The Incredible 25-Shekel Kebab in Tel Aviv's Hatikvah Market

We often talk about high food prices, whether in restaurants or street food spots that are supposed to be affordable but end up charging restaurant rates. Alongside reporting on the priciest dishes in the country—like shawarma for 65 shekels or schnitzel for 92—we love highlighting places that offer reasonably priced street food just like the old days. We have already found a stand where everything on the menu is under 25 shekels, falafel for 6 shekels a portion, and even shawarma for 30 shekels. We told you about a pasta lunch deal for under 50 shekels and an amazing Asian lunch for 54 shekels, proving it is still possible to eat affordably despite the heavy expenses facing food businesses in Israel. While some businesses choose to cash in at the customers' expense, we will keep reviewing the most expensive and cheapest bites in the country.

The Incredible 25-Shekel Kebab at Shlomi Avraham

This time we found a kebab at an almost unbelievable price. On the edge of Hatikvah Market, at a simple old-school grill joint called Shlomi Avraham Restaurant, a lafa (or pita) with kebab costs just 25 shekels. It is a massive portion featuring salad, hummus, cabbage, pickles, tahini, and one long, large, juicy kebab, well-spiced and expertly grilled over charcoal. Do you know of any other lafa dish that costs the same as a cup of iced coffee?

A few months ago, a new kebab joint called Kebab v'Shut opened in central Tel Aviv, creating a buzz over its 39-shekel pita kebab, which everyone assumed was just an introductory price. Two weeks ago, we told you about Yasmine, a new pita kebab spot on the Ramat Gan-Bnei Brak border priced at 44 shekels, and we paid 40 shekels for the legendary kebab from the new street food window of the revived Monka restaurant, which carries a heritage of flavor and wraps you in nostalgia.

A Hidden Workers' Gem in Hatikvah Market

Shlomi Avraham is tucked away in a small alley that is hard to reach by car—not quite a restaurant, more of a working-class nook designed to satisfy hunger cheaply. Cash only, and the atmosphere is warmly familial. The owner stands and grills the kebabs herself, knowing every single customer. It seems all the market merchants and neighborhood residents eat here regularly. There are a few tables inside for those who want to enjoy the air conditioning.

So does a 25-shekel dish live up to expectations? It is not the tastiest, largest, or most unique kebab; it is not roasted in a Josper oven, and it doesn't come with fancy tags naming premium cuts from select herds. But it is good—a classic, traditional kebab just like the ones from the days before every bite required elaborate storytelling. And sometimes, if not always, that is completely enough.

Address: 37 Hanoch St., Hatikvah Market, Tel Aviv.

Hours: Sunday–Thursday, 11:00–19:00.