Shirel Berger’s acclaimed vegetable-forward restaurant, Opa in Tel Aviv, offers a blueprint for a sustainable future in food
Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants today announces Tel Aviv’s Opa as the winner of its coveted One To Watch Award 2023. The accolade recognises a rising-star restaurant within the region which 50 Best believes has the potential to break into the list in the years to come. It will be presented to Opa’s founder and head chef, Shirel Berger, at the gala ceremony of MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, taking place in Abu Dhabi on 30th January.
Berger was born in Jerusalem, where her parents gave her free rein in the kitchen from an early age to explore and find her rhythm. She took her passion for cooking to the US and graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in 2014, then worked at several restaurants in New York, where she gathered different skills and took on board varied influences before returning to her homeland and settling in Tel Aviv. There, she immersed herself in the unique art of cooking almost exclusively with vegetables and fruits, leading to the opening of her own restaurant in the heart of the Levinsky spice market in Tel Aviv in September 2018, named Opa.
Since opening its doors, Opa has quickly distinguished itself with its minimalistic, understated elegance, offering a space to eat, drink, work or unwind. It is matched with a unique and authentic menu featuring signature dishes such as carrot carpaccio, celery cream tartlets and raspberry, and asparagus soup, each presented on locally made ceramics. The restaurant boasts an elaborate 11-course menu of plant-based dishes presented through ancient and modern techniques.
William Drew, Director of Content for 50 Best, says: “At Opa, Shirel Berger has created a one-of-a-kind space within the bustling city of Tel Aviv. From the moment of walking through the door, Opa invites guests to immerse themselves in vegetable-forward cooking and embark on a subtle culinary journey of the senses. We are delighted to name Opa as the One To Watch as part of the second MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants awards programme.”
SOURCE: 50 Best
