אל על | אטמוספירה

Kalamata | Jaffa

Olympus | Tel Aviv

This lovely Greek taverna is located in a 500-year-old building in Old Jaffa, right by the sea. The view from Kalamata’s beachfront terrace is the most beautiful in Tel Aviv, with the Mediterranean Sea sparkling directly under its windows. You could almost be forgiven for mistaking Jaffa for Piraeus from here. The menu offers fish and seafood dishes, Greek mezze platters, and classics of the Aegean table, like souvlaki and moussaka. There’s a rich drinks menu as well, with wines and cocktails served in a lovely Greek taverna atmosphere with Greek music playing in the background. A few meters away, in Kikar Kdumim, a sister establishment, Kalamata Café, serves bistro-style Greek-inspired food in a relaxed atmosphere, throughout the day. kalamata.co.il

Founded in 1932, Olympus is the oldest establishment in Tel Aviv to serve classic Sephardi-Greek food, with dishes such as fried leek patties gracing its menu for decades upon decades. When it first opened, Olympus was situated in the Florentin neighborhood and mostly served local workers and residents, many of them hailing from Thessaloniki. In the early 90s, the restaurant moved to Carlebach street where it remains to this day. Other than its location, very little about it has changed since it first began operating, with owner Yona Nachman and his son Gadi steadfastly committed to keep traditions going. The atmosphere is nostalgic and laid-back, with simple wooden tables, and old photographs covering the dining room walls, attesting to the restaurant’s illustrious past and its place in Tel Aviv’s rich culinary landscape. Its loyalty to tradition, the quality of the food, and simple rustic atmosphere, all contribute to making dining at Olympus a truly unique experience. olympus-rest.co.il

Olympus I Photo: Tzuf Einchi

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ATMOSPHERE AUGUST 2024