Port Said, Tel Aviv

Port Said, Har Sinai St 5, Tel Aviv

Port Said – פורט סעיד. For many young visitors to Tel Aviv, Port Said is a likely entry point into the divine gastronomical delights of celebrity chef Eyal Shani. This Tel Aviv restaurant hides in plain site as a trendy bar.

Everything about this place screams trendy Tel Aviv bar – an interior decorated with neatly stacked records, the small kitchen occupying the majority of the interior, the DJ tucked into the corner spinning eclectic music, the throngs of people socializing outside. So many people are buzzing about, taking up every seat, and practically sitting out on the curb you almost forget that this is actually a restaurant helmed by the renowned chef Eyal Shani.

Shani’s restaurants fuse incredibly simple dishes with an informal atmosphere. Miznon changes the way you look and taste street food, North Abraxas flips fine dining on its face by serving high quality food on cardboard while still charging you like it was served on a silver platter. HaSalon makes getting a table at this exclusive restaurant exclusively impossible (it’s only open Wednesday and Thursday.) Port Said, however, is as informal is it gets for a Shani restaurant. Diners can, from noon to 5am, unassumingly stumble into one of the greatest treasures that will open your eyes to the amazing food scene in Tel Aviv.

You may never expect a bar tucked into the alley off Allenby by the Great Synagogue to have the best French Toast you will ever eat in your entire life. That’s the beauty of Port Said (and Tel Aviv for that matter.) It is one of the main reasons you should visit this restaurant.

Dishes at Port Said

• Brushetta with sardines 32NIS
• French toast 28NIS
• Roastbeef carpaccio 37NIS
• White bean hummus 28NIS
• Americano 12NIS
• Capacchino 13NIS
• Lemonade 13NIS

Port Said Rating

4.75/5

Eyal Shani’s Port Said

In typical Eyal Shani fashion, the Port Said menu is filled with simple sounding dishes that simply defy expectations. The toast is crisp, the fish bright and fresh, and the onion and peppers sharp. It is without a doubt the place in Tel Aviv to get the best French Toast you will ever eat in your entire life. Let us repeat that for effect. The. Best. Damn. French. Toast. But more on that later.

Try the Bruschetta with Sardines, with tomatoes piled so high you wonder how you will get any of it in your mouth. The White Bean “hummus” is definitely a new take on a classic favorite. It is thick, heavy, and not as smooth as the original chickpea version. Therefore, we suggest the Beef Carpaccio, which swims in a sea of olive oil and tomato seeds, for its subtle yet fresh flavor.

But nothing compares to the French toast. Served nonchalantly on thick cardstock this crispy on the outside, light and flaky on the inside toast is served with creme fraiche and jam. (As a Canadian I took note at the lack of maple syrup, but after much debate I conceded that the maple topping does not define what makes French toast great.)

Port Said is an ideal spot to check out when you want out-of-this-world late night food and be smack dab in the middle of the Tel Aviv social scene. Go in for drinks and some bar food and walk out with stories of a random bar that has these incredible offerings. Port Said, Tel Aviv is an impressive (albeit slightly expensive) spot. However, you will bite into the French toast, and it will be worth it.

Tel Aviv’s Food Scene