Tel Aviv is known for its delicious cuisine on the international dining landscape, and that’s partly due to The Norman, a restaurant inside a chic boutique hotel downtown. The Norman is easily one of the best restaurants in Tel Aviv, and this comes from their innovative cooking techniques, fusing French and Mediterranean fare, and the simple palate they work from to deliver memorable food to customers day-in and day-out.
Walking into the restaurant, you have to move through the hotel’s lobby, which is a picture of understated chic, with white flower arrangements, small seating areas and contemporary Israeli art hanging on the walls. A dimly-lit bar is off in the distance, packed with patrons on a Saturday night. A little further past the bar and you stumble upon a beautifully decorated, quaint and cozy room where you can unwind and unleash your inner foodie.
After being seated, I noticed the subtle details that made the room special. Small colorful flower arrangements were placed at the center of each table, candles lit the space and the wide-plank wood floors were painted with gold decorative arches, nodding to the Bauhaus architecture Tel Aviv is known for. Servers dressed in white buzzed about the dining room and brought sparkling water and freshly made bread to start.
Over the course of the evening, I experienced highlights like tuna tartar with a citrus glaze, roasted sea bass with grilled root vegetables, top-grade filet of beef and more. Aside from the delicious food, the cocktails were inventive and packed a punch. I indulged in a grapefruit concoction which combined freshly pressed grapefruit juice with champagne and elderflower liqueur. The entire meal was really a moment to remember.
For those luxury travelers visiting Tel Aviv, I have to encourage a night dining at The Norman. Not only will you be taken by the ambiance and the beautiful fashion-forward Israelis enjoying each other’s company, but you will truly have a meal that will make you want only to return for more.