Craft & Bloom Cooks Up a Minimalist Restaurant Called Opa in Tel Aviv

The Levinsky Market area of Tel Aviv’s trendy Florentin neighborhood might be better known for its overflowing wholesale spice vendors than for its dining destinations. But chef Shirel Berger is trying to change that with Opa, a farm-to-table restaurant with an elegantly restrained decor by Craft & Bloom. 

“The setting, while charming in its authenticity, posted an immediate challenge,” says firm co-founder Emma Shahar. “We closed off the entire street-facing facade by removing all the existing metal grates and transparent windows, replacing them with drywall behind a glass storefront system.” They plastered the interior walls, intending to paint them taupe to complement the peach tint in the concrete floors. “But we fell in love with the natural plaster sans color, which still honored our affinity for minimalism,” Shahar says.

Oak and quartz top the 35 tables throughout the 1,100-square-foot space. Says Shahar, “It’s become a peaceful cocoon amidst the chaos”—and a tribute to the various kinds of good taste.