Be thankful for these Tel Aviv restaurant offerings this Thanksgiving

Pumpkin pies are not so popular in Israel, but did you know that you can find canned pumpkin at East and West, the Asian chain supermarket? Alternatively, try the Pumpkin tortellini, with cherry almonds and milk cookies in sage butter at Chef Haim Cohen's Yaffo-Tel Aviv restaurant. For dessert order a couple pies from Nola, Israel’s American bakery where there are scrumptious pumpkin pies, sweet potato pies, and pecan pies on the menu.

Deep in the heart of the Carmel Market, amongst the hustle and bustle of shoppers, tourists and exotic characters, you’ll find a little hub of Venezuelan cuisine, which stands out through its appetising smells and welcoming staff. From griddle breads stuffed with chicken and cheese to corn maize ‘pockets’ of shredded beef, black beans, avocado and cheese (which adds that melt-in-your-mouth crispy finish to keep you coming back time and again), the menu options are so diverse that anyone can combine the right flavors to suit their liking. But wait, there’s more! The dedication to producing the freshest-possible food can be witnessed with your very own eyes as it is cooked right in front of you. Grab a Savanna or soft drink and witness the magic in the capital of Tel Aviv street food.

There is nothing we miss quite as much as this moist and buttery bread, but no worries, we found it at America, the all-American restaurant at London Minister on Ibn Gvirol. Picture a huge chunk of cornbread slathered with fresh butter; this will become your go-to comfort food. Take lots and lots of it and freeze it. Also, their Mac and Cheese is not to be missed. On weekends, you can get some cornbread at Nola American Bakery too.

The most popular pancakes in Tel Aviv are Orna & Ella’s sweet potato pancakes. Talk about famous–first the restaurant was featured in the movie, The Bubble, about a gay Jewish and Arab couple living in Tel Aviv. Then, when Orna & Ella’s book came out many years ago, everyone was making them. Lastly, world-famous chef Yotam Ottolenghi shared the sweet potato recipe in his award-winning cookbook Plenty and the world just got a little bit sweeter. Lucky us–we can just pop into this local café on Shenkin for this comforting treat.

If you’re craving Mac and Cheese, we love Truck Deluxe’s super-cheesy Mac and Cheese. This barbecue eatery smokes all their meat and makes American comfort food at its best.  Don’t leave without a crack pie for dessert. If you are in Jaffa, check out Pundak Deluxe. They are also the meat masters behind Hook, a smokehouse where you can get all your charcuterie and meat favorites delivered to your door including bacon, spareribs and corned beef.

Fresh cranberries may not be easy to find here, but we found some desserts that will curb your cravings. Head into the Italian joint Giardino Bello for the mixed berry dessert full of cranberries like the dark chocolate mousse or the creamy mascarpone with berries made in-house by Chef Anny Ben.

54 Kehilat Varsha St, Tel Aviv

Turkey can be ordered from local butchers but, the rotisserie chicken trend that is taking Tel Aviv by storm is a good stand-in. Da, Da and Da, the chic Tel Aviv cafe on Rothschild, just opened Rotisserie, a rotisserie chicken  and sandwich spot that has everyone talking about it. Also, renowned chef Ran Shmueli of Claro serves up an incredible roast chicken with braised cabbage at Cocorico, the roasted chicken eatery in Sarona. If you are closer to Ramat Aviv stop by at Chef Avi Bitton’s spot known as Solica to take home some roasted chicken and salads galore. For the ultimate turkey sandwich, Nola American Bakery’s version on toasted whole grain bread with honey mustard sauce hits the spot.