Sparta

Few restaurants get the whole eating and drinking thing down to perfection, but Sparta, the latest restaurant to crop up in Tel Aviv's Old North neighborhood, does both with with ease. The entrance is a circular seating arrangement straddling a bar, also fit for sitting and eating, and the upstairs gives way to an all-out party - roaring with DJs mixing beloved Israeli songs, hip hop, feel-good singalongs and dance hall hits. (The unlimited alcohol at NIS 98 only adds to the raucous). Like a traditional taverna, the food boasts the signature aromatic flavors of the Mediterranean, including generous mezze platters of appetizers like grilled haloumi cheese topped with a cherry tomato confit, arugula and bread crumbs with various sauces. Go for the finger-licking shawarma filled with tender cuts of lamb shank and charred onions or the plump chicken skewers spiced with creamy tahina and tzaziki and sidled by grilled veggies and fire-roasted potatoes. If that weren't enough, fish and seafood lovers will gravitate directly towards the crispy calamari capped with fresh lemon and aioli or the stir-fried rice with a mix of fresh mussels, clams and scallops brewing in a bubbling tomato sauce. Once you've gotten your fill of the menu, continue the festivities upstairs, where shots of ouzo are overflowing, diners are welcome to throw plates in celebration, and the party is just getting started.