Animar Tel Aviv

Animar sits at Retsif Herbert Samuel St 94, a ten-minute walk from the sand at Frishman Beach. The restaurant holds the number 25 spot on The World’s 50 Best MENA list.

This Mediterranean and Israeli seafood house is dressier than the casual beach shacks nearby. While most restaurants along this stretch of the coast rely on proximity to the water for their appeal, Animar succeeds because the cooking matches the visual drama of the sea. It avoids the tourist-trap exhaustion common to the waterfront, offering a focused menu that feels distinct from typical boardwalk fare. If you are looking for a meal that justifies the proximity to the coastline, this is the one to pick over its neighbors.