Ira Rozina
Owned by Sarah Stern, an eccentric matron-like lady with her hair neatly tucked away, Tamar Café is situated in a fashionable Shenkin street, where cafes and stores are opened and closed in a wink. It seems like Sarah is older than Israel itself. The place remains unchanged as the years go by: plastic chairs, regulars reading newspapers or arguing fiercely about something, and of course that special bagel with olives and cheese. You won’t find a menu here, but it is all simple: just order a cup of coffee with some poppy pie, a bagel, and Israeli salad (finely chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and greens). At other times local celebrities used to come by. Today you can steel meet writers, poets, journalists and judges here. On the wall behind the counter, one can see pictures of the hostess, made by a famous cartoonist, and also portraits of the former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. They say Sarah was close acquaintance with his family. All in all Tamar Café is the most authentic and unique place in Tel Aviv.
