Dr. Shakshuka

Dr. Shakshuka is a Libyan-Israeli restaurant at 3 Beit Eshel Street in Jaffa, Tel Aviv-Yafo, close to the Jaffa flea market and the old city. The restaurant is built around shakshuka, the dish of eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, and it is associated with Libyan-Jewish home cooking, which tends to be hotter and more heavily spiced than the Moroccan or Tunisian versions common elsewhere. The kitchen is a family-style operation rather than a chef-driven fine-dining venue, and there are no Michelin credentials to cite. The signature dish is shakshuka served bubbling in a cast-iron pan with fresh bread for dipping, including a Libyan-style spicy version with merguez sausage. Beyond shakshuka, the menu includes kubbeh and stuffed vegetables, which suit groups sharing several plates. The dining room is casual and busy, with simple tables inside and in the surrounding lanes, a lively and noisy mood at weekends, and no dress code. Families, tourists and groups from the neighbourhood fill the seats at brunch and lunch. The restaurant has no notable wine programme; diners generally order soft drinks, mint tea or beer. Prices sit in the mid range, with a shakshuka and sides usually costing less than a restaurant dinner in central Tel Aviv. The place opens from about 9:00AM until midnight and stays open on Saturday, which makes it a dependable option during Shabbat when many restaurants in the city are closed. Walk-ins are usual, but reservations are advisable for Friday and Saturday lunch, particularly for groups of six or more. Visitors should confirm hours on the day, since seasonal and holiday schedules change. Because the pan arrives very hot, diners are advised to wait a moment before dipping. The location makes the restaurant a convenient stop before or after a walk through Jaffa's alleys, the port and the Clock Tower.