Malabi or Muhallebi is a sweet Middle Eastern dessert that is a bit like a pudding, topped with chopped peanuts or pistachios, coconut and rose water.

There are variations of it in the Turkish, Persian and Arab cuisines and it is loved all over the region, because frankly, it is quite addictive…

Hamalabiya is one of my favourite places to go for Malabi in Tel Aviv. I usually get it to go, but they also have outdoor seating. 

It’s a small and popular chain of Malabi places around the city, with Malabi shops on Allenby Street, Washington Blvd, Even Gvirol Street and in the Flea Market in Jaffa.

At all of these places the concept is the same: a sweet, inexpensive and very satisfying dessert, served with toppings and syrups of your choice. The latter include some non-traditional toppings, like biscuits and halva. 

They have both dairy and vegan Malabi, plus coffee and tea, soft drinks, some original cocktails and some savoury snacks.