It is called a food market but it is so much more. Featuring small stands and shops selling food supplies and various merchandise, the design and atmosphere is cool and elegant. But most importantly, despite it being new, Tel Aviv’s Sarona Market creates a legitimate feeling of authenticity. Featuring century-old French delicatessen, Fauchon, the various stalls are in fact miniature versions of famous chef restaurants from across the country. The word ‘souk’ in Arabic means “market” or
“marketplace”. Many of the merchants inside Sarona Market are actually Israeli and Arab merchants from the nearby Souk area who have been working in their food businesses in Souk for 70 years or more. They’ve now been transformed into a modern and somewhat posh version of a souk. At 2100 on a Tuesday night, Sarona Market was packed with visitors seated around eateries enjoying handcrafted food at reasonable prices.
Capturing the essence of the old city of Tel Aviv and presenting it wrapped up in a modern, elegant design, Sarona Market is a fine example of the future of food markets. I believe food markets with similar virtues will soon be rolled out at various markets around the world as people keep looking for authentic merchandise and products while enjoying cutting edge technologies and experiences.
Access exclusive analysis, locked news and reports with Inside Retail Weekly. Subscribe today and get our premium print publication delivered to your door every week.
