Dessert 'On a Stick' at Almakel

Zoe Wernick
Mar 14, 2016
3 min read

Take your dessert with you as you wander around Florentine discovering all the incredible street art.

I grew up in a warm climate similar to that of Tel Aviv, and when I went to college in the Mid-West of the United States, I was shocked that ice cream places closed for the winter! There's an ice cream season?! Blasphemy.

But luckily, I am once again located in a city where there is no such a need. Febraury can be chilly, nice, or perhaps sweltering, and so I can find my favorite treat whenever I have a hankering.

I'm not too picky about my ice cream - having a wheat allergy means that lots of desserts are off limits, and therefore I love almost all ice cream I find - but occasionally you stumble across something that is simply a cut above the rest, and I found that with Almakel.

Almakel is located in the Florentine neighborhood, South in Tel Aviv. Florentine is experiencing a bit of a resurgence right now - it's full of young people, new restaurants, new bars, and lots of art. It's got a young artsy vibe, and for the visitor to Tel Aviv, the street art is not to be missed. So while you stroll around, stop for a frozen treat at Almakel to refresh you in the (more than likely) hot weather.

At Almakel all their ice cream is hand made in house, and as their name literally translates to, it's "On A Stick!" Their service is friendly, and if you ask, they are happy to tell you what flavors are Gluten Free. They offer about 20 flavors, and I think around 17 of them at the time I went were Gluten Free, so be prepared to have a lot of choices! Then comes the extra fun part - the chocolate coating! (Think Dairy Queen dipped cones, except, well, 1000 times better) They offer milk, dark, or white chocolate (you can choose 1 or all three if you're indecisive), BUT UNFORTUNATELY if you are a very sensitive Celiac, the Gluten Flavors are dipped in the same pot.

Their tables are simply MADE for Instagram, right??

So why am I still recommending this place as a Gluten Free Go To? For three reasons:

1) Not everyone is Celiacs - some like myself just have that "rare wheat allergy" and therefore can enjoy the coating.

2) The staff knew what was and wasn't Gluten Free, and also warned me, unprompted, about the cross contamination.

and...

3) The ice cream itself is amazingly delicious!! Incredible texture and flavor! It is completely worth trying on its own without the coating.

They offer so many different and delicious flavors at Almakel. I enjoyed the 70% Dark Chocolate (pictured), and the texture was as smooth as velvet. It was rich and delicious, but I didn't feel like I had a chocolate bomb in my stomach when I was finished. Instead, I was refreshed and ready to continue my walk!

So when you find yourself in Florentine and need a pick me up from the heat of Tel Aviv, head to Almakel for something heads and tails above what you're used to "on a stick."