why? Because the food we’re introduced to as “local food” isn’t always what people actually eat in their everyday lives.
For my master’s degree in anthropology, I studied how locals and tourists interact in Sri Lanka. I bring that same curiosity to my tours in Tel Aviv, sharing what I know and love about the city.
Where shall we go?
The neighbourhoods I love
When I moved to Tel Aviv, I lived in Kerem HaTeimanim, the Yemenite Quarter beside Carmel Market. I fell in love with the neighbourhood and its people, and spent five years living in the area. Later, I moved to Florentin, near Levinsky Market, and found another market to fall in love with. Both places are part of my everyday life, and I love going back and spending time there.
I love taking people to the places I enjoy, introducing them to the people who run them, and sharing stories about what used to be here and what’s happening today. Whether it’s your first visit to Tel Aviv or you already know the markets, I always have more stories to share.
How do I choose our stops?
There’s so much good food at Carmel Market and Levinsky Market (and in Israel in general) that it really is hard to choose. I pick each stop carefully, after plenty of research, conversations with the people who run the places and, of course, tastings. In other words, all the things I love doing.
The food
First things first: it has to taste good!
The people
I look for friendly people who are happy to welcome us as a group. Meeting them is part of the experience, and I want it to be enjoyable for them as well as for us.
The story
Each stop also needs to fit into the story of the market and its neighbourhood. Some tell us about the people who arrived here and the food they brought with them, others about family traditions. Newer places can tell us how the neighbourhood has changed and what’s happening here today.
Between tastings, we’ll get to know the neighbourhood a little better. And I love getting to know you too, hearing your questions and seeing where the conversation takes us.
