Tel Aviv/Jerusalem recommendations

I used to live in both, but havne't been going back very much since. so I hope somebody can give you some more up to date stuff. some old school stuff -

in Jerusalem
there is a place called humous Pinati - corner houmous. it is a hole in the wall houmous place, maybe 50 years old, very good it's on king george street

on agrippas street there is a place called stekiyat hazot (midnight steakhouse) its also an old school grill resteraunt. also probably 50 years old. very good example of israeli grilled meat. get the kabab

go to the market in Jerusalem, mahane yehuda (its close to both of the above) its a cool experience. espectially friday morning

in tel aviv
go to shinkin street and/or the florentine neighborhoods, very cool areas to walk around. if you go to shinkin street, have coffee at tamar cafe.

on ben yehuda, there is a great gelato place called "sicillian gelato"

off of the south corner of dizzengoff and king george in tel aviv is a great swarma place. its huge, I don't remember the name, but you'll see it.

have fun

Tel aviv has a fair share of great restaurants, but theres a spot in yaffo called yitzchak hagadol, kebob house, with an appetizer platter you've never seen before, you will go there

Jerusalem - besides burgers bar and new dehli which are israeli "not-fast fast food" great late spots after partying, go to a restaurant called Olive, order chicken shish w/ date sauce, thank me later

Enjoy your trip

All of the above recommendations are excellent.
Get the foie skewers at Yithak haGadol ("Big Itzik"). Doctor Shakshukah is another wonderful place in Jaffa.
Have breakfast at Benedict in Tel Aviv.
Visit the Carmel Market. Eat felafel and drink fresh pomegranate juice.
Eat stuffed vegetables; the Israelis make stuffed vegetables into an art form.

We stayed at the Diaghilev Hotel on Mazeh Street, just off Rothschild. The hotel does not serve breakfast, but Benedict is a short walk away, and there is an excellent coffee bar right on Rothschild. I'd definitely stay there again. You will get more of a neighborhood experience. The hotel staff also sent us to a phenomenal Balkan restaurant a few blocks away. The eggplant dishes were unbelievably good.

I second the goose liver skewers, theyre awsome