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Raz Rahav, OCD, Tel Aviv 50Best

It’s fair to imagine that only a handful of restaurants will end up with a Michelin star once the Guide finally lands in Israel. Opinions differ regarding some, but there’s definite consensus

when it comes to OCD. The restaurant opened six years ago, when Chef Raz Rahav wasn’t even 30, blowing away the minds and tastebuds of local foodies with meticulously prepared, intricate dishes, bursting with flavor and creativity. Over the course of a meal, each dish is served according to a precise timing, giving you the feel of a theatre performance, with the open kitchen as stage. This year, OCD was ranked 10 th on the ranking list of the 50 Best Restaurants in North Africa and the Middle East, and was awarded a national sustainability prize for its holistic use of produce. Since October 7 th , OCD has remained closed until further notice, and a reduced version of the restaurant, Mazon, has opened instead.

Photos: Haim Yosef

Shirel Berger, OPA, Tel Aviv 50Best

Though OPA, which opened six years ago in Tel Aviv, is a plant-based restaurant, Chef Shirel Berger has been determined to stay away from the vegan label. To her, OPA is a creative space, a place where culinary curiosity

Photos: Vera Bello

meets art and culture. Every dish on the tasting menu focuses on one fresh product, poetically and inventively sublimating it. Each dish is served on hand-made ceramic bespoke tableware, of which the Scandinavian design highlights the colorfulness and creativity of the food. The intense culinary journey diners are invited to embark on here, has earned Berger and her restaurant a ‘One to Watch Award’ for 2023 from the international restaurant guide 50 Best Restaurants in North Africa and the Middle East, and the 43 rd spot on its 2024 ranking list.

32 ATMOSPHERE MAY 2024