Shuk HaCarmel, one of Tel Aviv’s special places, established around the 1920’s. This place has been around for almost a century and has developed a life of its own.
The shuk entrance is located on the corner of Allenby & HaCarmel st. And although the market originally sat mainly on the HaCarmel st over time its “grown” organically and claimed many streets nearby. So you don’t quite know where the shuk begins or ends. You can take any of the small streets diverging from the shuk and see what you discover.
The shuk has a small incline and when you go in through the Allenby st entrance you can enjoy a leisurely stroll.
The shuk is a bustling place that carries an abundance of fresh colorful produce, spices, cheap clothes, enticing and strange hand-made traditional foods from around the world, specialty coffee, wine and beer shops and much more if you can just find it amongst the vibrant mass.
The most interesting thing about the shuk for the past couple of years is the culinary revolution that is going on over there. We’re starting to see chef food stalls, restaurants, coffee boutiques and designer bars popping up in that area and adding their own special vibe to the place.
Recommendations: Go in the morning, I like to come around 11:00 when most of the stalls are already open. Come hungry and enjoy what the shuk has to offer. Don’t come on Tuesday or Friday as it’s very crowded on those days.